US tightens visa rules for Nigerian students, journalists

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced sweeping changes to its visa policy for international students, exchange visitors and foreign journalists, replacing the long-standing “duration of status” system with fixed admission periods.

The new regulation, published on July 16, 2026, will take effect 60 days later in September 2026 after the required congressional review period. The move comes as the Donald Trump administration continues to tighten immigration policies following his return to office in January 2025.
Under the new rules, holders of F and J visas, covering students and exchange visitors, will be admitted for a maximum of four years. Foreign journalists on I visas will now be limited to 240 days, while Chinese journalists will be restricted to a maximum stay of 90 days. DHS said affected visa holders may apply for extensions, but anyone wishing to remain beyond the approved period must either obtain an extension or leave the United States and seek readmission.
According to DHS, the changes are aimed at improving oversight of non-immigrants as visa admissions continue to rise. The department said student visa admissions reached 1.8 million in 2024, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year, while more than 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 members of the media also received visas during the fiscal year. DHS noted that some students and exchange visitors had remained in the country for decades under the existing system.
For Nigerians and other foreign applicants, the new fixed-period admission policy means students, exchange scholars and journalists whose programmes or assignments exceed the approved duration will need to apply for extensions or leave the United States and seek re-entry.