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.
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.
The administration has imposed an even stricter limit on journalists from mainland China, reducing their visa validity to 90 days. The rule does not apply to reporters from Hong Kong or Macao.
The move is expected to add further strain to already sensitive US-China relations, despite recent efforts by both governments to stabilise ties.
China's Foreign Ministry condemned the measure as discriminatory and urged Washington to revoke what it described as policies targeting Chinese journalists.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing reserved the right to take reciprocal countermeasures if the restrictions remain in place.
The latest decision comes as President Donald Trump's administration continues to tighten immigration rules and intensify its criticism of news organisations. While foreign journalists are not classified as immigrants, the revised visa policy also affects some other temporary visa categories, including students and exchange visitors, by replacing open-ended stays with fixed periods.
A similar proposal was introduced during Trump's first term in 2020 but was withdrawn after President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
During Trump's previous administration, Chinese journalists were also limited to 90-day visas in response to China's treatment of American reporters, including the expulsion of several Wall Street Journal journalists. The Biden administration later eased those restrictions, allowing Chinese journalists to remain in the United States for up to one year before the latest policy reversal.