DHS Announces Proposed Rule to Replace Duration of Status with Fixed 4-Year Admission Period

The Department of Homeland Security publishes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to replace the 73-year-old Duration of Status framework with fixed admission periods of 4 years maximum for F-1 and J-1 students. Under the proposal, students would be admitted for their program length or 4 years, whichever is shorter, and must apply for Extension of Stay (EOS) to remain beyond that period. This proposal fundamentally alters the legal relationship between student visa holders and their academic institutions.