DHS Proposes Fixed Admission Period for Students, Exchange Visitors, and Media
On August 28, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed regulation that seeks to change the length of stay in the U.S. for those entering with a student visa (F), exchange visitor visa (J), or foreign media representative visa (I).
You may also read: “Changes to the Registration Fee for the U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) Program”
What would change?
The “Duration of Status” (D/S) system would disappear and be replaced by a fixed admission period.
For students and exchange visitors, the limit would be the length of the program up to a maximum of 4 years.
To stay longer, a formal extension would have to be requested from DHS.
The period to leave the country after completing studies or programs would be reduced from 60 to 30 days.
Reasons behind the measure
DHS argues that this reform would allow for: greater immigration control, preventing abuses of the system, aligning these visas with other nonimmigrant categories that already have fixed admission periods.
Possible effects: more paperwork and costs for those who need to request extensions, risk of falling into unlawful status if the extension is not requested on time, changes in academic and administrative planning for universities and exchange programs, greater pressure on international media sending correspondents to the U.S.
Finally, although still in the public comment stage, if approved, this change would mark the end of indefinite admission under D/S. For students, visitors, and foreign media, this would mean the need to better plan their stay, comply with clear deadlines, and prepare to request extensions when necessary.
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