United States moves to restrict visa length for foreign students, reporters

"The Trump administration has proposed restricting student visas to a four-year period rather than the duration of programme. The administration of United States President Donald Trump is planning to shorten the amount of time foreign students, culture exchange participants and journalists are allowed to stay in the US. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Wednesday that the changes are necessary to crack down on visa abuse and facilitate the government's ability to vet and oversee foreign visa holders."

"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, an unnamed DHS spokesperson said in a news release. The proposed time caps come as the Trump administration seeks to place greater restrictions on all forms of immigration."

"The three types of visas that would be affected are F visas for students, which would be limited to four years; J visas for cultural exchange, also limited to four years; and I visas for reporters, which would be limited to 240 days rather than covering the length of employment, with the chance to extend. Journalists from China would be limited to just 90 days in the country."

The Department of Homeland Security proposes limiting F student visas and J cultural exchange visas to four years, and I journalist visas to 240 days with possible extension. Journalists from China would be restricted to 90 days. DHS says the caps aim to crack down on visa abuse and improve vetting and oversight. The proposal follows broader administration efforts to tighten immigration. The change departs from current practice of issuing student visas for the duration of academic programmes. Critics warn that time caps could disadvantage international students in longer undergraduate, graduate, or PhD programmes and could harm US higher education finances reliant on higher international fees.

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