US President Donald Trump's administration took action on Thursday to strictly limit visa durations for international students, exchange visitors and foreign journalists, Reuters reported.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final rule on July 16, 2026, replacing the open-ended duration of status framework with fixed time limits. The policy targets F visas for academic students, J visas for exchange visitors and I visas for media personnel. It becomes effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. The move remains subject to congressional review before implementation.
The move follows a broad crackdown on immigration that began after Trump took office in January 2025. His administration rapidly intensified scrutiny of legal immigration channels. It previously revoked student visas and green cards held by university students based on their ideological views and stripped legal status from hundreds of thousands of migrants.
New Fixed Stay Limits
Student and exchange visa holders will face a strict maximum cap of four years under the updated regulations. Media visas are capped at 240 days generally. The regulations single out Chinese nationals holding media visas, restricting their maximum stay to just 90 days.
China's foreign ministry strongly opposed the media visa limits in August, calling the policy discriminatory.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement reported by Reuters that the previous system "compromised national security and created conditions for immigration fraud over nearly five decades".
The department cited rising volume as a justification for the changes. It recorded over 1.8mn student visa admissions in 2024. It also registered 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 media personnel during the same fiscal year.
Impact On Indian Students
India is the largest source country for F-1 students in the US. This makes Indian nationals highly exposed to the practical mechanics of this shift.
The grace period for students to leave, transfer or change status is cut from 60 days to 30 days. Graduate students are barred from changing educational objectives mid-course. They cannot transfer to another academic institution without prior federal authorisation.
Indian students already in the US on a duration of status basis will transition automatically. Their stays are capped at four years from the rule's effective date.
"Most Americans understand the value of welcoming international students and getting rid of needless red tape. This rule would do the opposite." Doug Rand, a former DHS official, told Reuters.
David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, told Reuters the study and transfer restrictions lack any legal foundation.
"International students, many of whom will have spent years in the USA, will now have just 30 days to find an employer to sponsor them or immediately be turned into illegal immigrants." Bier told Reuters.
New Federal Oversight Process
Oversight of these visa categories shifts from individual universities and institutions directly to federal immigration authorities, including the USCIS and DHS.
Staying past the fixed "admit until" date requires a Mandatory Federal Extension request. This process brings applicants through biometric vetting, background checks and fraud screening before an extension is approved.
Media visa holders can alternatively seek readmission by leaving and re-entering the US. This option preserves their legal status but adds a travel burden that the previous system did not require.
Diplomatic And Legislative Hurdles
The US Senate recently addressed separate legislative challenges to immigration rules. Senator Jacky Rosen introduced S.J.Res. 99 under the Congressional Review Act to challenge an October 2025 rule ending automatic extensions of Employment Authorization Documents, legis1.com reported. The Senate rejected the motion in a 47-50 vote on April 29, 2026.
Earlier, Senator John Kennedy introduced S.J.Res. 8 to block a prior Biden-era rule extending automatic renewals to 540 days.
In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs responded cautiously. Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on July 17, that India is monitoring the situation and communicating with US authorities, financialexpress.com reported.
Jaiswal said visa rules are the "sovereign functions of any state". However, he added that India will raise concerns to "minimise the difficulties that our people face."
