The US government has unveiled new plans to cut down the validity period of visas granted to foreign students and international journalists.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said under the proposed rule, F visas, which allow international students to pursue studies in the US, would be capped at a maximum of four years.
Currently, student visas usually cover the entire length of an academic program, which for PhD candidates can stretch beyond five years.
For foreign media workers, the new regulation would restrict visa validity to 240 days, with the option of just one extension for another 240 days.
Still, journalists’ visas would not be allowed to run longer than the duration of their specific assignments.
