The American government has decided to limit the length of stay in the United States for foreign students and journalists, according to an administrative document published Thursday, a new step in its very restrictive migration policy.
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Under the new rules, scheduled to come into effect within two months, unless blocked in Congress, foreign nationals holding a student visa will not be allowed to stay more than four years on American territory.
Foreign journalists will, for their part, be limited to stays of 240 days, or approximately eight months, while being able to request renewals for identical periods.
Chinese journalists will be subject to a particularly restrictive framework, with visas limited to 90 days.
Until now, the United States granted visas for the duration of a student’s program and up to five years for a journalist.
This measure will affect journalists accredited for hundreds of foreign media in the United States. It was proposed last year by the government, which opened a consultation phase.
Around a hundred international media and press organizations, including AFP, estimated in an open letter that this would “reduce the quantity and quality of coverage” of American news.
President Donald Trump has vowed to end illegal immigration and limit legal immigration. Congress, where his party has a majority, rarely opposes his initiatives.
