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). A proposed DHS rule 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.
OMB/OIRA completed its review of the final duration of status rule on June 17, 2026. The next step will be for DHS to send the rule to the Office of the Federal Register for publication in the Federal Register. The final rule will go into effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. The OMB/OIRA status note states that their review was concluded "consistent with change." Until the final rule first appears in its public inspection version at least one day before it is published in the Federal Register, we will not know for sure if there will be any significant changes between the proposed rule and the final rule. We will post any updates on NAFSA's planned final rule page at https://www.nafsa.org/dsfinalruleanalysis.
D/S Final Rule: Status and Process
For information on the status of the final rule, timeline, and NAFSA's full analysis.
Webinar: The End of Duration of Status?
Organized by NAFSA, the International Student Resource Center, and the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, this April 28, 2026 webinar provided an overview of what we know so far and how colleges and universities can prepare for the possible changes.
Regulatory Perspectives: Proposed Rule to End D/S
On September 2, 2025, NAFSA staff hosted a high-level discussion of the proposed rule to eliminate “D/S” (duration of status) for F and J nonimmigrants.
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.
Analysis of Proposed Rule
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.
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.