Major Overhaul of Immigration Regulations Impacting International Students and Exchange Visitors

Dear UMBC Community,

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently issued a final rule that changes how long certain international students, exchange visitors, and their dependents may remain in the United States.

Please note that there is a strong possibility that litigation or congressional review could pause, delay, or limit the implementation of the policy described in this message. DHS has also acknowledged that implementation of certain components of the new rule could be delayed for up to two years if implementation “is infeasible for any reason.” We will continue to keep the campus community informed as new information emerges.

Please remember that each individual’s circumstances are different, and this communication is provided for informational purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. If you have specific questions and hold F, H, or J immigration status, please contact the Center for Global Engagement (CGE). If you have specific questions and hold another immigration status, please consult with a private immigration attorney.

New DHS Rule Limits Stay for International Students and Exchange Visitors

On July 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule titled “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.”

This rule, which goes into effect on September 15, 2026, officially ends a decades-old framework known as “duration of status” (D/S) under which international students and exchange visitors were allowed to remain lawfully in the United States for an open-ended period, provided they maintained full-time enrollment and made normal progress toward their academic goals. Under the new rule, international students and scholars will be provided with a firm, fixed date by which they must complete their educational objectives or request approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for an extension of stay (EOS).

This change will require certain international students and scholars who need additional time to complete their academic objectives to file extension-of-stay applications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Prior to this shift, such extensions could be processed by university officials.

Important Transitional Rules for Current F-1 Students and J-1 Exchange Visitors

The rule includes special transitional provisions for F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors who are physically present in the United States when the new rule takes effect on September 15. The admission period of such individuals will remain valid through the program end date listed on their current Form I-20 or DS-2019, or for a maximum of four years from the effective date of the rule (September 15, 2030), whichever comes first. However, individuals who travel outside of the United States after September 15, 2026, will receive a strict, fixed "Admit Until Date" capped at a maximum of four years upon reentering through a U.S. port of entry.

Additional Considerations and Implications for Our UMBC Community

While this new rule represents a major overhaul of the immigration regulations governing the authorized stay of international students and scholars in the U.S., the advising team in CGE remains committed to supporting all impacted members of our campus community.

Over the next few weeks, our advising team will participate in in-depth training related to the new regulations. We will also organize information sessions for campus community members and work with campus partners to update online resources and workflows to align with the new requirements. We ask all impacted international students, exchange visitors, and academic advisors to note the following:

• How We Are Responding: CGE is actively tracking developments related to this new rule, including potential litigation and DHS implementation delays. We are also working to update our administrative systems, train our compliance staff, and develop informational resources for campus partners. Impacted international students and exchange visitors will be invited to information sessions, and we are planning outreach to academic advisors, program directors, and other campus stakeholders.

• Familiarize Yourself with the New Rule: A much more detailed version of this communication describing technical components of the new rule was sent directly to F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors. That message is also posted on CGE’s Immigration Policy Updates page. We strongly recommend that all F-1 international students, J-1 exchange visitors, academic advisors, and program directors review this message.

• Assess Program Trajectory Now: Because normal academic setbacks, such as needing to retake a failed course, may no longer justify an immigration extension, proactive academic advising is more critical than ever. Faculty and academic departments must work closely with international students to ensure they stay on track toward graduation. Similarly, students and exchange visitors who already know that they will require an extension request to complete their academic objectives are strongly advised to consult with an advisor in the Center for Global Engagement before the new rule takes effect.

We appreciate your patience as we work through the changes imposed by the new rule.

Contact

If you have any questions related to the updates shared in this message, please contact CGE's Office of International Students & Scholars. Additional information and resources related to immigration and other federal policy updates will be made available on our dedicated institutional updates page.

Sincerely, 

David L. Di Maria
Vice Provost for Global Engagement