For decades, foreign students have been able to come to the United States on a student visa and stay in the country for decades, as long as they were still enrolled in a class or two. That ends now. Trump’s Department of Homeland Security has announced a new set of rule changes to the student visa program, first and foremost, the amount of time that a foreign student can spend here. They’re limiting it to four years, the amount of time typically needed to obtain a college degree. The changes were made in July, but this is getting noticed now because the new policy goes into effect next month. This system has been abused for years by people who come here and never leave. The changes are long overdue. The DHS put out this press release:
Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the publication of a final rule that officially eliminates the “duration of status” loophole that allowed foreign students, exchange visitors, and media representatives to remain in the United States indefinitely without routine government oversight. The new regulation establishes a fixed period of admission for nonimmigrant visa holders in F, J, and I classifications. This decisive shift restores integrity to the nation’s immigration system, combats rampant visa abuse, and strengthens national security through regular vetting. A fixed period of admission is currently in place for many other types of nonimmigrant visas.
