Published on: 2026-07-17
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Washington, July 17 /Xinhua/ — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on Thursday that it will limit the duration of stay for international students and exchange program participants to four years, except in cases where a federal extension is granted.
“Students with nonimmigrant visas (F category visas) and exchange program participants (J category visas) will be admitted for a period corresponding to the duration of their specific program, but no longer than four years,” the agency’s statement published on its website says.
The final rule officially closes a loophole related to the “Duration of Status” system, which allowed foreign students, exchange program participants, and others to remain in the U.S. as long as they complied with the terms of their visa. No fixed date was provided for when they had to leave the country.
“For nearly half a century, the outdated ‘Duration of Status’ system has threatened national security and created favorable conditions for immigration fraud,” said U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Marquain Mallin, accusing thousands of foreign students of abusing the American immigration system.
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