Trump Administration Plans Stricter Visa Durations for Students, Exchange Visitors, Journalists

The Trump administration has proposed new regulations to limit the duration of visas for international students (F visas), cultural exchange visitors (J visas), and members of the media (I visas), as part of a broader crackdown on legal immigration. Under the proposal, students and exchange visitors would be restricted to a maximum stay of four years, while journalists would receive visas lasting up to 240 days, with a shorter 90-day limit for Chinese and Hong Kong nationals. Visa holders would need to apply for extensions rather than benefit from automatic renewals, a shift aimed at improving the monitoring and oversight of these individuals during their stay. This proposal, which mirrors a similar one introduced in 2020 but withdrawn by the Biden administration, has sparked opposition from educational organizations concerned about its impact. The public has a 30-day window to comment on the measure. Additionally, the Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of visa applicants, including implementing social media vetting requirements and revoking visas based on ideological grounds.