Under the rule, students on F visas and exchange visitors on J visas will be admitted for the length of their program, up to a maximum of four years, after which they must apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for an extension of stay involving biometric vetting, background checks and fraud screening.
The measure was published in the Federal Register on Thursday (local time) and takes effect 60 days later, in mid-September, meaning students arriving for the autumn term will fall under the new framework almost immediately. DHS said a sharp rise in visa holders had strained its capacity to monitor them.
Foreign journalists on I visas will be admitted for 240 days, with extensions granted in further 240-day increments, while Chinese nationals face a tighter 90-day limit.
The rule also halves the post-graduation grace period for F-1 students to 30 days and curbs their ability to switch academic programs.
"For nearly half a century, the outdated 'duration of status' system has compromised national security and created an environment ripe for immigration fraud," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, adding that the change would strengthen oversight and curb abuse.
The impact on South Koreans is unavoidable, as most master's and doctoral programs run beyond four years, leaving extension approvals to determine whether students can finish their degrees.
According to the Korean Embassy in Washington, 11,861 Koreans held F-1 student visas in 2025, alongside 349 I-visa holders and 7,985 J-1 exchange visitors.
Experts called it the most consequential shift to the student visa regime in decades, raising the bar for those lawfully in the country and forcing applicants worldwide to weigh extension procedures and their attendant risks when mapping out their studies.
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