The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a 232-page final rule in the Federal Register that will fundamentally change the way international students (F-1/F-2) and exchange visitors (J-1/J-2) are admitted to, and allowed to remain in, the United States. Effective September 15, 2026, “duration of status” (D/S) entries will disappear. Instead, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will issue a fixed “Admit-Until Date” (AUD) on every I-94 based on the program end-date shown on the Form I-20 or DS-2019, capped at four years, plus a 30-day grace period. Those who need additional time must file a formal Form I-539 extension of stay with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and pay the associated fees and biometrics costs. DHS argues that fixed admissions will close compliance gaps, improve national-security vetting and bring the F and J categories in line with other non-immigrant classes. Universities, research institutes and sponsoring organizations counter that the rule will increase costs, lengthen processing times and undermine U.S. competitiveness by making the study-abroad and research experience noticeably less flexible than in Canada, the U.K. or Australia. DHS’s own Regulatory Impact Analysis estimates first-year compliance costs for schools and programs at US$93 million and warns of potential enrollment losses, but insists these burdens are “reasonable and proportionate” to the security benefits. Key provisions include a reduction of the F-1 post-completion grace period from 60 to 30 days; a 24-month cap on English-language training programs; new, more restrictive rules on transferring schools or changing majors; and a ban on “lateral or reverse matriculation” (e.g., pursuing a second bachelor’s after a master’s). Graduate students will be barred from changing program objectives without case-by-case approval from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Any extension beyond the AUD—whether for additional coursework, Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT, or academic training—will require a full I-539 filing with USCIS. For students and scholars already in the United States on September 15, DHS has created transitional rules. Those admitted under D/S may remain until the end-date on their current I-20/DS-2019 (or for four years, whichever is sooner) without immediately filing for a new I-94. However, the moment they depart and re-enter the United States—or need more time beyond that date—they will be swept into the new fixed-date system and the stricter 30-day grace period. Universities are being urged to audit program lengths, revise admissions letters, retrain Designated School Officials (DSOs) and create clear client-facing FAQs before the autumn semester. Practically, multinational employers should expect longer lead times for STEM OPT hires, more frequent renewal filings and higher legal budgets. Study-abroad advisers will need to explain that U.S. visas will soon have start- and end-dates similar to Australia’s Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) or the U.K.’s CAS-linked visa vignette. Immigration counsel warns that late I-539 filings will trigger unlawful-presence bars, while travel during a pending extension could void the application. Institutions that fail to update systems risk SEVIS terminations and civil fines. Litigation is widely expected, but unless Congress or the courts intervene, the fixed-date era begins in 60 days.
