For decades, international students in the United States have been allowed to remain in the country for as long as their academic programmes require, provided they maintain a valid status. That flexibility may soon be replaced by a fixed timeline.

The White House has cleared a major immigration proposal that could reshape how international students live, study and plan their careers in the US, with hundreds of thousands of Indian students potentially affected.

The Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of a Department of Homeland Security proposal to replace the long-standing “Duration of Status” system with fixed admission periods for international students, exchange visitors and certain other visa holders. The regulation is expected to be published in the Federal Register before it can take effect.

What could change under the new rule?

Under the existing Duration of Status system, international students may remain in the US for the length of their academic programme as long as they maintain full-time enrolment and comply with immigration requirements.

The system gives students the flexibility to extend their studies, transfer between universities, change academic programmes, progress from undergraduate to postgraduate courses, and complete Optional Practical Training or STEM OPT without seeking a fresh admission period.

The proposed rule would replace this arrangement with fixed periods of stay. If implemented largely in its proposed form, most F-1 students would be admitted for a specified period, widely expected to be capped at four years, rather than for the full duration of their studies.

Students whose courses extend beyond the authorised period would have to apply to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services for an extension.

The process could involve additional documentation, biometric requirements, greater scrutiny and processing delays. Immigration firm Fragomen has previously warned that students who fail to secure an extension before their authorised stay expires could begin accumulating unlawful presence, potentially exposing them to serious consequences, including future entry bans.

Why the US wants to end the Duration of Status

The Department of Homeland Security has argued that the current system makes it harder to identify overstays and monitor compliance.

According to the department, fixed admission periods would improve oversight of international students, exchange visitors and foreign media representatives while strengthening immigration enforcement.

When the proposal was first introduced, DHS said some visa holders were able to remain in the country for extended periods without undergoing further screening. The Trump administration has also argued that the change would help curb what it considers misuse of the student visa system.

Why Indian students could face the biggest impact

India is the largest source of international students in the United States. According to the latest Open Doors data, nearly 360,000 Indian students were enrolled at US institutions during the 2024-25 academic year, accounting for roughly one-third of the country’s international student population.

The proposed rule could particularly affect students enrolled in doctoral and research programmes, which often take between five and seven years to complete.

Such students may have to seek extensions while still pursuing their degrees. The change could also complicate transfers between universities, switches in degree programmes and other alterations to academic plans by requiring additional immigration approvals.

A separate proposed change would reduce the grace period after completing a programme from 60 days to 30 days. That would leave students with less time to prepare for departure, enrol in another course or apply for a different immigration status.

Lawmakers and universities raise concerns

The proposal has faced opposition from immigration advocates, universities and members of Congress.

In a bipartisan letter sent earlier this year, four lawmakers urged the administration to retain the Duration of Status system. They warned that repeated extension applications could increase administrative burdens and interrupt students’ academic progress.

Indian-origin Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi argued that forcing students to repeatedly extend their status could weaken America’s ability to attract international talent, particularly as other countries compete more aggressively for students and researchers.

Educational groups have also warned that fixed admission periods could discourage prospective students from choosing US institutions.

Survey findings cited by opponents suggested that nearly half of international graduate students and postdoctoral researchers might not have enrolled in the US had such restrictions already been in force.

Published on: Jun 22, 2026 1:15 PM IST