The administration of President Donald Trump in the United States is establishing new time constraints on visas for international students, exchange participants, and reporters, thereby concluding a long-standing practice that permitted many to remain in the country for the duration of their education or assignment.
As per a new directive from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made public on Thursday, foreign students and exchange participants will typically be allowed to stay for a maximum of four years, while foreign reporters will have a limit of 240 days per stay, or just 90 days for those from China.
Anyone wishing to remain longer must seek an extension or exit the country and apply for re-entry. This regulation, which will come into force 60 days following its posting in the Federal Register subject to congressional review, could influence enrollment in college programs that commence in August and September.
This represents the most recent action in Trump’s extensive initiative to tighten immigration controls since he assumed office again in January 2025.
Previous administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to live in the United States for far too long, creating safety issues, costing enormous sums of taxpayer money, and negatively affecting American citizens, stated in DHS press release when these alterations were initially suggested last summer.
The administration claims these adjustments will facilitate easier tracking of individuals holding these visas.
The regulation notes that many students and exchange participants have been maintaining their student or exchange visitor status with DHS for extended periods.
The department reported discovering over 2,100 individuals who began their stay as students between 2000 and 2010, who still held student status as of April this year while they enrolled in new courses, switched institutions, or lingered in their respective programs to continue their stay in the U.S.
Furthermore, the regulation enforces more stringent measures for international students who intend to transfer to other universities or change their academic disciplines, particularly at the graduate level of education.
More than 11 percent more than 1.8 million students applying for student visas will be granted this year, up from last year.
Additionally, the department reported that over 500,000 exchange visitors and roughly 37,300 foreign journalists visited the U.S. during fiscal year 2024, ended on September 30, 2026.
This action is the latest aspect of Trump’s wider initiative to impose stricter regulations on both illegal and legal immigration. In June, the State Department announced that it had canceled over 100,000 visas since Trump assumed office again last year, which includes 8,000 students. A significant number of those students had their visas canceled due to their engagement in political activities.
Immigration supporters and educational institutions have cautioned that these policies may diminish the appeal of the US as a destination for study, teaching, or research by raising expenses and deterring individuals from continuing their extended study programs in the US.