The US government announced in July 2026 new visa regulations imposing fixed admission periods on foreign students, exchange visitors and journalists, replacing a system that allowed indefinite stays. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule ending the “duration of status” policy that previously permitted visa holders to stay without routine government oversight.
Fixed Admission Periods Set for Students and Journalists
Under the new DHS rule, visa holders in the F, J, and I classes face stricter limits. Most foreign journalists are admitted for up to 240 days, but Chinese journalists must leave or apply for extensions every 90 days. Students and exchange visitors gain admission
tied to their specific programs, capped at four years maximum.
Journalists holding Hong Kong or Macau passports remain under the 240-day limit, exempt from the 90-day Chinese journalist restriction. Extensions beyond those limits are possible but require formal applications.
Transition for Current Visa Holders and Reduced Grace Period
Existing visa holders in the affected categories will automatically transition to the new system starting from the rule’s effective date, which is 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. Their new stay cannot exceed four years from that point. Additionally, F1 student visa holders will have only 30 days after graduation to depart, transfer to another school, or change visa
status, reduced from 60 days previously.
DHS Cites Visa Abuse and Monitoring Challenges
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin attributed the policy shift to abuses of the former system, where foreign students remained indefinitely by enrolling endlessly to avoid leaving the US. The department described the previous “duration of status” rule as allowing visa holders to “remain in the United States indefinitely without routine government oversight.”
The surge to over 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, an 11 percent increase from the prior year, plus more than 500,000 exchange visitors and over 37,300 media professionals, strained DHS’s ability to monitor visa compliance.
Visa Changes Part of Trump Immigration Enforcement
These visa policy changes arise amid
a broad crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration under President Donald Trump’s administration since January 2025. The administration has tightened visa fees, shortened visa durations, revoked certain legal statuses, and targeted skilled worker and student categories as part of this agenda.
China Condemns Rules, Threatens Reciprocal Measures
The Chinese foreign ministry sharply criticized the new limits on Chinese journalists, calling the policy discriminatory and a violation of the 2021 US-China three-point media consensus. Spokesman Lin Jian stated the rule “seriously affects Chinese media’s normal work in the US” and declared China reserves the right to respond with countermeasures.
Experts Warn of Economic and Innovation Risks
Immigration expert David Bier of the Cato
Institute said the new regulations risk retroactive status violations for students who change academic objectives, describing this aspect as “genuinely wicked.” US immigration lawyer Tahmina Watson warned that tightening visa access could reduce innovation and economic contributions from international students, who contributed over US$50 billion to the economy during the 2023-24 academic year.
Watson noted that many international students become entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry leaders, and restricting visa flexibility might drive talent to competitors.
Extension Applications and Enhanced Federal Oversight
The new rules require students and exchange visitors to seek extensions of stay through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), replacing prior management by university
officials. Applications will include biometric vetting, background checks, and fraud screening. This shift aims to tighten oversight and combat abuses associated with prior indefinite visa durations.
