The new rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), brings an end to the decades-old "duration of status" policy, which allowed international students to remain in the United States for as long as they maintained lawful status and continued their academic programmes.
The administration of United States President Donald Trump has finalised a new immigration rule limiting most foreign students and exchange visitors to a maximum stay of four years in the country unless they obtain an extension from the federal government.
The new rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), brings an end to the decades-old "duration of status" policy, which allowed international students to remain in the United States for as long as they maintained lawful status and continued their academic programmes.
The restriction applies to students on F-1 visas and exchange visitors on J-1 visas.
The DHS acknowledged that the new policy could create difficulties for many international students, noting that numerous bachelor's degree programmes take longer than four years to complete, while doctoral and other postgraduate programmes often require significantly more time.
