Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration has unveiled a proposal that could dramatically reshape how long international students, cultural exchange visitors, and even foreign journalists can stay in the United States.
The move, part of President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on immigration, would end the current flexible visa system and replace it with strict time limits.
What’s Changing
Under the proposal:
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F visas for international students would be capped at four years.
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J visas for cultural exchange visitors would also face the same four-year limit.
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I visas for members of the media—previously lasting years—would now be capped at 240 days, and for Chinese journalists, just 90 days.
Currently, these visas last as long as a student’s academic program or a journalist’s U.S.-based employment, giving them greater flexibility. The new rule would instead force holders to apply for extensions if they wish to remain longer.
The Numbers
According to U.S. government data:
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More than 1.6 million international students were in the country in 2024.
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Around 355,000 exchange visitors were granted visas that same year.
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About 13,000 members of the media also entered the U.S. on I visas.
The proposed restrictions could impact thousands of lives, careers, and academic futures.
The Reason Behind the Proposal
The administration says the changes are needed to “monitor and oversee” visa holders more closely during their stay in the United States.
This proposal mirrors a similar move pushed by Trump in 2020, which was later withdrawn by President Joe Biden’s administration in 2021 after strong opposition.
Pushback from Advocates
Education groups are already voicing concerns. NAFSA, a global nonprofit representing international educators at over 4,300 institutions, strongly opposed the earlier version of the rule and has urged the administration to abandon it again.
Critics argue that tighter rules would make the U.S. less welcoming to foreign students, workers, and journalists—and could weaken the country’s global influence.
A Broader Crackdown
This is not the first time Trump’s team has tightened the screws on legal immigration. The administration has revoked visas and green cards from students for ideological reasons and stripped legal status from hundreds of thousands of migrants.
Just this month, a memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services revealed plans to resume home visits to applicants for citizenship—checking not only their residency but also their “moral character” and “commitment to American ideals.”
What’s Next
The public has 30 days to comment on the new visa proposal before it moves forward. For now, international students, journalists, and cultural exchange workers are left wondering: Will their American dream be cut short?
