The United States government has approved new immigration regulations that replace the long-standing policy allowing certain foreign nationals to remain in the country for the duration of their academic or professional programmes.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that holders of F (student), J (exchange visitor) and I (foreign media) visas will now be admitted for fixed periods, with a maximum stay of four years.
The policy eliminates the “duration of status” system, which previously allowed eligible visa holders to remain in the United States as long as they complied with the conditions of their academic enrolment, exchange programme or media assignment, without requiring periodic federal review.
According to DHS, the revised framework is intended to strengthen immigration oversight, reduce opportunities for visa misuse and improve national security through more frequent screening and monitoring of foreign nationals.
The department said the change brings the treatment of student, exchange and media visas closer to that of other temporary non-immigrant visa categories, which already operate under fixed admission periods.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the previous system had remained in place for decades despite concerns that it could be exploited by individuals seeking to prolong their stay in the country through repeated enrolment or programme extensions.
Under the new rules, students on F visas and participants in exchange programmes under J visas will be admitted only for the approved duration of their academic or exchange programme, subject to an overall maximum of four years.
Those who require additional time to complete their studies or programme activities must apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an extension before their authorised stay expires.
The department said extension requests will undergo additional scrutiny, including biometric collection, background checks and fraud assessments, with oversight shifting from educational institutions to federal immigration authorities.
The regulations also shorten the grace period available to F-1 students after completing their studies. Instead of the previous 60-day period, graduates will have 30 days to leave the United States, transfer to another institution or obtain a different immigration status.
The government also announced tighter controls on changes to academic programmes, saying the measures are designed to improve compliance with visa requirements.
DHS stated that individuals currently in the United States under the existing duration-of-status arrangement will be transitioned to the new framework. Their authorized stay will be limited to four years from the rule’s effective date unless an extension is granted.
The final regulation is expected to be published in the Federal Register and will take effect 60 days after publication.
Implementation will be overseen by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which operates under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and manages the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System used to monitor international students and participating institutions.
