The United States will end its decades-old practice of admitting international students for "duration of status" starting September 15, replacing it with fixed time limits that will require many F-1 and J-1 visa holders to formally apply to stay in the country longer than their original admission period allows.
The Department of Homeland Security published the final rule in the Federal Register on July 17. Since the early 1990s, F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors have been allowed to remain in the US for as long as they continued to meet the requirements of their program, without a fixed expiration date on their permitted stay. Under the new rule, that changes for anyone entering, or re-entering, the country from September 15 onward.
What changes
F-1 students will be admitted for a fixed period tied to the length of their program of study as listed on their Form I-20, up to a maximum of four years, plus a 30-day period to arrive and a further 30-day period to depart once that time is up. The specific end date will be printed on the student's Form I-94 arrival record.
J-1 exchange visitors will generally be admitted for the length of the program shown on their Form DS-2019, also capped at four years, plus a 30-day departure period.
Students who need more time because their program runs longer than four years, or their circumstances change must file a formal Extension of Stay (EOS) application with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before their fixed period expires. Applicants must show they have continuously maintained their status and typically must demonstrate either a compelling academic reason for the delay or circumstances beyond their control, along with a current Form I-20 showing the additional time needed.
Other changes taking effect the same day:The grace period after finishing a program shrinks from 60 days to 30 days. Graduate students face tighter restrictions on switching majors or academic programs, allowed only in exceptional circumstances authorised by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Students who complete a US degree after September 15 will not be allowed to enrol in another academic program at the same or a lower level.
Participation in English-language training programs will be capped at 24 months; there is currently no limit.
Who is affected, and when
The rule applies to F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors and I-category foreign media representatives who enter or re-enter the US on or after September 15. Students who are already inside the US under duration-of-status admission on that date are not immediately affected: they may remain, without applying for an EOS, up to the program end date on their current Form I-20, or the end of a valid post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT extension with an outer limit of November 14, 2030 (four years plus a 60-day departure period from the rule's effective date).
Students in this transitional group who plan to travel abroad and re-enter the US after September 15, however, will be admitted under the new fixed-period system on their return, and should check whether they need to file an EOS application either before or alongside a future OPT or STEM OPT application.
The rule has been classified as a "major rule" subject to congressional review under the Congressional Review Act. DHS has said it will issue a further Federal Register notice if that process changes the effective date or blocks the rule outright meaning the September 15 date could still shift, though there is no indication that has happened as of this writing.
What Nepali students in the US should do nowCheck your current Form I-94 record on the US Customs and Border Protection website and keep a copy.
Find your Program End Date on your most recent Form I-20 and mark it — this is now the date that matters, not an open-ended "as long as I'm enrolled" understanding.
If you are already in the US, you do not need to act immediately, but should confirm with your school's international student office (the Designated School Official, or DSO) how the November 14, 2030 outer limit applies to your specific OPT or STEM OPT timeline, if relevant.
If you plan to travel outside the US after September 15 and return, ask your DSO whether you will need to file an Extension of Stay application before or after your trip.
Avoid assuming an older grace period (60 days) applies after your program ends plan around the new 30-day window.
