DHS ends 'duration of status': F-1/J-1 visas now capped at 4 years with USCIS extensions

The Department of Homeland Security's final rule ending 'duration of status' took effect Sept 15, replacing decades of open-ended F-1, J-1 and I visa admissions with fixed admission periods of up to 4 years. Students and exchange visitors must now apply directly to USCIS for extensions, and about 1.5 million current F and J holders were automatically moved to the new system. The rule also shortens post-graduation grace periods and adds mandatory USCIS reviews for OPT extensions. DHS says the change closes a loophole that let some students stay indefinitely without routine oversight; universities warn it threatens the PhD and STEM pipelines Indian students rely on, with legal challenges still pending. Source: https://lawstreet.co/international/four-years-and-out-how-americas-new-visa-rules-will-hit-indian-students-hardest

• H1B