The US has replaced the 'duration of status' system with fixed visa terms, requiring federal approval for students seeking longer stays.
Indian students face stricter visa rules, shorter post-study grace periods and tougher extension requirements under the Trump administration's policy.
Universities warn tighter visa rules could reduce international enrolment, affecting US competitiveness, research, campus diversity and billions in economic contributions.
Donald Trump administration has announced sweeping changes to the way the United States admits international students, exchange visitors and foreign media representatives. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has replaced the long-standing "duration of status" system with fixed periods of admission, saying the move is aimed at curbing visa abuse, increasing federal oversight and strengthening national security.
The final rule was announced on 16 July 2026 and will take effect 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register, subject to Congressional review.
What Has Changed?
Under the new rule, holders of F visas for international students and J visas for exchange visitors will be admitted for the length of their academic or exchange programme, subject to a maximum stay of four years.
Unlike the previous system, students and exchange visitors who need more time to complete their programme must apply directly to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an Extension of Stay (EOS). The process will include biometric vetting, background checks and fraud screening.
For foreign media representatives travelling on I visas, admission will be limited to 240 days. Chinese nationals travelling on I visas will be admitted for a maximum of 90 days.
Since 1978, most F, J and I visa holders have been admitted under the "duration of status" system. This allowed them to remain in the United States for the full duration of their approved academic programme, exchange programme or employment instead of for a fixed period.
According to the DHS, the system allowed some individuals to remain in the country indefinitely without routine federal oversight.
New Rules For Students
The final rule introduces several changes for international students. The grace period after graduation has been reduced from 60 days to 30 days. This shortens the time available for students to leave the United States, transfer to another institution or change their immigration status.
Graduate students will no longer be allowed to change their educational objectives and will require authorisation to transfer to another institution.
Students who need to remain beyond their authorised stay must apply for an Extension of Stay through USCIS instead of relying on approvals processed through educational institutions. According to DHS, this shifts oversight from universities back to the federal government.
Current non-immigrant visa holders already living in the United States under the earlier "duration of status" framework will automatically move to the new system.
Their authorised stay will be limited to a maximum of four years from the rule's effective date. Those wishing to remain beyond that period must obtain an extension from DHS or leave the country and seek readmission.
Why Administration Introduced The Rule?
The DHS said the changes are intended to close what it described as a "duration of status" loophole that allowed foreign students, exchange visitors and media representatives to remain in the country without routine government oversight.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the earlier system had compromised national security and created opportunities for immigration fraud.
The department also pointed to the growing number of admissions, including more than 1.8 million student visa admissions, over 500,000 exchange visitors and 37,300 foreign media admissions during Fiscal Year 2024, saying the increase had made oversight more difficult.
Impact On Indian Students
The new rules are expected to affect a large number of US-bound Indians. The US remains a major higher-education destination for Indian students. As of January 2025, there were about 300,000 Indian students in the country, mostly in master's programmes in STEM fields.
Recent US State Department data indicated 90,129 Indians received F visas in 2024. Another 15,208 secured J visas and 426 obtained I visas. An immigration crackdown by the Donald Trump administration has already affected these numbers. F-1 visas issued to Indian students fell 69 per cent to 12,776 in June-July 2025, compared with 41,336 visas during the same period in 2024.
DHS stated there were over 1.8 million student visa admissions in 2024, an increase of more than 11 per cent from the previous year. The department stated that high volume poses significant monitoring challenges for non-immigrants inside the country.
Educators Push Back Hard
Higher education groups warned that the changes could hurt global competitiveness. Advocates argue that international students are already subject to extensive scrutiny by both academic institutions and the federal government.
"This action is unnecessary and duplicative," Zuzana Wootson, deputy director of federal policy at the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, said.
Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, an association representing international education, warned of wider academic and economic consequences. "At a time when global competition for talent is intensifying, this policy sends exactly the wrong message," Aw said. "It tells the world's brightest students and scholars that the United States is becoming less welcoming, less predictable, and less committed."
The Trump administration previously introduced multiple measures targeting international students. Earlier this year, it tightened visa screening by requiring applicants to disclose their social media accounts and expanded travel restrictions affecting several countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. It also terminated student legal status on a widespread scale, prompting many to leave the country or go into hiding over fears of detention.
Could The New Rules Hurt US Universities?
The new visa rule is unlikely to stop students from choosing the United States overnight, but it could make the country a less attractive study destination by increasing uncertainty and compliance requirements.
Under the new system, students in programmes exceeding four years, including many PhD candidates, must seek federal approval to extend their stay, while the post-study grace period has been cut from 60 days to 30 days. Critics say these changes add bureaucracy and make long-term academic planning more difficult, as Reuters reported.
The stakes are high because international students are a major economic asset. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), they contributed nearly $55 billion to the US economy in 2024.
NAFSA estimates they generated $42.9 billion in economic activity and supported 355,736 jobs during the 2024–25 academic year.
NAFSA has also warned that visa disruptions led to a 17 per cent decline in new international enrolment in Fall 2025, translating into more than $1.1 billion in lost economic activity and nearly 23,000 fewer jobs, suggesting that stricter immigration policies could weaken the US's competitiveness in attracting global talent.
