US caps student visas at four years, impacting Nigerian students abroad

The US Department of Homeland Security announced a new rule limiting F and J visa holders to a maximum four-year stay, requiring them to seek federal approval via USCIS, pay fees and undergo biometrics to extend their stay beyond that period, even if studies are unfinished. The rule affects about 1.5 million international students and exchange visitors currently in the United States, including many Nigerians pursuing undergraduate, graduate, medical residency or research programmes.

For Nigerians, this adds another hurdle to an already tight US visa regime, which earlier in 2025 limited most new non-immigrant visas to single-entry three-month validity. Students may now face the prospect of leaving before completing degrees or navigating costly extension processes, potentially increasing the pressure to seek education elsewhere or abandon plans altogether.

If you are currently in the US on an F or J visa, check your programme timeline and begin any extension application well before the four-year mark, budget for USCIS fees, and keep abreast of updates from the US Embassy in Abuja or Lagos. Prospective applicants should factor the new limit into their planning and consider alternative study destinations that offer more predictable stay periods.

Will you adjust your study plans, look for other countries, or budget for visa extension fees?

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2026/07/17/u-s-to-impose-4-year-limit-on-international-student-visa-stays/