Trump puts new time limits on visas for students, journalists: How long can foreigners stay in US now?

The United States (U.S.) government led by President Donald Trump is putting new limits on how long foreign students, exchange visitors and journalists can stay in the country. 

The change ends a system that has been in place for decades, one that let many of them stay as long as they were still in school or on the job.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the new rule on Thursday, July 16. 

• International students and exchange visitors will normally be allowed to stay for four years.
• Foreign journalists will get up to 240 days at a time. 
• For journalists from China, that limit drops to just 90 days.

If people want to stay longer than that, they will need to apply for an extension, or leave the country and come back in.

The rule will take effect after 60 days of its publishing date in the Federal Registrar. The new set of limits will also have to go through a congressional review. It could affect students trying to start college programs in August and September.

This is the latest move in Trump's wider crackdown on immigration since he returned to office in January 2025.

DHS said in a statement that past administrations let foreign students and visa holders stay in the country almost indefinitely. It called this a safety risk and said it cost taxpayers money while putting US citizens at a disadvantage. The department says the new rule will make it easier to track people while they're in the country.

In June, the State Department said it had revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump took office, including 8,000 held by students.