The United States government has announced sweeping changes to its student visa policy, ending the long-standing “duration of status” system that allowed many international students, exchange visitors and foreign journalists to remain in the country indefinitely.
Under a new rule unveiled on Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), holders of F, J and I visas will now be admitted for a fixed period, with a maximum stay of four years.
The policy replaces the decades-old framework that permitted eligible visa holders to remain in the U.S. for as long as they maintained their academic enrollment or programme requirements without routine government review.
According to the DHS, the reform is designed to strengthen national security, curb immigration fraud and restore greater oversight of the U.S. immigration system. The department said the move also aligns student visa policies with other non-immigrant visa categories that already operate under fixed admission periods.
“For nearly half a century, the outdated duration of status system has compromised national security and created an environment ripe for immigration fraud,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.
“For decades, foreign students have been admitted into the U.S. indefinitely, allowing thousands to abuse our immigration system by perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave the U.S. By implementing clear, finite limits on these visas, the United States is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet and monitor individuals within our borders,” he added.
Under the new regulation, students on F visas and exchange visitors on J visas will be admitted only for the duration of their specific academic programmes, subject to a maximum stay of four years.
Those who require additional time to complete their studies must apply directly to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an extension. The application process will include biometric screening, background checks and fraud reviews, shifting oversight from educational institutions back to federal immigration authorities.
The rule also shortens the post-graduation grace period for F-1 students from 60 days to 30 days, requiring graduates to leave the United States, transfer to another institution or change their immigration status within the new timeframe. It further introduces stricter restrictions on changes to academic programmes.
Current visa holders who were admitted under the previous “duration of status” system will automatically transition to the new framework, with their authorised stay limited to four years from the rule’s effective date.
The final regulation is expected to be published in the Federal Register in the coming days and will take effect 60 days after publication.
Implementation of the new policy will be overseen by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which monitors schools and international students through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
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