Overview of the Issue
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has enacted a federal rule change to end “Duration of Status” (D/S) for nonimmigrants granted entry to the U.S. in F or J status. Duration of status refers to the period of lawful stay granted upon entry to the United States and recorded on the Form I-94.
The rule will replace the current D/S framework with fixed admission periods tied to academic program length or a maximum admission period. The changes will introduce new immigration procedures and administrative requirements for international students and scholars, including updated extension processes and new limitations related to academic program changes.
While the new rule changes certain immigration procedures, international students and scholars will continue to be able to study and complete their academic programs at Lehigh University. The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) is actively monitoring these developments and working closely with university leadership, peer institutions, and national professional organizations to assess the potential impact on Lehigh students and scholars.
As of July 17, 2026, the rule has officially been changed. The rule will go into effect on September 15, 2026. Current immigration regulations remain in effect until then. The final rule includes transition provisions that affect both current and future F and J students and scholars, although the impact will differ depending on individual circumstances. The OISS staff are reviewing the final rule and guidance from federal agencies and will provide additional information for current students, newly admitted students, and scholars as implementation guidance becomes available.
OISS will continue to provide updates and additional guidance as more information becomes available. Please review the list of Frequently Asked Questions here. These will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
FAQ
Please review the FAQ's on our FAQ page. These FAQ are intended to provide the international community at Lehigh University with the most up-to-date information regarding the D/S Changes. You may access the FAQ page here.
Additional Resources
Townhall on Sept 1, 2026 Presented by Andrew Fuller and Wendy Hess of Green and Spiegel, slides available here
Current Status of the Rule
Current Status of the Rule Change
The new rule was formally published on Friday, July 17, 2026.
The new rule was originally published in the Federal Register on August 28, 2025, and public comments were accepted through September 29, 2025. After review of public comments, DHS finalized its review of the proposed rule and submitted it to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final review and clearance prior to publication of a final rule.
Lehigh University leadership and OISS have been actively monitoring these developments and preparing guidance and resources to support the university’s international student and scholar community. Additional information and university guidance will be shared as it becomes available.
The DHS rule change:
- Replaces the current Form I-94 “admit until date” of “Duration of Status” (D/S) with a specific end date tied to academic program length or a maximum admission period of four years, whichever is shorter.
- Requires students and scholars to file a formal Extension of Stay (EOS) application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in order to extend lawful stay beyond their I-94 expiration date.
- Shortens the current F-1 student grace period from 60 days to 30 days following program completion. The J-1 grace period would remain unchanged at 30 days.
- Limits English language training study to 24 months in aggregate.
- Restricts F-1 undergraduate students from changing majors or transferring schools during their first academic year.
- Places new restrictions on F-1 graduate students changing majors or transferring schools during their academic program.
- Limits the ability of F-1 students to pursue additional academic programs at the same or lower educational level.
This new rule creates new administrative and advising responsibilities for universities and international students and scholars. OISS is continuing to review the changes and assessing their potential impact on student enrollment, academic programs, research activities, and immigration advising processes at Lehigh University.
OISS will continue to provide updated guidance, FAQs, and additional support resources as more information becomes available.
Previously Issued Correspondences
Important Immigration Policy Update for Admitted International Students (Published July 17, 2026):
English, Mandarin (Traditional), Mandarin (Simplified), Spanish, Vietnamese.
Important Update Regarding Federal "Duration of Stay" Rule Changes (Published July 17, 2026):
Update Regarding New F-1 and J-1 Immigration Regulations (E-mailed July 20, 2026)
Contact Us
If your inquiry is not addressed on our FAQ website, please send an email to intnl@lehigh.edu. We are reviewing all incoming messages and will provide updates as soon as possible.