• Proposed four-year limit for F visas for foreign students.
• J visas for exchange visitors capped at four years; I visas for journalists limited to 240 days.
• New rules aim to curb visa abuse and improve monitoring of international visitors.
• Public comments on the proposal welcomed within 30 days of its announcement.
• Critics warn of negative impacts on U.S. education and research competitiveness.

The Trump administration has unveiled a proposal to impose new limits on the duration of visas for foreign students, exchange visitors, and journalists. Under the proposed changes, student (F), exchange visitor (J), and media representative (I) visas would no longer be extended indefinitely, but restricted to a specific time frame, with student and exchange visas capped at four years, while journalists' visas would be capped at 240 days, and Chinese journalists at only 90 days, according to Newsweek, Reuters, and South China Morning Post.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the new restrictions aim to combat visa abuse and improve the government's ability to monitor foreign visitors. The prior system, known as "duration of status," permitted individuals to remain in the U.S. as long as they complied with visa rules, which has contributed to concerns about "forever students" who lack proper oversight. This change reflects a broader crackdown on legal immigration practices initiated during Trump's tenure, as noted by Times of India and Channel News Asia.

In a statement, the DHS emphasized the importance of regular assessments for visa holders and cited a need for clear termination dates for visa statuses. “For too long, past administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to stay in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens,” a DHS spokesperson said, according to The Hill and Anadolu Agency.

However, the announcement has faced backlash from educational institutions, with advocates arguing that such limits could hinder the U.S.'s ability to attract top talent, thereby reducing its competitiveness in the global market. Miriam Feldblum, president of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, remarked that the proposal sends a discouraging message to international students, suggesting their contributions are unvalued. Concerns regarding the negative implications on higher education funding and research contributions were also highlighted by Dawn and Al Jazeera.

The proposed regulation has been published in the Federal Register, allowing a 30-day public comment period, during which feedback will be collected before any further steps are finalized. The alterations reflect ongoing efforts to reshape America’s immigration policies, particularly those affecting students and academics, as previously noted in proposals made during Trump's first term that were later withdrawn under the Biden administration, as reported by TRT Global and TRT Global.