US Set To Release New Rule Affecting International Students
- The Office of Management and Budget completed its review of a DHS rule that would end the Duration of Status system for F-1 and J-1 visa holders
- The proposed rule would replace the current open-ended stay policy with a fixed admission period of up to four years for international students
- Students who need more time in the US would have to file an extension request with USCIS before their authorised stay runs out
A major immigration policy shift is inching closer to reality in the United States, one that could fundamentally alter the experience of hundreds of thousands of international students currently studying there.
Source: Getty Images
On June 17, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed its review of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) final rule that would dismantle the long-standing Duration of Status (D/S) system used for F-1 student visa holders and J-1 exchange visitors.
US immigration attorney AK Poku of AK Poku Law, PLLC flagged the development in a Facebook post on June 26, 2026, warning that a significant change to how international students maintain legal presence in the country was now one step closer to taking effect.
Duration of status rule change means
Under the current D/S framework, F-1 and J-1 visa holders are permitted to remain in the United States indefinitely, provided they stay enrolled in their programmes, make satisfactory academic progress, or participate in authorised Optional Practical Training (OPT).
The proposed rule would scrap that arrangement entirely. In its place, students and exchange visitors would be admitted for a fixed period of up to four years. Once that window closes, anyone wishing to remain in the country would need to file a formal extension request with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before their authorised stay expires.
The rule has not yet been published in the Federal Register, meaning it has not formally taken effect.
Akua Poku noted that the provisions currently circulating reflect the August 2025 proposed rule, and that DHS retains the ability to modify the final text before it is officially published.
Impact of proposed DHS rule on international students
The change carries particular weight for the large population of African and Asian students enrolled in American universities, many of whom pursue multi-year graduate programmes, postdoctoral research, or OPT extensions that stretch well beyond a four-year window.
For students from countries like Ghana, Nigeria, India, and Kenya, whose academic journeys in the US often span longer periods, the shift could introduce a new layer of administrative complexity and uncertainty into an already demanding immigration landscape.
Source: Getty Images
The rule arrives amid a broader wave of immigration reforms under the Trump administration, which has moved aggressively to tighten oversight of visa programmes and limit pathways that previously operated with significant flexibility.
Publication in the Federal Register is expected before the rule takes effect later in 2026. Students and their academic institutions are being urged to monitor official communications from DHS and USCIS closely as the final text is awaited.
Below is Akua Poku’s Facebook post on the proposed rule change for international students.
Lady denied US visa due to husband’s job
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a Ghanaian lady faced a setback in her quest to pursue further studies in the US.
This happened after she was denied a student visa at the US Embassy in Accra after detailing what her husband does for a living.
Source: YEN.com.gh
