According to details released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the new rule proposes that student visas under the F-category be capped at a maximum of four years. Currently, such visas typically last the entire duration of a degree program, which in some cases — such as doctoral studies — can extend beyond five years.
For foreign journalists, the DHS proposal would limit visa validity to 240 days, with the option of a one-time extension for another 240 days. Even with extensions, journalists’ visas would not exceed the period of their professional assignments, and renewal requests would require submission through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), including additional security screening.
In the past, journalists from countries like Germany were granted visas lasting up to five years. But DHS now argues that such long-term stays present both “security risks and financial burdens,” while disadvantaging U.S. citizens.
“For too long, past administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely,” DHS stated, adding that the changes are aimed at curbing visa abuse.
However, the proposal has sparked immediate pushback from the American higher education community. Miriam Feldblum, President and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, warned that the policy would create unnecessary difficulties for international students and universities that depend on global academic collaboration.
The debate reflects broader tensions in U.S. immigration policy, balancing national security priorities with the country’s long-standing role as a global hub for education and journalism.
