PETALING JAYA: It’s a time of uncertainty for Yasmin Muhaiddin, who is pursuing a PhD in Texas.
New visa rules announced by the United States last month which caps the length of stay for international students has impacted her in many ways, she said.
She highlighted the uncertainty around visa stamping, saying many students were now afraid to return home for fear of being unable to re-enter the United States to continue their studies.
“Travelling home for visa stamping is very expensive. Students have to pay for flights, visa application fees, accommodation and other travel expenses.
“If they are unable to return, all the time, money and effort they invested in their education could be lost,” said Yasmin, 44.
A mother of three, she has completed a Master of Business Administration and is now pursuing doctorate studies in leadership.
She described the tighter visa rules for foreign students as disappointing.
“We spend years preparing, work hard to get accepted into a university and make huge sacrifices to study in the US.
“We are not here to misuse the system but to get an education and build a better future,” she said.
The Trump administration has replaced the “duration of status” system with fixed admission periods.
Under the changes, F and J visas for foreign students and exchange visitors will generally be capped at four years, while the post-graduation grace period to leave the United States or change visa status will be cut from 60 days to 30 days.
Current visa holders will automatically transition to the new framework, with their authorised stay capped at four years from the effective date.
Under the new rule, students who need more than four years to complete their programmes must apply for an extension of stay from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services where there will be background checks and biometric screening.
The previous student policy for international students allowed them to stay under a “duration of status”, which means they could remain in the country as long as they maintained their studies, without a fixed time cap or mandatory federal extensions.
For many Malaysian students, the changes add uncertainty to already complex academic and career plans.
The National Assembly of Malaysian Students in the United States of America (Namsa) said the best response is to stay resilient and plan ahead.
“Those of us intending to return home after graduation will need to review our programme timelines to make sure we graduate on time, while those hoping to pursue employment should make full use of the shortened 30-day grace period and prepare well in advance,” the group said when contacted.
According to them, US colleges remained supportive of international students, offering prompt guidance whenever rules changed to protect their status.
“Our advice to fellow students is to seek help early. This includes speaking to your international student adviser and reaching out to Namsa or Education Malaysia in Washington, DC.”
“Just remember that you are not alone and there’s always support around,” it said.
Muhammad Danish Azarisman, 22, who is studying molecular, cell and development biology at University of California, Los Angeles, said he and his friends were playing by the book.
“As a student who has been here for two years now, the policy doesn’t hinder my studies, but the same can’t be said for incoming freshmen,” he said.
