US to change visa duration regulations for foreign students, journalists

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to implement a new rule that will establish fixed time periods for visas previously granted for the duration of a program or employment. This change affects international students (F visas), cultural exchange visitors (J visas), and members of the media (I visas).

The new regulation, effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, limits student and exchange visitor visas to a maximum of four years. Visas for journalists, which could previously last for years, will now be capped at 240 days. A specific limitation of 90 days will apply to journalist visas for Chinese nationals. Visa holders will have the option to apply for extensions if they wish to stay beyond these fixed periods.

DHS justified the change by citing a dramatic rise in visa applications in these categories, with over 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024 and more than 500,000 exchange visitors. The department stated that this significant increase "poses a challenge to DHS’s ability to monitor and oversee these nonimmigrants." The rule aims to create new hurdles for international students, exchange workers, and foreign journalists, aligning with the Trump administration's broader immigration crackdown and increased scrutiny of legal immigration.

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The significant increase in the volume of such visitors "poses a challenge to DHS’s ability to monitor and oversee these nonimmigrants while they are in the United States."