US student visa overhaul: 4-year cap on student, 240-day cap on journalist visas under new rule

 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new announcement, proposing to end the decades-old practice of admitting foreign students, cultural exchange visitors, and journalists for an indefinite “duration of status.” Issued on August 27, 2025, if finalised, the rule will impose fixed stay limits and require extensions to be filed with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

“For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amounts of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens,” a DHS spokesperson said in the circular. “This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all.”

Key changes under the DHS proposal:

• Students (F visas) & Exchange visitors (J visas): Stay capped at four years, with extensions subject to USCIS approval.

• Foreign media (I visas): Stay capped at 240 days, and for Chinese nationals, limited to 90 days.

• Oversight: USCIS will regularly assess requests for extensions, giving DHS greater oversight through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the SEVIS database.

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Since 1978, foreign students have been admitted on F visas for “duration of status,” effectively allowing them to stay in the US as long as they maintain enrollment, without a fixed time cap. DHS claims this system led to “forever students” who enrolled perpetually to remain in the country.

Links to the Trump-era crackdown

The DHS announcement mirrors a similar proposal rolled out under President Donald Trump in 2020, later withdrawn by the Biden administration in 2021. Trump’s return to office has revived the plan as part of a broader immigration crackdown, which also includes stricter social media checks, expanded vetting, and increased revocations of student visas linked to overstays or security risks.

There were about 1.6 million international students in the US in 2024 on F visas, along with 355,000 exchange visitors and 13,000 foreign journalists, according to government data. DHS says fixed periods will allow for “proper oversight” and better data-sharing across agencies.

Criticism and implications

Critics argue the rule risks deterring international talent and undermining US universities. NAFSA, a nonprofit representing 4,300 global education institutions, opposed the same proposal in 2020 and is expected to raise objections again. Free-speech advocates also warn that political activism, such as student protests, could become grounds for visa cancellation under the administration’s broadened “threat to US foreign policy” framework.

The DHS circular is now open for a 30-day public comment period before being finalised.