- China warned it could issue reciprocal countermeasures following new U.S. Department of Homeland Security visa restrictions.
- The U.S. policy ends open-ended stays for foreign students and journalists, replacing them with fixed admission periods.
- Journalists from China face the strictest ninety-day limit under the rule effective September fifteenth, twenty twenty-six.
China warned on July 17 that it could answer U.S. visa curbs from the Department of Homeland Security with retaliation, after the agency issued a rule that ends open-ended stays for foreign students and journalists. The limits take effect on September 15, 2026. The clock is already running.
Lin Jian delivered the warning at a regular briefing in Beijing.
"China firmly rejects the U.S. discriminatory move targeting certain countries. The U.S. restrictions on people-to-people exchanges do not serve any party's interest. China reserves the right to take reciprocal countermeasures."
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He framed the policy as discriminatory. He also tied it to reciprocal countermeasures.
Markwayne Mullin defended the change in a separate statement.
"For nearly half a century, the outdated 'duration of status' system has compromised national security and created an environment ripe for immigration fraud. For decades, foreign students have been admitted into the U.S. indefinitely, allowing thousands to abuse our immigration system by perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave the U.S. By implementing clear, finite limits on these visas, the United States is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet, and monitor individuals within our borders."
The rule replaces duration of status with fixed admissions. Students and exchange visitors now stay for the length of the program, up to four years. Most foreign journalists get 240 days. Journalists carrying passports from the People’s Republic of China get 90 days.
That is the tightest limit.
Anyone who needs more time must file an Extension of Stay application with USCIS. The filing brings biometric screening and rigorous vetting. It also adds fees.
DHS said the rule closes a loophole that let nonimmigrants remain in the United States indefinitely without routine oversight. More than 1.8 million student admissions were listed for 2024. The final rule appeared in the Federal Register on July 17, 2026.
Chinese reporters get the shortest window
| Category | New admission limit | Change |
|---|---|---|
| F and J students and exchange visitors | Four years | Stay now follows the length of the program. |
| Most foreign journalists on I visas | 240 days | Open-ended admission ends. |
| Journalists with passports issued by the People’s Republic of China | 90 days | The strictest limit in the rule. |
China also said the measure violates the 2021 consensus on media issues. It described the policy as discriminatory against Chinese nationals. The rule is titled "Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media." It reaches three groups at once.
