Blow for Indians: US mulls time limit on student visas

Blow for Indians: US mulls time limit on student visas

The United States is considering a new rule that would impose a time limit on the stay of foreign students, exchange visitors, and international media representatives.

The proposal, put forward by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seeks to replace the current flexible visa system with fixed periods of stay.

This change could have significant implications for Indian students in the US, who are currently the largest group of foreign students in the country.

Additional delays, financial burden for students

The proposed rule, if approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), would require foreign students to apply for visa extensions after their fixed period of stay expires.

Rajiv S Khanna, managing attorney at Immigration.com, explained that this change would result in "additional unnecessary delays, financial burden and uncertainty for students."

He added that "an average extension of status request can take a few months to process," further increasing uncertainty for international students.

Current 'unlawful presence' policies may be changed

The proposed rule could also have an impact on unlawful presence policies.

Currently, international students only accrue unlawful presence after a formal finding by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or an immigration judge's order.

However, if the new proposal is implemented, unlawful presence could accrue after the end of their finite authorized stay unless in specific circumstances.

Trump administration is cracking down on immigration

The Donald Trump administration has already been cracking down on immigration and foreign students. It has targeted universities for not curbing "anti-semitism" on campuses.

Harvard University was accused by the government of not protecting Jewish students from harassment during campus protests, and the White House froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university.