The record
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- US universities, including Columbia, are advising international students on F-1 and J-1 visas who are currently abroad to return to the US before 15 September 2026, when a new Department of Homeland Security rule takes effect.
- The rule replaces the existing Duration of Status system with a fixed admission period of up to four years, cuts the post-study grace period from 60 days to 30 days, and requires extensions via Form I-539 with USCIS.
- Students already in the US under the current system on that date can remain until their programme completion date or the end of approved OPT or STEM OPT.
- The change is expected to affect hundreds of thousands of international students, including many Indians, and critics such as FIIDS argue the four-year cap does not match how long degrees, especially PhDs, actually take.
What to watch next
- Whether the DHS delays or modifies the 15 September 2026 implementation of the Final Rule.
- How students whose programmes exceed four years navigate the new extension process via Form I-539.
- Further advisories from US universities to students currently abroad.
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Named United States · Columbia University · Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies · Khanderao Kand · NDTVWorld · US Citizenship and Immigration Services · US Department of Homeland Security
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