Duration of Status Updates

On July 17, 2026, the US Department of Homeland Security published a final rule eliminating “duration of status” (D/S) admissions F and J nonimmigrants, replacing D/S with a fixed end date recorded on Form I-94.

Students and exchange visitors who require additional time to degree completion will be required to file formal extension of stay applications with USCIS to remain beyond their “admit until” date, the F-1 post-completion grace period will be shortened from 60 to 30 days, and new limits on academic program changes will be imposed. F-1 and J-1 admissions will generally be capped at four years or the program end date listed on their I-20 or DS-2019, whichever period is shorter.

Transition provisions apply to F and J nonimmigrants already admitted under D/S who are present in the United States when the rule takes effect; those individuals may generally remain through their current program period or up to four additional years, subject to the specific provisions outlined in the final rule.

The final rule will go into effect on September 15, 2026.

We understand this change creates uncertainty and raises many questions about how this new rule will impact our F-1 and J-1 international student community. We do not have answers yet, but we are actively collaborating with immigration experts and national organizations across the country to review and understand exactly what the new policy changes mean. ISS is working with University leadership, campus partners, and other immigration subject matter experts to understand the new regulations and provide further updates to our F-1 and J-1 students.

What You Should Know Right Now

There is no action you need to take right now. This update is intended to keep you informed while Cranwell completes a thorough review of the published rule. These regulatory changes are substantive, and our priority is to conduct an analysis of their impacts on our students before releasing guidance to the Virginia Tech community. It is critical that we feel confident in our understanding of these changes before we begin advising on them.

For this reason, we request that you do not send emails about individual F-1 and J-1 student cases until we have completed our assessment. Also note that Cranwell’s web pages and Canvas courses will not reflect the D/S changes until they come into effect in September.

One thing we can confirm now is that our processes will not change prior to the effective date of the rule. For example, extension requests are not reviewed until after the first day of classes in a student's final term, regardless of the reason for the request. There will not be adjustments to our policies to "avoid" impact from the published rule.

What Students Should Continue to Do

While Cranwell evaluates these changes, it remains important to stay in compliance with existing regulations. We encourage students to:

• Maintain full-time enrollment and continue meeting F-1 and J-1 academic enrollment requirements.
• Report any U.S. address change within 10 days by updating your local address in Hokie SPA.
• Continue submitting timely requests through the IntlHokies Portal for benefits such as extensions, changes of degree level, reduced course loads, CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT.
• Monitor your @vt.edu email and continue reading Cranwell’s updates regarding this and any other future changes. You may also review our Immigration Updates page and continue checking back on this page for more information as it becomes available.

Support for Our International Community

Behind the scenes, Cranwell is working closely with colleagues across Virginia Tech to understand how this rule will impact our campus and to shape the guidance we give you.

Cranwell advisors remain available to answer questions about your F-1 or J-1 status through walk-ins, email or e-forms submitted through the IntlHokies Portal. At this time, however, our advisors will not be able to speak to the specifics of the rule on individual cases. We want any guidance we give to be accurate and consistent, and our review of the rule is still ongoing.

We Will Keep You Updated

Thank you for your patience as we carefully review these changes and determine how they may affect our international student community. We will continue to update this page with the most updated information as it is developed. Please check back soon for FAQ resources and upcoming virtual information sessions.