Trump adminration to cap F, J and I US visas, tighten rules for students, journals | World News

4 min readJul 16, 2026 09:44 PM The Trump adminration on Thursday moved to tighten visa rules for international students, foreign journals and cultural exchange visitors replacing the current open-ended system with fixed-term visas, creating new hurdles for people seeking to study, work or report from the United States.
The new final rule issued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) creates a fixed period of stay for F visas issued to international students, J visas for cultural exchange visitors and I visas for members of the foreign media. The rule will take effect 60 days after its publication in the Federal Reger, subject to congressional review.
The changes could have a significant impact on Indian nationals, who now make up the largest international student community in the United States. Students enrolled in programmes lasting more than four years may have to seek extensions from the Department of Homeland Security or leave the country and re-enter to complete their studies. Indian journals posted to the US would also face shorter visa validity periods under the new rules.
Currently, F and J visa holders are generally allowed to remain in the United States for the duration of their academic programme or authorised employment, while I visas for journals can remain valid for years.
What changes under the new rule?
Under the new regulation, student and exchange visitor visas will generally be valid for no longer than four years.
Foreign journals travelling on I visas will be allowed to stay for up to 240 days, while Chinese journals will receive visas valid for 90 days, according to the rule.
Visa holders who wish to remain in the United States beyond the fixed period will have to apply to the Department of Homeland Security for an extension or leave the country and seek readmission travelling abroad and re-entering the United States.Story continues below this ad
Why is the Trump adminration making the change?
The Department of Homeland Security said the sharp rise in the number of international students, exchange visitors and foreign journals entering the United States has made it more difficult to monitor compliance with immigration rules.
The department said there were more than 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, representing an increase of more than 11 per cent over the previous year.
It added that the United States granted visas to more than 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 members of the foreign media during fiscal year 2024, which began on October 1, 2023.
The significant increase in the volume of such visitors “poses a challenge to DHS’s ability to monitor and oversee these nonimmigrants while they are in the United States,” the department said.Story continues below this ad
DHS also said it had identified numerous examples of students and exchange visitors remaining in the United States for decades under the current system.
Part of Trump’s wider immigration crackdown
President Donald Trump, a Republican, launched a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after returning to office in January 2025.
The latest rule creates new hurdles for international students, exchange workers and foreign journals as the adminration continues to increase scrutiny of legal immigration.
The Trump adminration has revoked student visas and green cards of university students over their ideological views and stripped legal status from hundreds of thousands of migrants.Story continues below this ad
What happens next?
The new rule is scheduled to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Reger, subject to congressional review.
Once it comes into force, students, exchange visitors and foreign journals wishing to remain in the United States beyond their authorised period will have to seek an extension from DHS or depart the country and apply for readmission.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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