Days after the United States announced a four-year limit on visa stays for international students and exchange visitors, an Indian diaspora advocacy organisation has urged the US Congress and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reconsider the policy before its implementation in mid-September.
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) warned that the new rule could negatively impact students pursuing long-term academic programmes, disrupt research projects, and weaken America’s position as a global hub for talent and innovation.
FIIDS Chief of Policy and Strategy Khanderao Kand described the proposed regulation as a potential setback for US competitiveness. He argued that the four-year limit does not align with the actual duration required for many academic programmes, especially advanced degrees.
According to FIIDS, the average completion time for a bachelor’s degree is around 52 months, while PhD programmes often take more than five years. The organisation cautioned that students could be forced to leave the country midway through their education or research, affecting universities, laboratories, and innovation-driven industries.
FIIDS highlighted the financial contribution of international students to the US economy, noting that nearly 1.2 million international students currently contribute approximately $55 billion annually.
The organisation also pointed to declining international student enrolment trends, stating that concerns over visa policies have already impacted admissions. It claimed that a 17% decline in new international student enrolments has resulted in significant financial losses for educational institutions and affected thousands of jobs.
The advocacy group has requested Congress to introduce measures that would protect students enrolled in longer academic programmes. It suggested restoring the duration-of-stay system for F-1 and J-1 visa holders or creating exemptions for graduate STEM programmes that typically require more than four years to complete.
FIIDS also called for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT periods to be excluded from the proposed four-year visa calculation. Additionally, it urged authorities to restore the 60-day post-completion grace period for international graduates.
The group has appealed to USCIS to provide immediate relief before the policy takes effect, including automatic extensions for students who are maintaining good academic standing and pursuing programmes with longer completion timelines.
Kand stated that immigration reforms aimed at improving oversight should not come at the cost of disrupting academic pathways that contribute to American research, startups, and technological growth.
The appeal reflects growing concerns among the Indian student and diaspora communities in the US, as Indian nationals represent one of the largest groups of international students and form a significant portion of STEM graduate enrolment across American universities.
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