Major Changes Coming to US Student and Exchange Visitor Visas: What You Need to Know
Currently, if you’re an international student, exchange visitor, or foreign journalist in the US, you can stay as long as you’re enrolled in your program or working on your assignment. This is known as “duration of status,” and it has been in place since the 1970s. There is no fixed end date, so you don’t have to renew your visa unless something significant changes.
The new plan from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would change this. Instead of open-ended stays, you would receive a specific time limit:
Students (F visas): Up to 4 years or until your program ends, whichever is shorter. You would get 30 days for travel before and after.
Exchange Visitors (J visas): Up to 4 years, depending on your program, like for researchers or au pairs. Some, such as doctors, might get up to 7 years total.
Media Workers (I visas): Up to 240 days, or 90 days for those from China, excluding Hong Kong and Macau. You can request another 240 days if your job continues.
Families (F-2, J-2 visas): They would match the main person’s time limit.
If you need more time, you would have to apply for an extension through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This process includes forms, fees, and waiting for approval.
Why Is This Happening?
DHS claims that the current system makes tracking people difficult. Some students remain for years by switching programs, and a few—about 77,000 since 2003—have held student status for over a decade. Overstays, or people staying past their visa, are low, around 3-4% for these groups, but DHS wants to close any gaps.
They also mention security concerns, referencing rare instances where students were linked to espionage. This is not a new proposal. Trump attempted something similar in 2020, but Biden halted it in 2021 after schools and businesses raised objections. Now, with Trump advocating for stricter immigration rules again, it is being pushed once more.
How It Affects Students and Others
If this rule passes, it could lead to significant changes:
Students: You would need to plan your studies carefully. If your degree takes longer than 4 years, like in some graduate programs, you’d have to apply for extensions. This could cost between $200 and $500 each time and take weeks to process. Schools would also face more paperwork to verify your enrollment.
Exchange Visitors: Programs like teaching or research exchanges would have clearer end dates. If your work isn’t finished, you’d need your program sponsor to support your extension request.
Media Workers: Journalists would need to demonstrate that their assignments are ongoing to extend their stay, and those from certain countries would have shorter initial periods.
Universities and Businesses: Schools might lose students if the process becomes too complicated. Companies hiring international graduates could experience delays. In 2023-2024, international students contributed $44 billion to the US economy and supported 378,000 jobs, so a decline in students could have a significant impact.
What’s Good and What’s Not?
Pros (from DHS’s perspective):
- Easier to track who is in the country
- Fewer people overstaying their visas
- More checks to identify rare security issues
Cons (from critics):
- Extra costs and stress for students and schools
- May drive students to countries like Canada or Australia, where visa rules are more lenient
- Could harm the US economy, as international students spend billions on tuition, housing, and other expenses
- Increased paperwork and delays may disrupt studies or work
