America limits student visa duration to 4 years, decision to lakhs of Indians
29-Aug-2025.
The United States of America has proposed to change its laws to limit the duration of ‘student visas’ to a period of four years. The move is expected to impact lakhs of Indians, who are presently studying in the US.
The Donald Trump administration had proposed changes to the law, the US Department of Homeland Security said on August 27.
“The federal government would set the authorised admission and extension periods for foreign students and exchange visitors. The DHS said, this would be up to the duration of the programme they are participating in, not to exceed a 4-year period".
The Ministry of External Affairs informed Parliament in July that 3,72,424 Indian nationals are pursuing various educational programmes, the MEA had cited the DHS data.
Students are enrolled in study programmes for primary, secondary, vocational, high school, language training, flight school, associate, bachelors, masters and doctorate, among others, as per the MEA.
These programmes are for different time duration.
The DHS said the need for the law was due to the fact that foreign students and other visa holders remained in the US virtually indefinitely. “This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all by limiting the amount of time certain visa holders are allowed to remain in the US,” the DHS added.
Foreign students have been admitted into the US since 1978 for an unspecified period known as “duration of status” – a type of visa that allowed a person to remain in the US for an indefinite amount of time without further screening and vetting.
“Foreign students have taken advantage of the US generosity and become “forever” students, perpetually enrolled in higher education courses to remain in the US, the DHS said.
Rules for foreign media have been separately made. Foreign media representatives visa would be for period of 240 days only and they would be eligible for an extension period of up to 240 days, but no longer than the length of the temporary activity or assignment.
In an advisory of June 2025, the US Embassy in New Delhi conveyed that grant of a student visa does not guarantee the continued stay of the student in the US.
