US caps student visa stays at four years under new immigration rule

WASHINGTON: The United States has ended the decades-old “duration of status” system for foreign students and introduced fixed admission periods for F, J, and I visa holders, tightening immigration requirements for international students.

The US Department of Homeland Security announced the final rule on Thursday, replacing the arrangement that allowed students to remain in the country for as long as they maintained their academic or exchange status.

Under the new system, students holding F visas and exchange visitors on J visas will generally be admitted for the length of their programme, subject to a maximum stay of four years.

Those needing additional time to complete their studies or exchange programmes will have to apply to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services for an extension of stay.

The application process will shift greater oversight from educational institutions to federal immigration authorities and may include biometric verification, background checks and fraud screening.

The change is expected to have a greater effect on doctoral candidates and researchers, whose programmes often take between five and seven years because of coursework, research, publications and dissertation requirements.

The rule also reduces the departure grace period for F-1 students from 60 days to 30 days after completing their studies. Students use this period to leave the US, transfer to another institution or seek a change in immigration status.

Stricter limits will also apply to changes in academic programmes.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the fixed limits were intended to prevent foreign students from remaining in the country indefinitely through repeated course enrolments and to ensure that visa holders complete their studies and return home.

The department said the previous system had allowed some individuals to extend their stays by continually enrolling in academic programmes without completing their original objectives.

The rule could affect thousands of students from India and Pakistan who travel to the US each year, particularly for graduate studies in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business and health-related fields.

India is the largest source of international students in the United States, while Pakistan is also among the leading Asian countries sending students to American universities.

Education consultants and university officials said students completing their programmes within the original timeframe may experience limited disruption. However, those facing research delays, extended thesis work or other academic setbacks could encounter greater uncertainty under the federal extension process.

International education experts have warned that additional immigration requirements could weaken the United States’ appeal to foreign students as Canada, Britain, Australia and European countries expand efforts to attract international enrolment.

American universities are also monitoring implementation because international students contribute significantly to research activity and tuition revenue.

Supporters of the change say fixed admission periods will improve accountability and allow authorities to monitor student visa holders more effectively.