The "Duration of Status" (D/S) policy 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). The proposed DHS rule now under consideration would eliminate D/S and replace it with a system that admits F students and J exchange visitors for a fixed period of time: only until the program end date on their SEVIS document, but not to exceed four years. This means students and exchange visitors who need more time to accomplish their purpose would need to apply for a formal extension of stay from USCIS, an agency already mired in processing backlogs. This could deter them from choosing to study and/or stay in the United States, as suggested by surveys recently conducted by NAFSA and the Institute of Progress. Ending D/S would create higher compliance costs and legal risks, enrollment impacts, and heavier advising burdens for higher education institutions.
Duration of Status Explainer
NAFSA's non-technical overview of why the Duration of Status policy is so critical, and the implications for losing it on the U.S. economy and global competitiveness.
Institutional Comment Guide
NAFSA and several other higher education association partners provided institutions with guidance on how to submit a comment letter and what to include in that letter.
NAFSA's Analysis
NAFSA provides a comprehensive breakdown and analysis of the DHS proposal to replace Duration of Status, including an executive summary and a table of contents with hyperlinks.
Grassroots Advocacy
Losing D/S could be a punishing blow to the United States’ long-held preeminence as the top destination for the world’s best and brightest. Nearly 1,000 advocates used their voice to push Congress to defend it, and several members of the House of Representatives responded. Thank those who did.