The United States Department of Homeland Security has formally enacted a new immigration regulation that imposes a maximum four‑year limit on stays for F‑1 student visa holders, J‑1 exchange visitors and I visa holders for foreign journalists.

This marks the end of the long‑standing flexible “duration of status” system, which had previously allowed foreign nationals to remain in the country for as long as they maintained enrolment or complied with visa rules without a fixed expiry date.

The policy has triggered widespread anxiety among Indian students and professionals, casting uncertainty over their academic and career prospects in the United States. The regulation is scheduled to take effect on 15 September 2026, though it remains subject to congressional scrutiny.

It was introduced as part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown and was officially published in the Federal Register on 16 July.

Under the new framework, international students and exchange visitors will be permitted to stay only for the specific duration of their approved academic course or program, capped strictly at four years at a time. Foreign media personnel travelling on I visas will also be shifted to fixed‑term stays.

Students requiring additional time to complete their degrees must now petition the DHS for extensions or leave and re‑enter under a newly authorised period of stay. This process is significantly more stringent than before, as universities no longer hold the authority to extend stays; that discretion has been transferred entirely to federal immigration officials.

The regulation also reduces the post‑graduation grace period. Previously, F‑1 students had 60 days to depart, transfer institutions or change visa categories. This has now been cut to 30 days, with tougher restrictions on switching programs or transferring between schools. The administration has defended the overhaul, claiming it will curb misuse of student visas and strengthen oversight of foreign nationals.

India, which sends the highest number of international students to the US, has expressed concern. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that New Delhi is in contact with Washington and will continue to advocate for genuine students and travellers.

He emphasised that while visa rules are sovereign functions, India consistently raises issues when its citizens face operational difficulties. Approximately 330,000 Indian students were enrolled in American institutions during the 2023‑24 academic year, highlighting the scale of potential impact.

Beyond students, the US hosts around 5,00,000 J‑1 exchange visitors and 37,000 foreign media professionals on I visas. All these groups will now face stricter timelines and bureaucratic hurdles. The change represents a significant departure from decades of practice, where flexibility allowed students to remain legally as long as they pursued their studies.

This development follows earlier controversies in US immigration policy. In 2020, during the COVID‑19 pandemic, Washington briefly ordered international students to leave if their universities shifted entirely to online instruction, a move later rescinded after global backlash.

In mid‑2025, India pressed Washington to evaluate visa applications “on merit” after temporary suspensions of interviews and intensified social media checks. Diplomatic interventions have thus become a recurring feature of India’s engagement with US immigration updates.

The latest rule is expected to reshape the landscape for Indian students and professionals, adding layers of uncertainty to their educational and career planning. It underscores the tightening of US immigration policy and the challenges faced by foreign nationals seeking opportunities in America.

ANI