US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin attends an address to the nation by the US president in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday, July 16, 2026. Pool Photo by Saul Loeb/UPI | License Photo
July 17 (Asia Today) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule Thursday limiting stays by international students and exchange visitors to no more than four years and requiring them to undergo federal review when seeking extensions.
The rule replaces the open-ended "duration of status" system for holders of F student visas and J exchange visitor visas with fixed admission periods tied to their programs and capped at four years.
About 1.5 million current F- and J-visa holders will automatically be transferred to the new system.
The change, combined with a shorter post-graduation grace period and mandatory extension reviews for students seeking Optional Practical Training, could disrupt the fall semester and reduce demand for study in the United States.
