Daijiworld Media Network- Washington

Washington, Aug 29: In a move likely to impact lakhs of Indian students, the United States has proposed changes to its immigration rules, limiting the maximum duration of student visas to four years.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday that the new regulation, proposed under the Donald Trump administration, would fix the authorised admission and extension periods for foreign students and exchange visitors in line with their course duration, but not exceeding four years.

The DHS justified the proposal by stating that many foreign students and visa holders were staying on in the country for indefinite periods under the existing “duration of status” clause. Since 1978, this allowed them to remain in the US without a defined end date, provided they maintained their enrolment.

“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 said, adding that some foreign nationals had turned into “forever students” by perpetually enrolling in courses.

According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, over 3.72 lakh Indians are currently studying in the US across a range of programmes — from primary and secondary education to vocational training, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral courses. Many of these programmes extend beyond four years, raising concerns among students and parents about the impact of the proposed law.

The DHS also announced a separate rule for foreign media representatives, restricting their visa period to 240 days with an option for an extension of another 240 days, though not beyond the assignment’s duration.

In an earlier advisory issued in June this year, the US Embassy in New Delhi had clarified that while visas grant entry, they do not guarantee continued stay beyond the approved duration.