The Trump administration has proposed a new rule that would limit the duration of study for international students in the United States to four years.
The rule would limit the duration for which certain visa holders, including foreign students, are permitted to remain in the country, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The proposal is designed to crack down on visa abuse and increase DHS’s capacity to manage these 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,” said a DHS spokesperson in a press release.
“This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all… easing the burden on the federal government to properly oversee foreign students and their history.”
Foreign students (F visa holders) have been permitted to remain in the United States for an unspecified period, known as the “duration of status,” since 1978. Unlike other visas, those that include the “duration of status” designation allow individuals to stay in the country indefinitely, without requiring further vetting. According to the DHS release, this has led to foreign students taking advantage of the program by becoming “forever” students.
The new rule would set the authorized admission and extension periods for international students and exchange visitors to the length of their program, but no longer than four years. The proposal would also establish initial admission periods for journalists, limited to no more than 240 days. However, eligible individuals could be granted up to 240 additional days, but capped at the duration of the temporary activity or assignment.
By placing a fixed period of time on foreign students, exchange, and foreign media classifications, extensions would require authorization with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), ensuring “regular assessments by DHS for the alien to remain in the U.S. for a longer period,” read the announcement.
“This would allow DHS to conduct proper oversight as part of SEVP and SEVIS by making access to necessary information more accessible and reducing the number of individuals here on visas.”