International students have four years to complete their studies in the U.S. or face a rigorous visa reapplication process, according to a new federal policy.
The proposed Department of Homeland Security rule dismantles Duration of Status, a long-established policy that permitted students and scholars with F or J visas to remain in the U.S. as long as they made progress toward academic or research objectives.
The new system will limit students’ stay to their program’s expected end date, which can last no more than four years. F-1 visa holders now have only 30 days (rather than 60) to depart the country or acquire new papers.
“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,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a press release.
Learners who need more time to finish their program must file for an extension through federal immigration and complete biometric vetting, background checks and fraud screenings. This process also applies to graduating students who wish to enroll in an advanced degree or those filing for a work permit.
The University of Pittsburgh is advising some students to hire a lawyer to help with extension requests, which will be handled by federal authorities rather than the universities themselves.
Ending Duration of Status “places life-changing educational decisions in the hands of an already overburdened immigration system—not educators, and not institutions,” Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA, said in a press release.
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The proposed policy would also restrict changes in majors and college transfers. Graduate students would have to depart the U.S. and reapply for a new visa to change schools, while undergraduates would have to first complete one full academic year before trying. The same applies for learners who wish to change majors.
No students would be allowed to pursue another academic program at the same education level or below.
The final rule goes into effect in mid-September. International students currently enrolled under Duration of Status have four years to remain in the U.S.
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The new restrictions are the latest step in the Trump administration’s efforts to limit international enrollment. The State Department has imposed stricter immigration requirements, paused entry from certain countries and revoked over 8,000 student visas.
The change, which is likely to hurt many institutions’ revenues and convince more students to study elsewhere, “sends exactly the wrong message,” Aw warned.
“This is not just bad for higher education, it is bad for American innovation, economic growth, workforce development, and global leadership,” she said. “Policies that destabilize their ability to study, innovate, and contribute here do not advance the United States’ national interest, they weaken them.”