US plans fixed visa limits for foreign media, students and exchange workers

According to the proposed regulations, the visa periods for international students and cultural exchange visitors will not exceed more than four years

The Trump administration on Wednesday (local time) proposed a new rule that would place fixed limits on the stay of international students, cultural exchange visitors, and foreign journalists in the United States, according to Reuters.

 

The change would reverse the current system that allows these visa holders to stay as long as they are engaged in their academic or professional programmes. Instead, they would need to apply for extensions, creating new hurdles for students, researchers, and media professionals working in the US.

 

Visa types affected: F, J, and I categories

 

Under the proposed rule, the following visa categories will be affected:

 

 

• F visas for international students
• J visas for cultural exchange visitors
• I visas for foreign journalists

 

The proposed change would limit international students and exchange visitors to a maximum of four years. For foreign journalists, visas would be capped at 240 days, with a renewal possible for another 240 days. For Chinese nationals, the journalist visa duration would be limited to just 90 days, citing national security concerns.  ALSO READ | US green card and visa rules: Immigration benefits for pro-Americans only

Millions could be impacted by fixed-term visas

 

According to US government data, in 2024:

 

• Around 1.6 million international students were in the US on F visas
• Nearly 355,000 cultural exchange visitors held J visas
• Over 13,000 foreign journalists were granted I visas
• These groups, until now, enjoyed relatively flexible stays tied to their work or academic status.

 

Justification: ‘Monitor and oversee visa holders better’

 

Defending the proposal, the Trump administration said the move was necessary to “better monitor and oversee” visa holders and prevent overstays. The Department of Homeland Security said fixed durations would help reduce abuse of the visa system.  ALSO READ | US F-1 visa: Filing form late may cause rejection; what Indians must know

Part of broader immigration crackdown

 

The decision is in line with Trump’s broader hardline stance on immigration. Since taking office as the 47th US President in January, Trump has implemented stricter vetting processes, reduced immigration quotas, and revoked or denied visas, including student and green card holders, based on ideological grounds.

 

The administration has also stripped away legal protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, as part of efforts to prioritise national security and control entry into the US. 

Massive shake-up for H-1B visa, green card system: Lutnick

 

The proposed changes to US immigration regulations come amid an ongoing crackdown on immigrants. On Tuesday (local time), US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the H-1B visa and green card programmes were set for a major overhaul, adding that the government was preparing to modify key parts of the system.

 

In a post on X, Lutnick wrote, “The current H-1B visa system is a scam that lets foreign workers fill American job opportunities.” He added, “Now is the time to hire Americans.” 

 

Commenting on changes to the US green card system, Lutnick said, “We give green cards. The average American makes $75,000 a year, and the average green card recipient $66,000. So we’re taking the bottom quartile. Why are we doing that?”

 

Lutnick also mentioned that a new “gold card” would be created to help select the most qualified individuals to enter the US.