The Trump administration has finalized a major overhaul of the U.S. student visa system, replacing the long-standing “duration of status” policy with fixed-term admission periods for international students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is scheduled to publish the final rule on July 17, with the changes expected to take effect 60 days later, subject to congressional review.
Under the new regulation, F-1 student visas will no longer allow international students to remain in the United States for as long as they are enrolled in a qualifying academic program. Instead, students will be admitted for a fixed period and will need to apply for an extension if they require additional time to complete their studies.
The rule also applies to J visas, which cover cultural exchange visitors, and I visas issued to foreign media professionals. Currently, F, J and I visa holders are generally allowed to stay in the United States for as long as their approved study program, exchange program or employment continues.
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For most international students and exchange visitors, the maximum admission period will be four years. Journalists will be admitted for up to 240 days, while Chinese nationals applying for I visas will face a shorter 90-day limit. Those seeking to stay beyond these periods must either obtain an extension from DHS or leave the country and apply for readmission.
The move marks another step in the administration’s broader effort to tighten oversight of legal immigration. In recent months, the administration has increased scrutiny of international students, including revoking some student visas and green cards over ideological concerns and ending legal protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants.
DHS said the rule is intended to strengthen oversight as the number of temporary visa holders continues to grow.
The department noted that the U.S. recorded more than 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, representing an 11% increase from the previous year. It also said the country issued visas to more than 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 foreign media representatives during fiscal year 2024.
Explaining the policy change, DHS said the rising number of admissions has made it more difficult to effectively monitor temporary visa holders.
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“The significant increase in the volume of such visitors poses a challenge to DHS’s ability to monitor and oversee these non-immigrants while they are in the United States,” the department told .
The agency also said it has identified numerous cases in which students and exchange visitors remained in the United States for decades under the current duration of status framework.
Under the finalized rule, anyone wishing to stay beyond their authorized admission period must either submit an extension request to DHS before their status expires or depart the United States and seek readmission through a new visa process.