Kim Ngoc, a second-year undergraduate student in the U.S., originally planned to transition directly into a master's program after graduation. Instead, she now spends her free time monitoring policy updates, gathering documents, and preparing contingency plans.
"The policy was introduced very quickly and is much less flexible than before, so I feel quite stressed," Ngoc said. "I have to be much more careful with everything related to my visa and immigration paperwork."
Students at the campus of Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S. Photo from the university's Facebook page
Under new regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), students holding non-immigrant F-1 (academic) and J-1 (exchange) visas will be limited to a maximum four-year period of authorized stay. Anyone needing to remain longer must apply directly to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an extension and will face stricter limits on changing their field of study.
The announcement has sparked widespread concern among international students and parents, with many seeking guidance on online forums.
