International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at James Madison University is aware of the recent changes in the Federal Registry regarding Duration of Status (D/S) and its impact on F and J visa holding students.  Please note that the rule will become effective on September 15, 2026.   

Information is being communicated directly to JMU’s international student community. ISSS is working closely with NAFSA, JMU’s legal counsel, and immigration attorneys to fully understand the scope of these changes and how they will affect our students and scholars. We will share updates on this page as more information becomes available.  

If you have immediate questions or concerns, please contact ISSS directly.

Key changes included in the final rule:

• Fixed-date admissions to the United States. 
  • Instead of being admitted for "duration of status" (D/S) as they have been since 1991 for F students and 1993 for J exchange visitors, individuals applying for admission in or change of status to either F or J status (F-1 students, F-2 dependents, J-1 exchange visitors, and J-2 dependents) on and after September 15, 2026 will be admitted for a fixed date, recorded on the F or J nonimmigrant's Form I-94.
  • This "Admit Until Date" (AUD) will be limited to the program end date noted on their Form I-20 or DS-2019, not to exceed 4 years, plus a period of 30 days following their program end date.
  • The F-1 grace period will be reduced from the current 60 days to 30 days for F students and dependents who enter or reenter the United States on and after September 15, 2026.
• Formal I-539 extension of stay process with USCIS.
  • Individuals who need time beyond their Admit Until Date (AUD) for whatever reason (e.g., an extension of program, school transfers, moving academic levels, use of post-completion practical training or academic training) will have to timely file a complete Form I-539 extension of stay application with USCIS before their AUD expires, on Form I-539 (with fee, biometrics, and possible interview).
  • The final rule also outlines standards for extension eligibility
• Transition provisions.
  • There are transition provisions for F and J nonimmigrants who were admitted for D/S on their Form I-94 and are inside the United States on September 15, 2026, the final rule effective date.
  • These individuals will not have to immediately apply for a date-certain I-94, but they must still apply for an extension of stay in order to remain in status beyond the program end date on their current Form I-20 or DS-2019 or OPT EAD card, or four years from the final rule effective date, whichever is shorter, and will also be subject to the new academic restrictions in varied ways.
  • F-1 students in this transition group will retain their legacy 60-day grace period even after September 15, 2026, but if they exit and reenter the United States or apply for an extension of stay on or after the effective date they will be assigned a 30-day grace period under the new rule.
  • If someone in this transition group exits the United States and reenters on or after September 15, 2026, CBP will readmit them with a Form I-94 with a date-specific AUD that includes a 30-day grace period.
  • There are some other transition provisions relating to employment.
• Cap on ESL duration of admission.
  • The stay of English language training students is capped at 24 months.
• Restrictions on transfers and changes of educational objectives.
  • Undergraduate students may change their educational objectives (e.g., change majors, etc.) or transfer schools only after their first year of study, unless SEVP approves an exception on a case-by-case basis for "extenuating circumstances"
  • Graduate students are not eligible to change their educational objectives (i.e., "majors or educational levels") "at any point during their program of study."
  • Graduate students may be eligible to transfer schools during their program of study, but only if SEVP approves an exception on a case-by-case basis for "extenuating circumstances" 
• Prohibition on lateral or reverse matriculation.
  • After completing a program at a particular educational level F-1 students are barred from pursuing a subsequent program at the same or lower educational level. DHS has clarified in the final rule that this limitation on study at the same or lower educational levels applies only to programs that are completed after the effective date.

The final rule also expands USCIS discretion, revises related employment authorization and dependent rules to account for the fixed admission period.

Find more information about the changes to duration of status on the NAFSA website.

Updated June, 2026

Court Vacates Several USCIS Benefits Adjudication Policies. In a June 5, 2026 memorandum and order issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, USCIS's "Benefits Hold Policy, the Global Asylum Hold Policy, the Comprehensive Re-Review Policy, and the Country-Specific Factors Policy - are declared unlawful and are vacated and set aside."
The decision vacates and sets aside the USCIS halt of all adjudications of requests for immigration benefits (the "Benefits Hold") submitted by people born in or having the citizenship of any of the thirty-nine countries subject to entry restrictions imposed by President Trump in his two "Travel Bans." 

January, 2026

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at James Madison University is aware of the recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Policy Memorandum dated January 1, 2026 which describes a hold that USCIS has placed a hold on adjudication of pending benefits requests submitted by applicants whose citizenship or country of birth are from the counties identified in two travel-ban proclamations: Presidential Proclamation 10949 of June 4, 2025 and Presidential Proclamation 10988 of December 16, 2025.   We have communicated this information to impacted international students and scholars, as well as relevant stakeholders.  We will communicate more information as it becomes available. If you have immediate concerns or questions, please contact ISSS directly. 

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at James Madison University is aware of the recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Policy Memorandum dated May 21, 2026 related to the adjustment of status process as outlined under section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

We have communicated this information to JMU international scholars. We are reaching out to experts in the field to determine the full impact of this statement. We will communicate more information as it becomes available. If you have immediate concerns or questions, please contact ISSS directly.

January, 2026

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at James Madison University is aware of the January 14, 2026 news posting, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that it will pause the issuance of immigrant visas at U.S. consulates worldwide starting January 21, 2026 for nationals of 75 countries that DOS deems are "at high risk of public benefits usage." During the pause, DOS will conduct "a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge." The pause impacts only immigrant visa issuance and does not affect nonimmigrant visas such as B tourist visas, F student visas, J exchange visitor visas, H-1B work visas, etc.

The covered countries include: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

We will communicate more information as it becomes available. If you have immediate concerns or questions, please contact ISSS directly. 

December, 2025

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at James Madison University is aware of the new proclamation issued by U.S. President Donald Trump on December 16, “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats”, and the related White House fact sheet. 

Full ban countries:  Nationals from Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria, plus individuals traveling on travel docuemnts issued by the Palestinian Authoriy are subject to a full ban that suspends "entry into the United Staes" as "immigrants and nonimmigrants."

Partial ban countries:  Nationals from Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d 'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are subjct to a paritial ban that suspends "entery into the United States" as immigrants and of nonimmigrants on "B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas".  

Click here to view the original travel ban announcement.

We have communicated this information to all international students and scholars, as well as relevant stakeholders.  We will communicate more information as it becomes available. If you have immediate concerns or questions, please contact ISSS directly. 

Updated November, 2025

Following initial uncertainty of Proclamation 10973, USCIS issued clarifying guidance on September 20 & 21, 2025, and updated their web site. Our current understanding is that this proclamation does NOT affect current H-1B holders (those with an approved H-1B status or H-1B pending petition filed before Sept. 21, 2025), including:

• Those transferring their H-1B status to JMU from another institution
• Those requiring H-1B extensions at JMU
• International travel – Current H-1B holders may continue to travel without restrictions or additional fees if they hold a current, valid H-1B visa stamp in their passport.
• Current H-1B status holders whose I-129 was filed before September 21, 2025, can proceed with visa stamping regardless of whether they currently have a valid visa stamp.

Updated November, 2025

It is important to remember that many factors influence whether a candidate may ultimately be viable. Additionally, there are several nuances that affect whether the H-1B fee would apply to a new hire. Because of this complexity, committees should not make assumptions or decisions based on sponsorship needs alone, and candidates should not be screened out based on sponsorship.

• Search committees should continue following our established recruitment process:
  • All applicants must be evaluated consistently by the same committee members using the same criteria, regardless of their response to the sponsorship question in PageUp.
  • A candidate’s response to the sponsorship question must not influence their consideration or candidacy during the recruitment process.
    • Committees should not ask follow-up questions regarding sponsorship during recruitment.
  • Once a finalist is selected, if sponsorship questions arise, please refer the candidate to Jonathan Kratz, Director of International Student and Scholar Services, in the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) at kratzjx@jmu.edu.
  • If a candidate raises sponsorship questions before an offer is made, please also direct them to Jonathan Kratz so CGE can assist appropriately.

More information about Proclamation 10973:

• Proclamation 10973:
  • On whitehouse.gov
  • Published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 46027 (September 24, 2025)
• A White House Fact Sheet on the Proclamation
• Recent agency guidance:
  • A September 20, 2025 CBP memo
  • A September 20, 2025 USCIS memorandum
  • A September 21, 2025 USCIS FAQ
  • A September 21, 2025 DOS FAQ
  • A September 21, 2025 DOS news announcement
• USCIS web page on H-1B Specialty Occupation