Washington, 28 August 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The US government plans to reduce the validity period of visas for students and journalists.

F visas, which allow foreign students to stay in the United States, will now be valid for a maximum of four years, the US Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday.

Currently, students receive a visa for the duration of their academic program, which can last five years in the case of a doctorate. The proposal from President Donald Trump's administration also includes limiting the validity of visas for media professionals to 240 days.

Visas for journalists could reportedly be extended by up to 240 additional days, but they should not be valid for longer than the duration of the journalistic assignment.

Extensions would need to be applied for at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, which would entail more extensive checks. Recently, for example, journalists from Germany were issued visas valid for up to five years.

"For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the US virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amount of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging US citizens," the Department of Homeland Security said.

The intended rule aims to prevent abuse and enable authorities to better monitor visa holders.