The United States hosts more international students than any other country in the world. These students contribute tuition revenue, participate in academic research, and gain exposure to American institutions and values. But welcoming foreign students does not require giving them an effectively open-ended right to remain in the country.
The Department of Homeland Security recently took an important step toward restoring the distinction between temporary (nonimmigrant) and permanent (immigrant) visa categories. Under a final rule published July 17, foreign students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign media — nonimmigrant visa categories — will no longer be admitted for an indefinite period, called “duration of status.”
Instead, they will receive a fixed period of authorized stay related to the length of their program or activity. For foreign students specifically, this means they will be authorized to stay in the U.S. for the length of their program or for four years, whichever is shorter, unless they are approved for an extension.
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