DHS Issues Final Rule Ending 'Duration of Status' for Foreign Students

The Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule on July 16, 2026 eliminating the 'duration of status' policy that allowed foreign students, exchange visitors, and international media representatives (F, J, and I visa classifications) to remain in the US indefinitely without routine government oversight. The new regulation establishes a fixed period of admission tied to a specific program end date, requiring visa holders to apply for extensions and undergo renewed vetting rather than being admitted for the length of their study program. DHS framed the change as closing a loophole that enabled long-term, unmonitored presence in the country.