Key points
- F, J, I visas capped in duration
- Critics warn of stricter oversight risks
- Public given 30 days to respond
ISLAMABAD: The Trump administration is seeking to impose stricter limits on the length of visas issued to international students, cultural exchange visitors, and foreign journalists, as part of a broader clampdown on legal immigration.
A proposed regulation, issued on Wednesday, would require those on F visas (for international students), J visas (for cultural exchange visitors), and I visas (for members of the media) to reapply if they wish to stay longer in the United States, replacing the current flexible system that allows them to remain for the duration of their programmes or employment, according to Reuters.
US Homeland Security Statement: Trump Administration plans to limit the stay of foreign students and media personnel in the United States to end foreign student visa abuse. pic.twitter.com/XccmaFxGlE
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 28, 2025
The proposed changes would cap student and exchange visitor visas at a maximum of four years. For journalists, visa durations would be limited to 240 days, or 90 days for those holding passports from China or Hong Kong. Extensions could be requested.
The US government says the rule is necessary to better “monitor and oversee” visa holders during their stay.
Scrutiny of legal immigration
According to 2024 data, around 1.6 million international students were in the US on F visas, alongside 355,000 exchange visitors and 13,000 foreign journalists.
The public has 30 days to comment on the proposal, which resembles a similar 2020 regulation that was later withdrawn by the Biden administration in 2021.
NAFSA, an organisation representing international educators across more than 4,300 institutions globally, previously opposed the 2020 version and urged the Trump administration to abandon the measure.
Trump’s administration has consistently increased scrutiny of legal immigration, revoking student visas and green cards on ideological grounds, and removing legal status from many migrants.
A recent 22 August memo from US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed plans to resume neighbourhood visits to verify citizenship applicants’ residency, moral character, and commitment to American ideals.
