HIBAPRESS – Agencies
A US federal judge has issued a decision to postpone the implementation of a US administration measure restricting the length of stay for foreign students and journalists in the United States.
Judge Dennis Saylor postponed the implementation of the new rules issued by the Department of Homeland Security, one day before the scheduled start date for these measures, and set a date for another hearing on October 2nd.
Under the proposed new rules, foreign students holding study visas would be allowed to stay for a maximum of four years, after which they would have to apply for an extension of their stay. Previously, foreign students were allowed to stay for the entire duration of their studies.
As for the stay of foreign journalists, the proposed new rules stipulate that it would be for only 240 days, approximately eight months, with the possibility of applying for an extension for a similar period. Previously, they were allowed to stay for up to five years.
A coalition of unions representing universities, professors, and journalists filed a lawsuit challenging the visa restrictions.
On July 17th, an administrative document published by the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that foreign nationals holding student visas would only be allowed to remain in American territory during the period of their study programs, with a maximum duration not exceeding four years. It indicated that the stay for foreign journalists would be limited to eight months, with the possibility of requesting renewal for similar periods, and a maximum cumulative stay of four years.
