Washington/ New Delhi: As part of a broader crackdown on legal immigration, the Trump administration has proposed a new rule that would limit the duration of stay for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors, and members of the foreign media.
The regulation, announced today, aims to tighten oversight, prevent visa abuse, and enhance national security.
Under the proposed changes, the current “duration of status” model, used since 1978, would be replaced with fixed visa terms. This marks a significant shift in how international students and others are monitored while in the U.S.
The key provisions of the proposed rule states that foreign students, professors, physicians, and other eligible visa holders would have their authorized stay tied to the length of their program, capped at four years.
The rule would set the initial admission period for foreign media representatives at up to 240 days. Foreign media representatives would be eligible for an extension period of up to 240 days, but no longer than the length of the temporary activity or assignment.
Individuals would be required to apply for extensions through USCIS, introducing regular vetting and screening by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
A DHS spokesperson explained the rationale: “For too long, past administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens. This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all.”
Currently, F visa holders (international students) are allowed to remain in the U.S. under the “duration of status” designation, meaning they can stay indefinitely as long as they maintain enrollment in an academic program. The administration argues this system has led to the rise of so-called “forever students,” who remain in the country for years by continuously enrolling in courses without undergoing further vetting.
By imposing a fixed duration, the administration seeks to improve data tracking through SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) and SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), enhance transparency, and ensure only those actively complying with visa terms are permitted to stay.
The proposed rule, if finalized, would mark a major policy shift in how the U.S. handles student and journalist visas and reflects the administration’s ongoing efforts to tighten immigration control—even through legal channels.
“For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amount of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens,” said a DHS spokesperson. “This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all by limiting the amount of time certain visa holders are allowed to remain in the U.S., easing the burden on the federal government to properly oversee foreign students and their history, ” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement.
