Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday unveiled new visa rules that would limit foreign students and other nonimmigrants to fixed periods of stay, a move set to affect more than 13,000 South Koreans currently in the United States under these categories.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the "final rule" to address what it characterized as "visa abuse" by foreign students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists who exploit the system to extend their stay in America. The new rules will be published in the Federal Register on Friday and will take effect 60 days after publication.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that foreign students have historically been admitted into the U.S. indefinitely, allowing some to abuse the immigration system by staying enrolled in courses to avoid leaving. He emphasized that the new rule aims to ensure that foreign students focus on completing their studies and returning home by imposing clear limits on visa durations.
The regulation will limit international students on F visas and exchange visitors on J visas to a maximum stay of four years. For extensions, individuals must undergo a stringent vetting process, including biometric and background checks. Additionally, students on F-1 visas will have 30 days to change their status or transfer schools, reduced from the previous 60 days.
For foreign media personnel on I visas, the new rule sets an initial stay cap at 240 days, with the option to apply for a 240-day extension for further stays. These changes are expected to significantly impact the South Korean community in the U.S., with more than 13,000 students and their families affected.
The South Korean Embassy reported that as of 2025, 11,861 South Koreans were studying on F-1 visas, along with 1,347 family members on F-2 dependent visas. There were 7,985 South Koreans on J-1 exchange visitor visas and 3,180 family members on dependent visas. Additionally, 349 South Korean media representatives were in the U.S. on I visas.