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TURKEY PERSPECTIVE
US TIGHTENS VISA RULES FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS AND JOURNALISTS
DOMINANT ANGLE
Turkey views this measure as a new hurdle in the sweeping migration overhaul undertaken by the US since January 2025, potentially undermining global student and journalistic mobility.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Ankara, July 17, 2026. Turkey is closely following the new final rule from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which ends the "duration of status" rule for F (student), J (cultural exchange), and I (journalist) visas, with a two-fold perspective: a factual overview of the official announcement and its implications for the migration crackdown initiated by Donald Trump since January 2025.
In Turkey, Cumhuriyet widely reports on the official DHS version: holders of student or exchange visas will now be allowed to stay for the duration of their program, limited to four years, with the possibility of extension from federal authorities. The newspaper quotes DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who justifies the reform by stating that "for years, foreign students have been admitted to the US without a time limit," a system that allegedly allowed "thousands of people to continuously enroll in courses to avoid leaving the country." According to Mullin, the new limit is intended to "effectively screen, review, and monitor" foreigners present in the country.
Meanwhile, Daily Sabah emphasizes the scope of the measure: journalist visas, previously valid for several years, would be capped at 240 days - and only 90 days for Chinese nationals, a clause already denounced by Beijing in August as discriminatory. The deadline for graduates to leave the country is reduced from 60 to 30 days, and doctoral students will no longer be able to change their academic objective or transfer institutions without authorization. The publication notes that this reform is part of a broader offensive by the Republican administration, marked by the revocation of visas and green cards from university students due to their opinions, and the loss of legal status for hundreds of thousands of migrants. The rule is set to take effect 60 days after its publication in the federal register, subject to review by Congress.
KEY POINTS
- Turkey's government is closely following new US immigration rules, which replace indefinite stays with fixed durations: a maximum of 4 years for students and exchange visitors (F/J visas), 240 days for journalists (I visa), and only 90 days for Chinese nationals.
- The timeframe for graduates to leave US territory after completing their studies is reduced from 60 to 30 days, and graduate students will no longer be able to change their academic objective or transfer schools without permission, a development Ankara is monitoring.
- Turkey notes that the US Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, has justified the measure by stating that the previous system allowed thousands of people to continuously enroll in courses to avoid leaving the United States.
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Turkey's government frames the move as part of a broader immigration crackdown, including the revocation of student visas for ideological reasons, which has been underway since January 2025.
Turkey's official media outlets, such as Daily Sabah and Cumhuriyet, have reported on the statement from the Department of Homeland Security and quoted Markwayne Mullin without adding any critical Turkish commentary or reaction.
There is limited coverage of the specific impact on Turkish students and journalists in the United States, with the measure largely being discussed in the context of its Chinese aspects and the general immigration framework.
SOURCES (2)
Daily SabahCenter-right
MEDIUMSTATE MEDIA
Cumhuriyet
MEDIUM
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