By Michael Kalu
The United States Government has said it plans to reduce the validity period of visas issued to international students and foreign journalists.
This was announced by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The proposed rule would cap F visas, which allow foreign students to study in the U.S, at a maximum of four years.
At present, student visas typically cover the full duration of an academic program, which can run beyond five years for doctoral candidates.
For international media professionals, visa validity would be limited to 240 days with the option of a single extension for another 240 days.
For journalists, visas would not be permitted to exceed the length of their assignments.
Any request for an extension would require applications through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), subjecting applicants to additional security checks.
