U.S. Limits Student Visas to Four Years... Over 10,000 Korean Students and Families Hit Hard

Policy Applies to Current Student Visa Holders

The Trump Administration has decided to limit the duration of student visas to a maximum of four years, a move expected to have a significant impact on international students who have planned their academic paths with the aim of obtaining degrees in the United States. The new rule will also apply to students already studying in the United States, meaning that Korean students and their families may also have to reconsider their career plans.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on the 16th (local time) a final rule that limits the maximum period of stay for students holding F visas and exchange visitors with J visas to four years. The rule will take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. For student visa holders, the new policy will apply beginning with the new semester in September. Since publication in the register is set for the 17th, implementation is expected to begin as early as mid-September.

Previously, holders of F or J visas could remain in the United States virtually indefinitely through an automatic extension process as long as they continued their regular course of study. Under the new system, the period of stay becomes fixed, and if additional stay is needed after four years, an extension request must be submitted to the DHS. The DHS stated, "Student visa extensions will only be possible after a rigorous review."

If a student cannot clearly present a plan related to their studies, it appears unlikely that an extension will be approved. Students who have already entered the U.S. and are currently studying with a student visa will automatically be subject to the new 'four-year stay' rule.

This means that even in unpredictable situations, such as a student needing to change majors after realizing their initial choice was not a good fit, the stay limitation could become an obstacle. The DHS has announced that it will apply strict restrictions to major changes. If an extension of stay is needed due to a major change, the necessity for the change and other circumstances will be meticulously examined.

As of 2024, the number of student visa holders in the United States exceeds 1.8 million, an increase of 11% compared to the previous year. As for J visas, the number stands at 500,000 as of 2024.

According to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States, as of last year, there were 11,861 Korean students in the U.S. with F-1 student visas, accompanied by 1,347 family members staying on F-2 visas. There were also 7,985 exchange visitors with J-1 visas, accompanied by 3,180 family members.

This measure is seen as an extension of the Trump Administration's tough immigration crackdown. The Trump Administration is conducting large-scale operations to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants, while also raising the bar for those seeking to stay in the U.S. legally by, for example, imposing a 100,000 dollar fee on professional visas.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.