US caps student visas at 4 years, journalist visas at 240 days, and 90 days for Chinese nationals

What the rule changes

The Department of Homeland Security released a final rule on Thursday that ends the decades-old practice of admitting foreign students, exchange visitors, and journalists for the duration of their programs or assignments. Under the new system, F and J visa holders will be admitted for a fixed period matching their program length, capped at four years. I visa holders, mostly foreign journalists, will be admitted for up to 240 days at a time, with extensions possible. Chinese nationals on I visas face a stricter 90-day limit.

The rule also imposes new academic restrictions. Graduate students are prohibited from changing their educational objectives or transferring to another school without authorization. All students must complete their first academic year at the institution that issued their initial entry document. The grace period to leave the United States after finishing a program is cut from 60 days to 30 days.

The administration's rationale

DHS argued that previous administrations allowed visa holders to remain virtually indefinitely, creating safety risks and costs for taxpayers. The department said it identified more than 2,100 individuals who first entered as students between 2000 and 2010 and still held student status in April 2026, often by enrolling in new programs or extending dates.

For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amount of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens.

The department reported 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, an 11 percent increase over the previous year, along with more than 500,000 exchange visitors and about 37,300 foreign journalists in fiscal year 2024. DHS said the volume of visitors challenges its ability to monitor nonimmigrants while they are in the country.

Criticism from education and media

The rule drew sharp objections from higher education and press freedom groups. Doug Rand, a former DHS official, said the measure would increase red tape rather than reduce it.

Most Americans understand the value of welcoming international students and getting rid of needless red tape. This rule would do the opposite.

David J Bier of the Cato Institute said there was no legal basis for the study and transfer restrictions. The association of university and college presidents warned the administration was sending a message that foreign talent is not valued. International media organizations cautioned that the rule would reduce the quantity and quality of reporting from the United States and harm the country's global standing.

What happens next

The regulation is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Friday and will take effect 60 days afterward, subject to congressional review. That timeline means the new caps could affect admissions for college programs starting in August and September. China's foreign ministry had opposed the proposed rule as discriminatory when it was first unveiled in August 2025; the Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.