US colleges urge F-1 and J-1 visa holders to return before 15 September as new rules near

Published 21 July 2026 · india

International students currently outside the United States for academic breaks have been advised by their universities to return before 15 September to remain under the

International students currently outside the United States for academic breaks have been advised by their universities to return before 15 September to remain under the existing immigration framework, according to an NDTVWorld report. The advisory, which also affects Indian students, comes ahead of the US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Final Rule, which will replace the long-standing Duration of Status (D/S) system for F and J visa holders. Also Read | FBI moves ICE agent cases to HCI amid immigration crackdown: Report Under the new framework, international students will be admitted to the US for a fixed period of up to 4 years, rather than being allowed to remain for the duration of their academic programme. In a notice to students, Columbia University said: “This final rule has a 60-day implementation period.

We recommend all students return to New York before the beginning of classes on 8 September 2026.” The DHS rule will impose a maximum four-year stay for F-1 student visa holders, J-1 exchange visitors, and I visa holders for foreign journalists. It will also reduce the grace period after completing studies from 60 days to 30 days and require students seeking extensions to apply through Form I-539 with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The rule is scheduled to take effect on 15 September. However, students already in the US under the current D/S system on that date will be allowed to remain until the programme completion date listed on their Form I-20 or until the end of their approved Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT, provided they continue to maintain their academic status.

The changes are expected to affect hundreds of thousands of international students, including many Indians, raising concerns about uncertainty over future study and work plans. Also Read | Illegal immigration from India to US sees nearly 70 % drop Khanderao Kand, chief of policy and strategy at the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), criticised the proposal, calling it "a self-inflicted wound on US competitiveness." He argued that a four-year cap does not reflect the realities of higher education. "A four-year cap misaligns with how modern degrees actually work. The median time to complete a bachelor's degree is about 52 months, while a PhD takes around 5.7 years. USCIS is already dealing with roughly year-long processing times," Kand said. He warned that students could be forced to leave before completing their programmes, disrupting research and weakening the US innovation ecosystem.