Foreign journalists working in the United States are facing a significant shift in immigration rules that will reshape how long they can remain in the country.
Under a Department of Homeland Security final rule, most foreign journalists holding I visa status will be admitted for a fixed period of no more than 240 days starting September 15, 2026.
This replaces the longstanding “duration of status” framework, known as D/S, which has governed the I visa since 1985 and allowed journalists to stay for the length of their assignments.
For decades, the D/S system meant foreign correspondents could remain in the United States without repeatedly applying to extend their immigration status, offering considerable flexibility to global media organisations.
That flexibility is now being removed, and media organisations are being urged to review assignment timelines and extension planning immediately ahead of the September 15 effective date.
Journalists seeking to remain beyond the 240-day window will need to apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for an extension of stay, adding a significant administrative burden to international news operations.
Different and stricter rules apply to journalists travelling on passports issued by the People’s Republic of China, who will generally be limited to admissions and extensions of no more than 90 days.
The changes also affect foreign journalists already in the United States under D/S status, with most current I visa holders given a transition period ending no later than May 13, 2027.
Any I visa holder who travels abroad and seeks readmission on or after September 15 will immediately fall under the new fixed-date system, with their I-94 carrying a specific expiration date rather than the familiar D/S notation.
The extension process itself carries serious practical complications, with processing times far exceeding the official estimates according to legal experts advising media organisations.
U.S. immigration lawyer Olivia McLaren warned that “the problem is… published processing time is 7.5 months, but in reality, it’s taking a year for them to adjudicate these extensions.”
That processing gap creates a particular legal risk, because while a first extension request remains pending, journalists are not permitted to continue working solely on the basis of a second extension application.
If a first extension has not been approved once the 240-day period ends, a further application must be filed, but work cannot legally continue under that second pending request alone.
Foreign media organisations are being advised to make Form I-94 expiration dates a central part of their compliance planning, as these will now govern the lawful status of every I visa holder in the country.
The rule does not change who qualifies for an I visa or the activities that can be carried out under the category, but it fundamentally alters how long journalists may remain without seeking further immigration approval.