Overview
- The Department of Homeland Security published the final rule on Thursday, July 16, 2026, setting a 60-day delay before it takes effect and largely keeping the limits it proposed in August 2025.
- Under the rule most F and J student visas will be limited to four years and most I journalist stays will be limited to 240 days with a 90-day limit for Chinese journalists.
- Both students and journalists may apply for in‑country extensions without leaving the United States but the rule gives DHS wide discretion and does not spell out clear approval standards.
- The change affects roughly 1.1 million foreign students and more than 1,500 accredited foreign journalists and raises practical concerns for long programs such as PhDs and for foreign newsrooms based in Washington.
- Universities, media groups and press‑freedom organizations sharply criticized the move, saying it will deter global talent, reduce long‑term reporting from the U.S. and create uncertainty ahead of the rule’s expected implementation in mid‑September.