On July 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule eliminating “duration of status” for individuals in F-1, F-2, J-1, and J-2 visa categories. This rule will go into effect in 60 days.
Under the new rule, F-1 and J-1 students and scholars will be admitted to the U.S. for a fixed period of time – up to four years regardless of major or level, or through the length of their academic program, whichever is shorter. Under the new rule, any student or scholar needing more than four years to accomplish their educational or research objectives will have to petition USCIS and apply and pay for a formal extension of stay.
This represents a significant change from past practice when a student or scholar’s status remained valid for the full duration of their academic program as long as they continued to maintain status, tied to the F-1 I-20 or J-1 DS-2019 validity dates.
We are carefully reviewing the final rule to understand its full scope and potential impact. No action is required from students, scholars, faculty, or departments at this time. We will share accurate and timely guidance as soon as it becomes available.
In the coming weeks, the Office of International Services will host an information session directly with students and scholars as more details emerge. We will communicate more details about the time, date, and location of this information session at a later date.
The Office of International Services continues to serve as the primary resource for immigration advising for international students and scholars.
Our office remains deeply committed to supporting international students and scholars during their time at UAH. We will continue to share information and provide support as we navigate this development together.