The U.S. administration under President Trump unveiled a new visa regulation on Thursday that will restrict the duration of stay for foreign students and other non-immigrants. According to data from the South Korean embassy in the United States, this move is expected to affect more than 13,000 Koreans currently residing in the U.S.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a "final rule" aimed at eliminating what it terms "visa abuse," where foreign students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists exploit the system to extend their stay in the United States.

Per the DHS announcement, the new rules will be published in the Federal Register on Friday and will take effect 60 days after publication.

The updated visa policy will limit the stay of F-category international students and J-category exchange visitors to a maximum of four years. Those wishing to extend their stay must undergo a rigorous review process, including biometrics and background checks.

The grace period for individuals on F-1 student visas to change their visa status or transfer schools will be reduced from the current 60 days under existing rules to 30 days.

The new regulations also set the initial maximum stay for foreign media personnel entering on I-category visas at 240 days, with each subsequent extension requiring a new application for an additional 240-day period.

This tightening of visa rules is projected to impact over 13,000 Korean students and their accompanying family members currently living in the United States.

Data from the South Korean embassy indicates that in 2025, a total of 11,861 Koreans entered the U.S. on F-1 student visas, with an additional 1,347 family members accompanying them on F-2 dependent visas.

There were 7,985 Koreans on J-1 exchange visitor visas, along with 3,180 accompanying dependents. Furthermore, a total of 349 Korean media professionals are in the U.S. on I-category media visas.