Farewell to “Duration of Status”: What the New U.S. Immigration Change Means for Universities

The landscape for international students and exchange visitors in the United States has taken a historic turn. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a final rule that formally eliminates the “Duration of Status” (D/S) system, a framework that had been in place for decades. elimina formalmente el sistema de "Duración de Estatus" (D/S), un marco que había estado vigente por décadas.

Instituciones educativas de gran prestigio, como Yale University Prestigious educational institutions, such as Yale University, through its Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), have already begun analyzing the change and providing guidance to their communities on the challenges and procedures this modification will bring.

Below, we break down what this measure entails, when it takes effect, and how it will impact university campuses.

What was “Duration of Status” (D/S), and what is changing?

Until now, students with F-1 visas and exchange visitors with J-1 visas entered the United States under the concept of Duration of Status (D/S), indicated on their Form I-94. This allowed them to remain in the country for the duration of their authorized program, provided they maintained valid status and complied with the requirements of their program. Duration of Status Until now, students with F-1 visas and exchange visitors with J-1 visas entered the United States under the concept of Duration of Status (D/S), indicated on their Form I-94. This allowed them to remain in the country for the duration of their authorized program, provided they maintained valid status and complied with the requirements of their program.

Under the new DHS regulation, this system will be replaced by a fixed admission period. Under the new DHS regulation, this system will be replaced by a fixed admission period..

• Time limit: Students will be admitted for the duration of their academic program or for a maximum of four years, whichever is shorter. Los estudiantes serán admitidos por el tiempo que dure su programa de estudios o por un máximo de cuatro años, lo que sea más corto.
• Vencimientos claros: Clear expiration dates: Instead of the D/S notation, Form I-94 will reflect a specific expiration date.

Key Points of the New DHS Regulation

1. Effective date: The final rule officially took effect on September 15, 2026. La regla final comenzó a regir de manera oficial el 15 de septiembre de 2026.
2. Mandatory Extension of Stay (EOS) application: If a student enrolled in a long-term program, such as a doctoral program or medical specialty, or another course of study requires more than four years to graduate, an internal extension handled solely by the school advisor (DSO) will no longer be sufficient. Students will be required to formally file an Extension of Stay application (Form I-539) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which will include applicable fees and biometric collection. Si un estudiante de una carrera de larga duración (como un programa doctoral o especialidades médicas) u otro curso de estudio requiere más de cuatro años para graduarse, ya no bastará con una extensión interna gestionada únicamente por el asesor escolar (DSO). Ahora será obligatorio presentar formalmente una solicitud de Extensión de Estancia (Formulario I-539) ante el Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración (USCIS), lo que incluirá el pago de tarifas y la toma de datos biométricos.
3. Reducción del periodo de gracia: Reduced grace period: The period following graduation or completion of the authorized program to prepare for departure, transfer to another institution, or change status has been significantly reduced from 60 to 30 days for F-1 students. 30 días para los estudiantes F-1.

The University Perspective: Yale University’s Case

Given the scale of this transition, specialized offices such as Yale University’s OISS have rolled out support resources and informational sessions (Town Halls) for their international community. OISS de Yale University han desplegado recursos de apoyo y sesiones informativas (Town Halls) para su comunidad global.

The main recommendations issued by institutions of this caliber emphasize the need to:

• Monitorear rigurosamente las fechas: Closely monitor expiration dates: Students should carefully track the dates reflected on their I-94 records after each reentry into the United States.
• Plan academic changes in advance: Initial restrictions on changes in academic level, field of study, or university during the first academic year require careful planning with designated advisors (DSOs). Restricciones iniciales sobre cambios de nivel, especialidad o universidad durante el primer año académico exigen una planeación milimétrica con los asesores designados (DSO).
• Periodos de transición: Transition periods: Students who were already in the United States under the previous D/S system before September 15, 2026, are subject to transition provisions, with a general protection period of up to four years or until they depart and subsequently reenter the United States.

In Conclusion

The elimination of Duration of Status marks one of the most significant reforms to U.S. academic visa rules in recent history. While the U.S. government’s stated objective is to increase immigration oversight and prevent abuse of the system, the change presents universities and international students with an unprecedented administrative challenge that will require greater planning and ongoing guidance across campuses.

Are you an international student or part of a university administration? Tell us in the comments how your institution is preparing for this new environment.

Sources: Department of State (DoS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Yale OISS, and USCIS.