The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday finalized a rule that will limit the durations of visas for students, exchange visitors, and journalists.
The new rule imposes new caps on the lengths of F visas, for international college and university students; J visas, for those in the country through educational and cultural exchange programs, which can include students, but also researchers, teachers, or interns, among other designations; and I visas, for journalists.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement on Thursday that thousands of foreign students have allowed to remain in the U.S. “indefinitely” under their visas by “perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave the U.S.,” and that setting limits on the duration of visas will allow the U.S. to reclaim “its ability to properly screen, vet, and monitor individuals within our borders.”
“This final rule ensures that foreign students remain focused on their primary purpose: completing their studies and returning home,” Mullin said.
The final rule will be published in the Federal Register in the “next few days,” according to DHS and will then go into effect 60 days after publication.
The move is the latest in the Trump Administration’s efforts to limit the number of foreign nationals in the country, which have also previously seen the Administration take steps to restrict refugee admissions, pause visas from specific countries, charge companies for H-1B visas, and end temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of migrants, among a slew of other actions.
Under the new rule, F and J visa holders will be permitted to remain in the U.S. for the length of their program, but not longer than four years.
If a student needs additional time to complete an academic program, they must apply for an extension on their visa through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Currently, student visas are permitted to last for the duration of their studies, in addition to a period of up to three years after graduation through optional practical training, better known as OPT.
For thousands of graduates, OPT has served as a crucial period during which they find employment, which in turn opens the door for them to qualify for the longer-term H-1B visa.
The rule also shortens the amount of time F visa holders have to depart or transfer from school and change status after their graduation from 60 to 30 days.
The duration of I visas, for members of the media, will be capped at 240 days by the new rule, and 90 days for Chinese nationals. Under current rules, journalists’ visas can last years.