New U.S. Student Visa Limit Could Disrupt Degree Programs, Group Warns
Washington–A proposed four-year limit on F-1 and J-1 visa stays could force international students and researchers to leave the United States before completing their academic programs, an Indian diaspora policy group has warned.
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies urged elected officials, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of Homeland Security to delay implementation of the rule, which the group said was finalized July 16-17 and is scheduled to take effect in mid-September.
According to FIIDS, the measure would end the longstanding “duration of status” policy and impose a maximum stay of four years. Time spent in Optional Practical Training and STEM OPT would count toward the limit.
The rule would also shorten the post-study grace period from 60 days to 30 days and require students seeking additional time to obtain USCIS approval by filing Form I-539, the group said.
“This is a self-inflicted wound on US competitiveness,” said Khanderao Kand, Chief of Policy and Strategy at FIIDS.
“A 4-year cap misaligns with how modern degrees actually work—median time to a bachelor’s is about 52 months and to a PhD about 5.7 years—while USCIS is already sitting on more than 11 million cases with roughly year-long processing times.”
“Students will be forced out mid-program or mid-research, labs will lose critical talent, and America will hand its innovation pipeline to competitors,” he said.
FIIDS said many research-intensive programs, particularly doctoral studies and medical training, routinely take longer than four years. J-1 research scholars and physicians often require five to seven years to complete their programs, it added.
The organization warned that uncertainty over visa extensions could disrupt laboratory work, delay graduations and complicate faculty recruitment plans that depend on international talent.
“Delay implementation, protect students, and safeguard U.S. research and innovation,” Kand said. “If the goal is integrity, do it without blowing up degree pathways that power American labs and startups.”
FIIDS called on Congress to restore duration-of-status protections for F-1 and J-1 visa holders. It also proposed exemptions for graduate and STEM programs whose typical completion times exceed 48 months, with a 64-month limit and automatic extensions.
The group also urged USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security to offer administrative relief before the rule takes effect. Its recommendations include automatic extensions for students in good standing, excluding OPT and STEM OPT from the four-year calculation, accelerating Form I-539 processing and restoring the 60-day grace period.
FIIDS said new international student enrollment fell 17 percent in fall 2025, resulting in more than $1.1 billion in lost revenue and nearly 23,000 fewer jobs. (Source: IANS)
