The Trump administration has announced sweeping changes to visa rules for foreign journalists, reducing the maximum stay for most international reporters in the United States to 240 days and limiting Chinese journalists to just 90 days, prompting criticism from press freedom advocates and a warning of possible retaliation from Beijing, reports AP.
Under a new rule issued Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the long-standing "duration of status" system, which allowed foreign journalists to remain in the US as long as they met visa requirements, will be replaced with fixed-term visas. The new policy is scheduled to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, although visa holders will be able to apply for extensions.
The DHS said the change is intended to strengthen oversight and improve the vetting of foreign journalists and other temporary visa holders. However, media rights organisations condemned the move, arguing that frequent visa renewals would create uncertainty and make it more difficult for international journalists to report from the United States.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the decision as a serious setback for press freedom, saying the eight-month visa limit would undermine the ability of foreign news organisations to operate effectively in the country.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also criticised the policy, calling it inconsistent with the principles of a country that promotes freedom of expression.
US cuts foreign journalist visas to 240 days, limits Chinese reporters to 90 days
FE Team | Published: July 18, 2026 00:24:29
US cuts foreign journalist visas to 240 days, limits Chinese reporters to 90 days
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