F1 Visa Proposed Rule Changes – End of D/S, 4 Year Limit, Others

Since the Trump Administration took office for a second term in 2025, it has reintroduced many of the regulations that were not implemented during its first term, such as the weighted wage-based selections for the H-1 B lottery.

In the context of the F1 Visas, in the first term, they attempted to implement a rule that would end the “Duration of Status” (D/S) option for F, J, and I Visa holders, which was later withdrawn during the Biden Administration.

Today, August 28, 2025, the Trump administration published the same old regulation as a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register to end the “Duration of Status” (D/S) for F, J, and I visa holders, with modifications.

In this article, we will review the proposed changes and their impact on F1 Students, J Visa Holders, and I visa holders, as well as address their impact.

Background: Fixed Duration for F, J, and I Visas Proposed Rule

📌 What is Duration of Status(D/S): When you enter the US on an F, J, or I Visa, the CBP officer used to put a D/S stamp (Duration of Status) (now updated electronically in the I-94 Form as D/S ) in your passport without an actual end date. It meant that as long as you maintain your visa status, you can stay in the US. (Read US Visa vs Status). The Trump Administration wants to change this.

The Trump administration, during its first term, published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on September 25th, 2020, with the title “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media” to end the Duration of Status (D/S) Option for F, J, and I visa holders.

Below is the screenshot of the actual Proposed rule published in the Federal Register in 2020.

During the comment period of the previous proposed rule, DHS received a whopping 32,000 comments, with more than 99% of the commenters opposing the rule. Due to such feedback, the Biden administration withdrew the proposed rule on July 6th, 2021. Additionally, the Trump administration’s term was in its final months, and they did not make an effort to push it through.

Below is a screenshot of the actual Withdrawal Regulation in the Federal Register in 2021.

Today, August 28, 2025, the Trump Administration has revived the previous proposed rule and made modifications, re-publishing it in the Federal Register for public comment.

The changes in the proposed regulation to end the “D/S” for F, J, and I visa holders are not final; The regulation is in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Stage. Therefore, everything discussed in the sections below is proposed changes and may be modified in the final rule.

Summary of the Key Proposed Changes in the F1 Visa Regulation

The Trump Administration published a regulation today, August 28, 2025, titled “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.” It is published as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to seek public comments.

Below are the key changes that are part of the proposed regulation.

Removal of Duration of Status(D/S) for F, J, and I Visa Holders

• Current Process: When F, J, and I visa holders enter the US, they are admitted into the US without an actual end date with an indication that says “Duration of Status”(D/S), which gives them the ability to stay in the US as long as they maintain their visa status.
• Proposed Change: Remove the “Duration of Status” (D/S) option and replace it with a fixed duration based on the program end dates, up to a maximum of 4 years. This will be reflected in the I-94 form.
• Why are they doing it: To enhance national security by continuously vetting the F, J, and I Visa holders to prevent fraud and reduce overstays.
• What’s the Impact: At the end of the duration specified on the I-94 by the CBP officer, the F, J, or I visa holder must apply with USCIS for an extension of stay (EOS) by providing biometrics.

You may also watch the Video Summary of this article at: US Student Visa Proposed Rule 2025 🚨 No More D/S! Fixed Stay & Extensions Explained (F1, J1, I)

Changes in the Admission Periods up to 4 Years, Grace Period

• Admission Period, Maximum Period: As per the proposed regulation, F and J Visa holders will be granted a fixed admission by the CBP Officer at the US Port of Entry, which would be indicated on the I-94 form, until the end of the program as specified on their I-20. The maximum admission period allowed cannot exceed 4 years.
• Grace Period Reduced: The current 60-day grace period for F1 students to exit the US would be reduced to 30 days.
• English Language Programs Restriction: The English Language training programs would be restricted to a maximum of 2 years. This includes breaks and annual vacation.
• I Visa Holders – 240 days: For I Visa holders, the initial admission period is 240 days, tied to the assignment. They can file EOS as needed, and it would be given in 240-day increments. DHS has discretion to reduce it based on national security grounds.

Extension of Stay(EOS) Applications with USCIS, Biometrics, Finance Docs

• EOS with USCIS: According to the proposed regulation, all F, J, and I visa holders who intend to apply for an extension of stay(EOS) must submit relevant forms to USCIS. They may not create new forms, but update existing forms to accommodate the change.
• Biometrics Collection: When applying for the EOS, USCIS would collect biometrics and may do additional vetting as needed to issue an extension of stay.
• Financial Support Documents: USCIS may also request financial support documents to extend a stay, allowing the student to demonstrate their ability to support themselves in the US.

Restrictions for F1 Students for Transfers, Change Programs, Others

• No Transfers in First Year: According to the proposed rule, F1 students are not permitted to transfer schools until they have completed their first academic year of the program.
• No Changes to Educational Objectives:  Also, F1 Students cannot change their educational objectives, such as changing the program or changing the level from bachelor’s to master’s, etc., or changing the program type from degree to non-degree, etc., until they complete their first year as per the program listed on the Form I-20. There can be exceptions to this if authorised by the SEVP.
• Graduate Student Restrictions: Graduate students on an F1 visa cannot change programs at any point during their program of study.
• Completed Students allowed to only Higher Education Levels: If an F1 student has completed a program in one education level, say Bachelor’s, they can begin their next program at a higher education level, such as Master’s. They cannot pursue degrees at the same educational level or at a lower educational level.

Transition for Current F1 Students

• According to the regulation, the changes also affect current F or J visa students in the US who were issued “D/S” at the time of their entry into the US.
• Current Students on F or J Visa holders will be transitioned to a fixed duration of admission similar to the new students entering the US. The fixed duration for current students in the US would be until the end of the program, as listed on their I-20, which does not exceed a period of 4 years. The 4-year date will be counted from the effective date of the final rule.

Below are the screenshots of the actual regulation text that highlight the key changes:

In addition to the above key changes, the Trump administration has proposed some more changes as part of the regulation. You may read all of them directly at the Official Federal Register Document.

Impact of the Changes to F1 Students

If all the current proposed changes are implemented, it will have a significant impact on F1 Students. They will now need to keep a track of their I-94 dates and file a timely extension of status with USCIS. It will add up the cost and add uncertainty, as USCIS processing times can be very long. Also, travel during OPT or STEM OPT can get tricky if they do not give a visa for longer than the duration of the program.

If an F1 student is pursuing a PhD program, their risks are even higher, as the maximum limit is set at 4 years, and a PhD can take longer. Additionally, the restriction on changing programs for Graduate students can be particularly challenging if you do not like the program after joining it. The inability to transfer within the first year is also very difficult for students if they do not like the school or program.

There are a lot of uncertainties and unknowns with the new regulation, and the impact will be huge on international students planning to study in the US.

Next Steps for the Change to Fixed Duration Regulation

• DHS will accept comments for the next 30 days until September 29, 2025. For comments on the Paperwork Reduction Act, the comment period will be 60 days.
• DHS will review all the comments and then publish a final regulation.
• We may see a final regulation towards the end of the year or early next year.

We need to wait and see how this will pan out, as these changes are significant and will likely be opposed by the Universities, non-profits, and research units that support them.

What do you think of the F1 Visa Fixed Duration Changes regulation? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.