Trump's new U.S. visa policy sparks panic as foreign graduates get just 30 days to find a job or leave

The Trump administration has tightened visa regulations for foreign students. The previous 60-day grace period has been cut in half, meaning international students must now leave the United States within 30 days of graduation unless they secure employment or a visa extension.

• The Trump administration has halved the grace period for foreign students after graduation to 30 days.
• Student (F) and exchange (J) visas are now generally limited to a maximum of four years.
• Media (I) visas are reduced to 240 days, with Chinese journalists restricted to just 90 days.
• Graduate students are now prohibited from changing programs or transferring schools without prior approval.

The new regulation mandates that student (F) and cultural exchange (J) visas are generally capped at a maximum of four years. Additionally, the duration for media (I) visas has been reduced to 240 days.

Previously, journalist visas allowed foreign media representatives to remain in the U.S. for years; under the new policy, staying past the designated 240-day limit without a formal extension will render their stay illegal.

The 240-day limit does not apply to all nationalities equally. Chinese journalists are restricted further, with their visa duration capped at just 90 days. However, all visa holders are permitted to apply for extensions, regardless of their country of origin.

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Prohibitions in the new regulations

Under the new rules, graduate students are prohibited from changing their educational objectives or transferring to another school without prior authorization.

Reacting to the rule forcing graduates to find a sponsor or plan their exit within 30 days, David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, told Reuters:

"International students, many of whom will have spent years in the USA, will now have just 30 days to find an employer to sponsor them or immediately be turned into illegal immigrants. Have these people no understanding of how life works?"

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Reasons for the new regulations

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that over 1.8 million student visas were recorded in 2024.

In addition, cultural exchange visitors exceeded 500,000, and foreign journalists numbered over 37,000.

The DHS stated that this high volume of visitors:

"...poses a challenge to DHS’s ability to monitor and oversee these nonimmigrants while they are in the United States."

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While the final rule is subject to congressional review, it is scheduled to take effect 60 days after its official publication in the Federal Register.