US ends 'duration of status' for F, J, I visas; 4-year cap now applies
Synopsis
The Trump administration has formally ended the 'duration of status' system that let foreign students stay in the US indefinitely — a policy dating to 1978. The replacement: a hard four-year cap, USCIS-controlled extensions with biometric checks, and a halved grace period after graduation. For the hundreds of thousands of Indian students in the US, the bureaucratic and timeline implications are immediate.
Key Takeaways
The Trump administration has scrapped the 'duration of status' framework for F, J, and I category non-immigrant visas.
Foreign students and exchange visitors will now face a maximum authorised stay of four years .
Extensions must be applied for directly through USCIS , with biometric vetting and background checks required.
The post-graduation grace period for F-1 students has been cut from 60 days to 30 days .
The rule takes effect 60 days after its Federal Register publication; existing 'duration of status' holders will automatically transition.
India is among the largest sources of international students in the US and is expected to be significantly affected.
The Trump administration on Thursday, 17 July 2025, finalised a sweeping overhaul of visa rules for foreign students, exchange visitors, and media representatives in the United States, scrapping a nearly five-decade-old policy that permitted indefinite stays and replacing it with fixed admission windows and mandatory federal vetting for extensions. The rule affects holders of F, J, and I category non-immigrant visas.
What the New Rule Changes
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the final regulation eliminates the 'duration of status' framework, under which foreign students and exchange visitors could remain in the US for as long as their programme lasted — with no fixed calendar end date. In its place, the rule imposes a maximum authorised stay of four years, aligned with the length of the approved academic or exchange programme.
Students or exchange visitors who require additional time to complete their studies must now apply directly to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an Extension of Stay. The application process will include biometric vetting, background checks, and fraud screening. Previously, extensions were largely managed by educational institutions rather than the federal government — a practice the administration now characterises as a structural loophole.
What DHS and the Secretary Said
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the old system had created conditions for widespread abuse. 'For nearly half a century, the outdated 'duration of status' system has compromised national security and created an environment ripe for immigration fraud,' Mullin said in a statement.
He added: 'For decades, foreign students have been admitted into the US 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.'
According to DHS, the unspecified-stay framework for foreign students has been in place since 1978.
Key Provisions and Timelines
Beyond the four-year cap, the rule introduces several additional changes. The post-graduation grace period for F-1 students — the window allowed after completing a degree, transferring, or changing status — has been cut from 60 days to 30 days. The regulation also tightens limits on academic programme changes mid-stay.
The final rule is set to be published in the Federal Register within days and will take effect 60 days after publication. Notably, students and other non-immigrant visa holders already in the US under the old 'duration of status' system will not be grandfathered out — they will automatically transition to the new framework, with their authorised stay capped at a maximum of four years from the rule's effective date.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), administered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will continue overseeing institutions and students through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
Impact on Indian Students
India has consistently ranked among the largest sources of international students in the United States, with hundreds of thousands enrolled across universities at any given time. The rule is expected to significantly increase federal scrutiny of extension applications, adding administrative burden for students whose programmes exceed the four-year ceiling — a common scenario in doctoral and research-track programmes.
This move is part of the Trump administration's broader push to tighten enforcement across temporary visa categories and shift oversight authority from institutions to federal agencies. With the rule set to take effect within weeks, universities and international student offices across the country are expected to begin issuing revised compliance guidance.
Point of View
Schools effectively determined how long a foreign student could stay; now that authority moves to USCIS, adding a layer of federal discretion that could be tightened or weaponised at any point. The four-year cap will hit doctoral and research scholars hardest, since multi-year programmes routinely exceed that window. For India — which sends more students to the US than almost any other country — this is not an abstract policy change. It is a direct increase in administrative risk for hundreds of thousands of individuals mid-programme, and a likely deterrent for future applicants weighing the US against the UK, Canada, or Australia.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'duration of status' visa rule that the US has ended?
'Duration of status' was a framework in place since 1978 that allowed foreign students, exchange visitors, and media representatives on F, J, and I visas to remain in the United States for as long as their approved programme lasted, without a fixed calendar end date. The Trump administration has replaced it with a maximum four-year stay limit and a mandatory federal extension process.
How does the new US visa rule affect Indian students?
India is one of the largest sources of international students in the United States, and the new rule directly increases the administrative burden on those whose programmes exceed four years — including many doctoral and research scholars. Students needing more time must now apply to USCIS for an extension, undergoing biometric vetting and background checks, rather than relying on their institutions to manage their status.
When does the new US foreign student visa rule take effect?
The final rule will be published in the Federal Register within days of the 17 July 2025 announcement and takes effect 60 days after that publication. Students already in the US under 'duration of status' will automatically transition to the new four-year cap framework from the rule's effective date.
What happens to F-1 students after they graduate under the new rule?
The post-graduation grace period for F-1 visa holders — the window allowed after completing a degree, transferring, or changing status — has been cut from 60 days to 30 days under the new regulation. Students must make arrangements to depart, transfer, or change status within that shortened window.
Which visa categories does the new DHS rule cover?
The rule covers holders of F visas (foreign students), J visas (exchange visitors), and I visas (media representatives and journalists). DHS said these categories had been the primary ones operating under 'duration of status', while most other non-immigrant visa types already had fixed admission periods.
