Tighter visa restrictions proposed for students and media
The Trump administration has introduced a new proposal to shorten the permitted duration of stay for international students, cultural exchange participants, and media professionals in the US. This move is part of a broader effort to tighten legal immigration controls.
Under the proposed regulation, non-immigrant visa categories — specifically F visas for students, J visas for exchange visitors, and I visas for foreign media — would be assigned fixed periods of stay. Presently, these visas are typically valid for the length of the academic program, cultural engagement, or media assignment in the United States.
If implemented, the rule would mean international students and media personnel must apply for extensions to continue staying in the US, removing the current flexibility that allows them to remain for the duration of their authorized program or assignment.
Impact on visa holders and US institutions
As of 2024, approximately 1.6 million international students held F visas in the US, according to official figures. Additionally, about 355,000 exchange visitors and 13,000 media representatives entered the country under J and I visas during the 2024 fiscal year, which began in October 2023.
The administration stated that this change is designed to enhance the government’s ability to monitor and manage visa holders more effectively during their stay.
The proposed regulation will be open for public comment for 30 days. It mirrors a similar plan introduced in 2020 near the end of Trump’s first term.
Previous opposition and political context
NAFSA, a global association representing international education professionals across more than 4,300 institutions, opposed the 2020 version of this rule and had urged the Trump administration to withdraw it. The subsequent Biden administration officially scrapped the rule in 2021.
Beyond student and media visas, the Trump administration has already increased scrutiny on legal immigration. Measures have included revoking visas and permanent residency status based on ideological grounds, and ending protections for large groups of immigrants.
In a memo dated August 22, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the revival of neighborhood visits to citizenship applicants, focusing on residency verification, moral character, and alignment with American values.
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