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Agencies:

Trump administration proposes fixed time limit on Visas for students, researchers, journalists

Washington
September 25, 2020

The Trump administration on Thursday proposed a fixed time limit on visas of students, researchers and foreign journalists in the United States, noting that it is concerned about the liberal existing visa programme being abused and a potential for increased risk to national security.

The proposal scheduled to be notified in the Federal Register on Friday is not country-specific, but has been brought in view of the abuse of the existing loopholes in the system by China. In all the three categories of foreign students, researchers and journalists, those from China have benefitted the most.

Under the proposed rule, 'F' (students visa) or 'J' (researchers visa) nonimmigrants would be admitted into the US for a period up to the end date of their programme, not to exceed four years.

Foreign nationals from countries associated with high visa overstay rates (rates greater than 10 percent for student and exchange visitors) will be limited to up to a two-year fixed period of stay to increase monitoring, deter immigration violations and incentivise a timely departure, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

Amending the relevant regulations is critical in improving the programme oversight mechanisms, preventing foreign adversaries from exploiting the country's education environment and properly enforcing and strengthening the US immigration laws, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said.

The duration of stay can be reduced to a maximum of two years of authorised stay in the US if the foreign national is either born or has the citizenship of a country that is on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Foreign students would now get just 30 days, instead of the existing 60 days to leave the country, the DHS said. The stakeholders have been given 30 days' time to respond to the notification.