US to Tighten Visa Stay Rules for Students, Exchange Visitors, and Foreign Media

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is advancing a plan that could change how long international students, exchange visitors, and foreign media representatives can remain in the country.

If enacted, the rule would replace this open-ended stay with a fixed expiration date, requiring visa holders to apply for extensions.

The proposal to end the long-standing “duration of status” (D/S) policy has cleared the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, marking its final stop before public review.

Currently, F, J, and I visa holders can stay in the U.S. for as long as their academic, exchange, or professional programs last, with no fixed departure date on their I-94 records.

This system has provided decades of flexibility for foreign nationals pursuing education, cultural exchange, or journalism in the United States.

The DHS says this shift would strengthen immigration oversight, while critics warn it could disrupt academic and professional exchanges.

The rule will soon be published in the Federal Register, opening a public comment period before any final decision is made.