The Trump administration aims to tighten the duration of visas for students, cultural exchange visitors and members of the media, according to a proposed government regulation issued on Wednesday, part of a broader crackdown on legal immigration.
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US President Donald Trump, a Republican, kicked off a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after taking office in January.
The latest move would create new hurdles for international students, exchange workers and foreign journalists who would have to apply to extend their stay in the US rather than maintain a more flexible legal status.
The proposed regulation would create a fixed time period for F visas for international students, J visas that allow visitors on cultural exchange programmes to work in the US, and I visas for members of the media. Those visas are currently available for the duration of the programme or US-based employment.
There were about 1.6 million international students on F visas in the US in 2024, according to US government data. The US granted visas to about 355,000 exchange visitors and 13,000 members of the media in financial year 2024, which began on October 1, 2023.
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Absurd, anxious, concerned: Students react to US revoking Chinese student visas
Absurd, anxious, concerned: Students react to US revoking Chinese student visas
The student and exchange visa periods would be no longer than four years, the proposed regulation said. The visa for journalists – which currently can last years – would be up to 240 days or, in the case of people with passports from mainland China and Hong Kong, 90 days. The visa holders could apply for extensions, the proposal said.