Trump Administration Proposes 4-Year Visa Cap, Reduced Grace Period for Students and Exchange Visitors

The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed a rule to shorten visas for international students, cultural exchange visitors, and foreign journalists, as part of a broader effort to tighten oversight of legal immigration.

The proposed regulation, first introduced by Trump in 2020 but withdrawn by the Biden administration in 2021, would require visa holders to apply for extensions instead of maintaining flexible legal status, allowing the government to “monitor and oversee” their stay in the US more closely.

Key Changes Under the Proposal:

• F visas (students), J visas (exchange visitors), and I visas (media members) would have fixed periods instead of remaining valid for the duration of a program or employment.

• I visas, typically issued for five years with multiple extensions, would be limited to an initial 240-day stay.

• F and J visas would be capped at four years, the F-1 student grace period after graduation would drop from 60 to 30 days, and graduate students would face restrictions switching programs mid-course.

• The “duration of status” policy in place since 1978 would end.

In fiscal year 2024, the US issued 1.6 million F visas, 355,000 J visas, and 13,000 I visas. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the rule would allow immigration officers to periodically assess visa compliance, and prevent some foreign students from exploiting indefinite enrollment to remain in the US.

The public has 30 days to comment on the proposal before it can be finalized.