US moves to shorten visa duration for students, journalists

The United States government has announced plans to reduce the validity period of visas issued to international students and foreign journalists.

According to a statement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), student visas (F visas) would now be capped at a maximum of four years, instead of covering the entire duration of academic programmes which often exceed five years in the case of doctoral degrees.

Similarly, foreign media professionals will have their visa validity limited to 240 days, with a possible extension of another 240 days. However, the extension will not exceed the duration of their official assignments. Applications for renewal would also have to be filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), subjecting applicants to fresh security checks.

The DHS explained that the move was aimed at curbing visa abuse, enhancing national security, and ensuring better oversight of foreign nationals in the country. It added that previous administrations had allowed visa holders, particularly students, to remain in the U.S. “virtually indefinitely,” a situation it claimed created security risks and financial burdens.

In the past, journalists from countries such as Germany were granted visas valid for up to five years.

The announcement has, however, sparked criticism from the American higher education community. Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, described the proposed rule as disruptive.

“The rule would force international students and scholars to regularly submit additional applications, disrupting their studies and straining university operations,” she said, warning that the uncertainty could discourage foreign talent from choosing the U.S. as a study or research destination.