The dream of studying in America will no longer be the same. Trump’s new student visa rules have increased the 4-year limit, course change and university transfer restrictions for Indian students. After all, who will it have the biggest impact on?
Trump New US Student Visa Rules: A very shocking and disturbing news has come for millions of Indian students who dream of going to the United States of America (US) to study and make their career there. The Donald Trump administration has announced the implementation of the biggest and most drastic change in the American student visa system in decades. This new decree has completely ended that ‘freedom’, taking advantage of which foreign students used to stay in America for years and complete their studies and research. Let us know those things about this new visa maze of Trump administration, which is giving sleepless nights to every Indian student and their parents.
What was the rule till now and what is that four year old Lakshman Rekha?
Till now, most of the students going to study in America came there under the “Duration of Status” (D/S) model. This meant that as long as the student was studying at a recognized university and followed the rules, there was no need to leave the country. His visa was automatically valid. But now the Trump administration has completely abolished this flexible rule. Under the new rules:
- F-1 visa (student) and J-1 visa (exchange visitors) holders will now only be allowed to stay in the US for a maximum of four years at a time.
- If a student’s course lasts more than four years, he or she will have to drop out and return to their home country or go through rigorous administrative procedures and reapply for an extension.
Changing course or college at will is now a crime! The truth about Trump administration’s ‘strict surveillance’
The most surprising aspect of this new rule is that students are no longer masters of their own will. Earlier, students used to go to America and change their major (main subject) as per their convenience or interest, change their degree program or if they saw better opportunities, they used to take transfer to another university or educational institution.
Now under the new rule, without prior permission of the US Immigration Authorities (DHS), any student:
- Will not be able to change his major.
- You will not be able to change your degree program.
- Will not be able to transfer to any other college or university.
The administration’s argument is that by taking advantage of this ‘loophole’ in the student visa, many people stayed in the US unnecessarily for a long time, which will no longer be tolerated.
Grace period of 60 days reduced to half: Room will have to be vacated as soon as studies are over!
The shocks do not end here. Till now, after completing their studies, foreign students were given a grace period of 60 days to stay in the US, look for a job, start Optional Practical Training (OPT) or change their immigration status. This time was very important for the students to organize themselves mentally and practically. But the new order of the Trump administration has directly cut this time in half. Now students will get only 30 days time after completing their studies. Within this stipulated time, either they will have to make solid job arrangements, or they will have to pack their bags and return back to the country.
Why will Indian students be affected the most?
India has long been among the largest groups of international students studying in the US. Every year thousands of Indian students go to America for engineering, medical, research, PhD and other higher education programs. Experts believe that the new rule will have the biggest impact on those students whose courses are longer than four years. The biggest victims of this strict policy are going to be Indian students, who are one of the largest international student groups in the US. especially:
- PhD and Doctoral Candidates: Whose research and studies usually take 5 to 7 years to complete.
- Medical and dual-degree students: Whose programs’ duration is quite long.
All these students will now have to face paperwork, additional expenses at every turn and the constant looming threat of visa cancellation. Additionally, the heavy fees involved in repeatedly applying for visa extensions will also increase the financial burden on Indian families manifold.
After all, why is the Trump administration making such big changes?
The Department of Homeland Security says the current system allowed many students to remain in the US for years, making it difficult to monitor them effectively. The administration argues that imposing a fixed time limit will make it easier to ensure compliance with immigration rules and prevent potential abuse of student visas. The move is believed to be part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration policy, which includes tightening visa screening, additional scrutiny of social media and increased surveillance of foreign nationals.
Outcry in universities: Will America lag behind in this war for talent?
Organizations and academics of American universities have strongly criticized this decision of the Trump government. He says international students are already monitored 24 hours a day through the ‘SEVIS’ system. In such a situation, this new rule will only create administrative hurdles. There is also a concern that due to the fear of these strict rules, the best minds of the world (Global Talent) may now move to Canada, Britain or European countries instead of going to America. However, supporters of the government believe that it was necessary to take this strict step for the security of the country and to control the people staying illegally. This rule is going to come into effect within 60 days of its official publication, which has hung a sword of suspense over the future of thousands of students from now on.