Trump admin to end indefinite duration visas; introduce new policy; check how it will impact Indians
The maximum stay for students and exchange visitors will be capped at four years
By Sri Lakshmi Muttevi
Representational Image
United States: Donald Trump administration is set to roll out another visa update that could significantly affect non-immigrant visa holders in the country.
The new proposal directly targets students, cultural exchange visitors, and members of the media, with plans to shorten the duration of their stay under tighter visa rules.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it intends to eliminate the decades-old policy of admitting foreign students, exchange visitors, and journalists for an indefinite “duration of status.” This system, in place since 1978, has allowed international students to remain in the U.S. as long as they maintain their enrollment, without a fixed time cap.
What the proposed regulation says:
1. A fixed time limit will now be introduced for F visas (international students), J visas (cultural exchange visitors), and I visas (foreign media professionals).
2. The maximum stay for students and exchange visitors will be capped at four years.
3. Journalists, who currently enjoy multi-year visas, would instead be restricted to 240 days, while those holding passports from China and Hong Kong would face an even tighter limit of just 90 days.
4. The administration justified the move by stating that stricter time caps would enable the U.S. to better “monitor and oversee” visa holders during their stay.
5. The DHS circular is currently open for a 30-day public comment period before the regulation can be finalized.
According to official data, there were around 1.6 million international students on F visas in the United States in 2024. In the same fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2023, the U.S. issued approximately 355,000 J visas for exchange visitors and 13,000 I visas for members of the media.
Trump’s return to the White House has revived this plan as part of his broader immigration crackdown, which also includes expanded vetting procedures, stricter social media checks, and stepped-up revocations of student visas in cases of overstays or security concerns.
