US to change visa duration regulations for foreign students, journalists

The Trump administration announced new regulations on Thursday to limit the duration of visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors, and journalists. The Department of Homeland Security's final rule will establish fixed time periods for F (student), J (cultural exchange), and I (media) visas, which are currently issued for the duration of a program or employment. Under the new rule, student and exchange visas will be capped at four years, while journalist visas will be limited to 240 days, or 90 days for Chinese nationals. The DHS stated that the significant increase in these visa admissions, including over 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, "poses a challenge to DHS's ability to monitor and oversee these nonimmigrants." Visa holders will be able to apply for extensions.