"Duration of Status" (D/S) is a long-established policy that allows F students and J exchange visitors to remain in the country as long as they are making normal progress towards completing their academic or exchange objectives or are engaging in optional practical training (OPT), provided they are properly tracked in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
On July 17, 2026, DHS/ICE (Department of Homeland Security/US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) published its final rule which ends D/S for F, J, and I nonimmigrants, in favor of a fixed admission period tied to the participant’s initial immigration document. Students and exchange visitors who need more time to accomplish their purpose will need to apply for a formal extension of stay from USCIS, an agency already mired in processing backlogs. This will deter them from choosing to study and/or stay in the United States, as suggested by surveys recently conducted by NAFSA and the Institute for Progress. This rule will create higher compliance costs and legal risks, enrollment impacts, and heavier advising burdens for higher education institutions.
The final rule will take effect on September 15, 2026, which is 60 days after the date of official publication. Until then, the current regulations will continue to fully govern all aspects of F and J practice. Updates will be posted to NAFSA's Final Rule page.
On August 18, NAFSA and the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration led a coalition of associations and unions in filing a lawsuit against the final rule. See the joint press release for the full list of plaintiffs and more information.
D/S Final Rule: Analysis
This is the NAFSA home for analysis of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) final rule that will eliminate D/S for F and J nonimmigrants in favor of a fixed admission period.
NAFSA Announces Litigation to Challenge End to Duration of Status
On August 18, NAFSA and the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration led a coalition of associations and unions in filing a lawsuit today against the government's final rule that ends the Duration of Status framework and imposes other academic restrictions on international students and exchange visitors.
Regulatory Perspectives: Final Rule Eliminating D/S
On July 24, 2026, the NAFSA community came together for a discussion, led by NAFSA staff, of the final rule to eliminate “D/S” (duration of status) for F and J nonimmigrants and to impose new academic mobility restrictions on F-1 students. We compared the final rule to the proposed rule, highlighted key provisions of the final rule, and discussed how they might impact F and J programs.
Grassroots Advocacy
DHS' final rule ends D/S and hands unprecedented academic decision-making power to a government agency ill-equipped for that responsibility. Join NAFSA and the U.S. for Success Coalition in urging Congress to reject this poor use of government resources and pass legislation to permanently protect D/S in immigration law.
Duration of Status Explainer
NAFSA's non-technical overview of why the D/S policy is so critical, and the implications for losing it on the U.S. economy and global competitiveness.