Trump Administration Caps Student and Journalist Visas at Four Years, Limits Chinese Media to 90 Days
The Trump administration announced new restrictions limiting student visas to four years and journalist visas to 240 days (90 days for Chinese nationals), ending the previous open-ended system that allowed extended stays tied to program duration or employment.
New Visa Duration Limits
The administration of United States President Donald Trump is putting new time limits on visas for foreign students, exchange visitors and journalists, ending a decades-old system that let many of them stay in the US for as long as they remained in school or on assignment. Under a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule released on Thursday, international students and exchange visitors will generally be limited to four years while foreign journalists will be admitted for up to 240 days at a time, or just 90 days for Chinese nationals.
Impact on Higher Education
The regulation, which takes effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register pending congressional review, could impact admissions for college programmes starting in August and September. There were more than 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, an 11 per cent increase on the previous year, prompting the regulatory change.
Extension Requirements
Anyone who wants to stay longer will have to apply for an extension or leave the country and apply to come back. This requirement creates significant bureaucratic hurdles for students pursuing advanced degrees or journalists covering long-term assignments in the United States.
Part of Broader Immigration Crackdown
The policy represents part of the Trump administration's sweeping immigration restrictions that began immediately after taking office in January 2025. The Trump administration has increased scrutiny of legal immigration, revoking student visas and green cards of university students over their ideological views and stripping legal status from hundreds of thousands of migrants. The DHS cited growing visa volumes as justification for the new oversight measures.