US to limit visas for foreign journalists, Int’l students, others

The United States (US) government has announced plans to limit visas for foreign journalists (I Visas) to 240 days.

The limit also extends to international students and cultural exchange visitors.

According to a notice published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the new draft regulations will end the current practice of granting open-ended visas that last for the duration of a study programme or employment. Instead, visa holders will face fixed terms and a more rigorous renewal process.

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The policy is scheduled to take effect 60 days after its formal publication in the Federal Register, subject to congressional review.

Key policy changes

Under the proposed framework, visas will no longer remain valid indefinitely for the duration of a stay. The new limits are structured as follows:

International Students (F Visas) and Exchange Visitors (J Visas): Standard admission periods will be capped at a maximum of four years.

Foreign Journalists (I Visas): Admission will be limited to 240 days.

To remain in the country beyond these periods, visa holders must either successfully apply for an extension with the DHS or temporarily leave the US and seek readmission.

The Department of Homeland Security justified the policy by pointing to a significant surge in non-immigrant arrivals, which it argues has strained its regulatory capacity.

In its official posting, the department noted that there were more than 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, representing an increase of more than 11 percent compared to the previous year.

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Additionally, the US granted entry to over 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 media professionals during the 2024 financial year.

In explaining the decision, the DHS stated that the high volume of foreign arrivals, “…poses a challenge to DHS’s ability to monitor and oversee these nonimmigrants while they are in the United States.”

The department further claimed that it has identified numerous instances where students and exchange visitors have utilised the flexibility of the previous system to remain in the country for decades.

This regulatory shift aligns with the broader immigration platform of President Donald Trump, who initiated a wide-ranging crackdown on immigration after taking office in January 2025.

The administration has consistently increased its oversight of legal immigration pathways. This has included heightened scrutiny of university students, occasionally resulting in the revocation of student visas and green cards over ideological views, alongside broader efforts to scale back legal status for hundreds of thousands of migrants.

These new visa limits represent the latest hurdle for international academic, cultural, and media organisations operating within the United States.