Trump Administration Proposes New Student Visa Restrictions

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rulemaking on September 25, 2020 that would impose new restrictions on international student visas. The proposed changes would require international students to apply for a visa extension after fixed terms of two to four years. Essentially, an expiration date would be placed on most student visas that previously lasted the duration of a student’s degree program. Most international student visas would expire after four years, while some students, depending on their country of origin, would have to apply for an extension after two years - specifically students born in countries on the State Sponsor of Terrorism List, including Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Requests for extensions of stay could be approved “if the additional time needed is due to a compelling academic reason, documented medical illness or medical condition, or circumstance that was beyond the student’s control.” Many in the academic community worry that the limited visa terms could make it challenging for international students to complete graduate and doctoral programs. According to the Trump administration, these changes are necessary to increase oversight of international students and address visa fraud and overstay issues. The proposal has received swift pushback from advocates of international students. “This proposed rule is set to replace a proven, flexible policy that has served international students and...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news