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.

D/S Basics Course for Current Students

If you missed the required sessions covering changes to the F-1 program, you are required to complete the D/S Basics Course. The course explains the July 2026 rule changes: how academic and immigration timelines interact, where to find your new admission date once assigned, how to track your own records, how the new fixed end date interacts with normal program length, and more.

Optional D/S Webinars

Travel

• Tuesday, September 22, 2:00 PM.
• Register for this webinar

OPT/STEM OPT

• Tuesday, September 29, 2:00 PM.
• Register for this webinar

On Campus Employment

• Tuesday, October 6, 10:00 AM.
• Register for this webinar

Extension of Stay

• Tuesday, October 13, 10:00 AM.
• Register for this webinar

What You Should Know Right Now

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.

When will this new rule take effect?

On September 14, 2026, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the final rule from taking effect as originally scheduled for September 15, 2026. This means the effective date has been delayed for an indeterminate period while litigation continues.

We do not believe that this is the end of the proposed changes to D/S. The Department of Homeland Security will likely pursue further legal action, including an appeal, and the rule could still be reinstated at a future date. Because the situation remains unresolved, we are continuing to prepare as though the changes may still take effect.

For that reason:

• We still expect all students to complete the D/S Basics course. If you did not attend one of our live sessions in August, the hold on your IntlHokies Portal account will remain in place. Instructions for accessing the self-enroll course, including the enrollment link, were included in our prior email. You can also access the course directly through our Duration of Status Updates page.
• Our optional topical D/S sessions will continue as planned, beginning next week. These sessions cover specific areas like Travel, OPT/STEM OPT, On-Campus Employment, and Extension of Stay, and remain valuable given that the rule could still be implemented depending on the outcome of the appeal.
• These optional D/S sessions will replace Tuesday walk-ins through early October. We know this update adds another layer of uncertainty, and we'll continue to monitor the litigation closely and share updates as they become available.

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.