(Digital Itla) The United States has tightened its visa laws for foreign students and journalists, implementing fixed durations for visa validity.
The administration of US President Donald Trump decided to stricten policies impacting international students, cultural exchange participants, and foreign journalists.
Under the new finalized rules issued by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), student, exchange visitor, and journalist visas will now have fixed durations. Previously, these visas remained valid for the entire duration of the academic program or employment.
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Students & Exchange Visitors: Maximum visa duration is capped at four years.
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Foreign Journalists: Maximum visa duration is restricted to 240 days (limited to 90 days for Chinese journalists). Visa holders may apply for extensions if necessary.
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Academic Restrictions: Graduate students can no longer change their academic path or transfer to another educational institution without explicit authorization.
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Grace Period Cut: The grace period allowed to leave the US after completing education or training has been slashed from 60 days to 30 days. If a student fails to find a sponsoring employer within this period, they must leave the country or apply for a visa extension.
The DHS noted that over 1.8 million students enrolled in the US in 2024—an 11% increase compared to the previous year. During the same fiscal year, more than 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 foreign journalists were issued visas. The department stated that the steady rise in numbers has made effective monitoring a significant challenge, prompting the introduction of these new regulations.
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