WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has finalized a sweeping overhaul of US visa guidelines for international journalists, ending the decades-old “period of standing” system and changing it with fixed-term admissions that may require reporters to endure periodic authorities assessment to proceed working in the US.
The Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) introduced the modifications in a closing rule revealed this week, saying the brand new coverage is meant to strengthen oversight of international media representatives and guarantee they proceed to satisfy the necessities of their nonimmigrant standing.
Beneath the brand new rules, journalists holding I visas will usually be admitted for a most of 240 days, as an alternative of being allowed to stay in the US throughout their task, a observe that in some instances permitted stays lasting a number of years. Journalists from China shall be restricted to 90-day admissions.
The rule will take impact 60 days after its publication within the Federal Register, with a transition interval starting in September 2026.
International journalists searching for to stay in the US past the preliminary admission interval shall be required to use for an extension of keep and endure further vetting, together with opinions associated to nationwide safety.
Whereas a well timed filed extension utility is pending, most international journalists could proceed working for as much as 240 days, whereas Chinese language journalists could proceed working for as much as 90 days.
The visa modifications are a part of a broader DHS regulation affecting three classes of nonimmigrant visas — F for tutorial college students, J for alternate guests, and I for representatives of international info media.
The rule replaces the long-standing “period of standing” admission with fastened intervals of keep and establishes new procedures for extensions.
DHS mentioned the modifications would offer “further protections and oversight” and allow immigration authorities to raised consider whether or not international college students, alternate guests, and media representatives are complying with the phrases of their visas whereas in the US.
The regulation additionally formally defines what constitutes a international media group for I visa functions, updates documentation necessities for candidates, and removes references to “period of standing” all through the immigration rules.
The transfer has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates, who argue that requiring journalists to hunt repeated authorities approval to stay within the nation might undermine impartial reporting.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press warned that the brand new system might create alternatives for political interference in newsgathering.
“Altering the phrases of international journalists’ visas would possibly seem refined, however it could possibly have profound implications for press freedom,” mentioned Gabe Rottman, the committee’s vp of coverage.
He argued that the coverage might allow the federal government to disclaim visa renewals in retaliation for important reporting and place officers within the place of figuring out who qualifies as a journalist.
The group famous that it had opposed the same proposal when DHS first revealed it in August 2025. A coalition of 26 media organizations had urged the division to desert the plan, arguing that it might have a chilling impact on journalism.
The ultimate rule additionally impacts worldwide college students and alternate guests by changing the “period of standing” system with fastened intervals of admission and requiring them to hunt extensions if they should stay in the US past their approved keep.
