DHS Proposes Fixed-Term Limits on International Student Visas

On August 28, 2025, DHS and ICE published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would end the decades-old "duration of status" system for F, J, and I nonimmigrant visa holders, replacing it with fixed admission periods tied to Form I-20 or DS-2019 end dates, capped at four years plus a 30-day grace period. Students would need to file formal extension applications with USCIS rather than automatically maintaining status for the length of their academic program.

DHS framed the change as restoring oversight and reducing visa overstays. Universities and higher-education groups warned it would add bureaucratic friction, particularly for students in longer or research-intensive programs, and could push international students toward countries with more predictable immigration rules.

The proposal drew formal public comment periods running into October 2025 and fits within the administration's broader push to tighten immigration enforcement and oversight of academic visas following its disputes with Harvard and other universities.