Trump admin limits length of foreign student visas to 4 years

The Post Millennial ^ | 7/17/26 | Ari Hoffman

[CFW]

The Trump administration announced Thursday that it has finalized a rule ending a decades-old immigration policy that allowed many foreign students and exchange visitors to remain in the United States indefinitely without periodically renewing their immigration status, with an overall maximum visa stay of four years.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the new regulation eliminates the "duration of status" framework for F, J, and I nonimmigrant visa holders, replacing it with fixed admission periods and requiring additional federal review for those seeking to remain in the country beyond their authorized stay.

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: communists; cpt; day1cpt; f1; foreignstudents; h1b; universities; visas

[CFW]

I'd prefer not to have them here at all but this will do for now.

However, we are waiting for Boasberg or another federal judge to weigh in with their ruling as to whether the Trump administration can do this.

[CFW]

“According to DHS, the rule is intended to strengthen national security, reduce immigration fraud, and restore federal oversight of student visa holders. “For nearly half a century, the outdated ‘duration of status’ system has compromised national security and created an environment ripe for immigration fraud,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.

“For decades, foreign students have been admitted into the U.S. indefinitely, allowing thousands to abuse our immigration system by perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave the U.S. By implementing clear, finite limits on these visas, the United States is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet, and monitor individuals within our borders. This final rule ensures that foreign students remain focused on their primary purpose: completing their studies and returning home.””

[butlerweave]

Tons of these so called students vanish as soon as they enter the country and should be on a wanted list

[Fresh Wind]

I would suggest 5 years on the basis that a Philadelphia area engineering school offers 5-year programs for a bachelor’s degree with three co-op sessions in industry. I worked with a lot of people who went through that program, and it was excellent.

But there absolutely has to be a limit!

[Red6]

I agree.

The goal should not be to intentionally screw with people just because immigration is a hot political topic.

Those that are here legit studying, often even paying, should be given adequate time to finish a degree.

[ComputerGuy]

I like the sound of that. I’m also aware that many of our institutions of higher learning rake in big bucks from foreign students. We have too many colleges, anyway.

[cowboyusa]

Not enough

[bobcat62]

4 years. They can apply & go through a process for an extension.

A 4 year limit will force colleges to clean up their act & provide needed courses in a reasonable timeframe.

From a national security standpoint, Donny needs to tell his good friend Xi & that clown Modi the party is over regarding nonimmigrant visas.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Those with STEM degrees should be offered green cards. 4 years to vet them.

[ByteMercenary]

Did the $300,000 fee for H1b applications ever get put in place? H1Bs should have a hard expiration date also ...

[FLT-bird]

Its amazing this wasn’t done decades and decades ago.

[CFW]

Did the $300,000 fee for H1b applications ever get put in place? H1Bs should have a hard expiration date also ...

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I’m not sure. I’ll have to check on that>

OT:

unusual_whales
@unusual_whales
·
3m
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has said he had received information from multiple officials reportedly indicating that McConnell has passed away, per New Republic

[bobcat62]

No green cards. Deport. We can’t employ our own citizens in STEM fields, due to work visa labor.

[sphinx]

I’m in favor of a limit. I think four years is probably not long enough, but that’s open for discussion. Someone who comes to the U.S. for an undergraduate degree, does well, and then wants to go to grad school, medical school or whatever should have a path forward. Some of these kids are keepers. Good performance in a serious academic institution can be a good screening device. We can decide how many total immigrants we want to keep, but we want a skills based immigration system that prioritizes people who can and will contribute. And some of them are already in process.

I don’t see the details in this story, but some accommodation needs to be given for those already here. Rules are important, but important rules should not be changed abruptly and in ways that sandbag people who have done everything right per the rules that existed when they last had a decision date and took action.

Trump has blown himself up more than once by not minding the details. It’s hard to top the complete fiasco, early in his first term, of the completely stupid attempt to cancel the visas of people merely because of their country of origin, without any showing whatsoever that any particular individual was suspect in any way. No notification. Just boom, and your papers were concelled.

That of course got thrown out instantly by every court that looked at it. The order wasn’t in place long enough to test the bazillion and one variations. The operative fact was that X was in the U.S. on a valid visa. It might have been a student visa. It might have been a work visa. X might have come to the U.S. years ago, one thing led to another, and now he had a green card and was on the flippin’ path to flippin’ citizenship. He might even have had a business, an American spouse and children, and have been an aspiring American of the old school, more patriotic that 99.8 percent of the democrats and 76.4 percent of the Republicans. All legally and aboveboard.

X had travelled abroad for whatever reason: business, a research project or semester abroad if an academic, visiting his family back in the old country, going to his best friend’s wedding or his mother’s funeral. X had a valid U.S. visa. He had valid papers when he travelled and valid papers when he boarded a plane to return to the U.S.; he couldn’t have gotten on the plane without them. Trump’s order literally cancelled the visas of some people while they were in mid-air.

And when they landed, they were stopped at the visa check by INS agents who had just gotten the order that morning with no instructions on what to do with the people piling up behind the visa checkpoint at the gate of entry. This was beyond stupid. Whoever recommended it to Trump should have been flayed, rubbed with salt, and staked out under a hot sun over an anthill.

Dot the i’s and cross the t’s. What is the effective date? What provision is made for people already here legally and perhaps enrolled in classes now, or getting ready for the fall term? The rules yesterday said he could stay for now. How much time does he have to jump through whatever new hoops are required, and what are those? If this hasn’t been thought through, Trump will get his head handed to him.

Again.

Arbitary and capricious will get smacked down fast.

[CFW]

Ignore that about McConnell. That’s apparently old news and he said it before the recent reports that McConnell had spoken to several people.

[CFW]

Did the $300,000 fee for H1b applications ever get put in place? H1Bs should have a hard expiration date also ...

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Trump tried to impose an “entry fee” in September 2025 for new H-1B workers. However, in June 2026, a federal judge struck down this policy, declaring it unlawful and unconstitutional.

[dfwgator]

Judge overturns in 3...2...1...

[cp124]

Ask the Chinese what to here for pal.
Naive much?

[bobcat62]

Their studies are secondary. Their intent is to stay in the United States.

[bobcat62]

Lyin’ Lutnick’s $100,000 fee. I think less than 100 H1Bs have paid that fee.

That didn’t work, so now we have #h1bVance investigating H1B fraud.