New U.S. Duration of Stay Rules

Before

Your I-94 said “D/S.” You could stay in the United States as long as you were a student and followed the rules. If you needed more time, the Center for International Services gave you a new I-20 or DS-2019. That was enough.

Now

Your I-94 will show a date. That date is usually your program end date. The longest date they will give you is four (4) years from when you enter.

If you need to stay past that date, a new I-20 is not enough anymore. You must do one of two things:

1. Ask USCIS for more time (Form I-539), or;
2. Leave the U.S. and come back in.

No. This is the biggest misunderstanding about the new rule.

Four years is the longest one entry can last. It is not a limit on your degree. It is not a limit on your time in F-1 or J-1 status.

Many Ph.D. students take six or seven years. Many scholars stay longer than four years. You can still do this. You just need to get more time before your date runs out.

Also, we will still give you an I-20 or DS-2019 for your full program, even if your program is longer than four years.

No. You are still an F-1 or J-1. Your rules stay the same—full-time enrollment, work permission, reporting your address.

Your visa still works the same way. It lets you ask to enter the U.S.

What changes is your I-94. It is now the most important document for knowing how long you can stay. And it might end before your I-20 or DS-2019 ends. That is normal under the new rule.

• The F-1 grace period has shortened from 60 days to 30 days. This period is the time you have after you finish your program.
  • The J-1 grace period was already 30 days; there is no change for J-1.
• It is harder to change your major, change your degree level or transfer schools. Read more on this under the Changing Your Major, School or Degree section of this webpage.
• If you finish a degree, you cannot start another degree at the same level or a lower level. This only applies to degrees you finish on or after Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026.

This is serious. Please note these changes.

Under the old system, if you made a mistake, there was usually time to fix it before it became a legal problem.

Under the new system, if you stay past the date on your I-94 without permission, you can be out of status right away. You also start building “unlawful presence.”

• More than 180 days of unlawful presence means you may be banned from the U.S. for three (3) years.
• One year or more of unlawful presence means you may be banned from the U.S. for 10 years.

This is why you must know your date and plan early.

Maybe. Two things could happen:

• The court case. A judge hears it on Sept. 9, 2026.
• Congress could vote to cancel the rule. This is possible, but rare.

If the date changes, we will update this page and email you.

No—if all of the following are true:

• You are in the U.S. on Sept. 15, 2026, and;
• Your I-94 says “D/S,” and;
• You are following your F-1 or J-1 rules.

If all of the above apply to you:

• You will not get a new I-94.
• You will not get a new date.
• You do not pay anything.
• You do not file anything.
• You do not leave the country.

Your classes, your research, your job—everything continues normally. This is called the transition rule.

Until one of these things happen:

1. You leave the U.S. and come back in.
2. USCIS approves an Extension of Stay for you.
3. You change to a different visa status.
4. You get a new I-94 arrival record for any other reason.

After any of these, you move to the new system. You cannot go back.

If none of these happen, you can stay until your program end date on your current I-20 or DS-2019 (or until your EAD end date, if you are on Optional Practical Training [OPT]).

There are also final deadlines.

• For F-1 students: Nov. 14, 2030.
• For J-1 students and scholars: Oct. 15, 2030.

Most people will move to the new system before then, usually by traveling.

Yes—if you are still protected by the transition rule.

You could lose the 60 days and get 30 days instead once you get a new I-94. That happens when you travel and re-enter, or when USCIS approves an extension for you.

No. Being past four years does not matter if you were already here on D/S.

You continue until your I-20 program end date. You will need to take action later—when you need more time, or when you apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT).

No—not while you are inside the U.S. and following your rules.

You only need a valid visa to enter the U.S. If you plan to travel, you will need to renew it.

You will get a new I-94 with a date on it. Your transition protection ends.

Your new date will be whichever comes first:

• Your program end date on your I-20 or DS-2019, or;
• Four (4) years from the day you enter.

Then they add 30 days.

Examples

Not necessarily. Travel is part of student life—family, conferences, research, visa renewal.

However, talk to an advisor at the Center for International Services before you book a trip if:

• You are in your final year.
• You plan to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
• Your program is longer than four years.
• You have an application pending with USCIS.
• You need a new visa, or visa appointments are slow in your country.
• There are travel restrictions for your country.

Yes, a lot. Traveling at the wrong time can mean filing two applications instead of one. Talk to your advisor first.

You can read more on this in the Working: OPT, STEM OPT, CPT section of this webpage.

Check your I-94 online. Do this every time you enter the U.S.

Make sure:

• Your status is correct (F-1, F-2, J-1 or J-2).
• Your date looks right.
• Your name and passport number are correct.

If something looks wrong, email the Center for International Services right away. Mistakes are much easier to fix in the first few days.

Yes. Keep your passport valid for at least six (6) months past the day you plan to enter.

If your passport expires soon, CBP may give you a shorter date than your program needs. Renew your passport early.

Because it tells you the last day you can stay in the U.S.

Here is how your three documents work together:

Usually, no. Under the new rule this is normal, especially if your program is longer than four years.

But it means something important: getting a new I-20 does not give you more time to stay. You need a new I-94. You get one by asking USCIS for an extension, or by traveling and re-entering.

We will send general reminders and updates when we can, but watching your own date is your job. This is now just as important as staying enrolled full-time.

Please check your I-94 after every trip, write down the date and contact us several months before it ends if you will need more time.

It is a request to USCIS for more time in the U.S. You file Form I-539 and pay a fee.

If USCIS says yes, you get a new I-94 with a new date.

Note: This gives you more time to stay. It does not extend your program. Get your new I-20 or DS-2019 from the Center for International Services first.

Not everyone does. Many undergraduate and master’s students finish before their date and never file one.

You will probably need one (or you will need to travel) if:

• Your program will go past your I-94 date.
• You need extra semesters to finish.
• You got four years but your degree program is longer.
• Your Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT or Academic Training goes past your date.
• Your J-1 appointment is extended.
• You are starting a new program.

It depends on your situation. We cannot say which is better for everyone.

Traveling may be better if: you already have a valid visa, you were going to travel anyway and visa appointments in your country are quick.

Filing may be better if: your visa expired, appointments are slow, there are travel restrictions for your country or you have another application pending that travel could hurt.

Talk to your advisor before you decide.

USCIS must receive your application before your I-94 date.

But to keep working while you wait, you usually need to file before your program end date—not just before your I-94 date. These are two different dates. Ask your advisor which one applies to you.

We may need time to make your new I-20 or DS-2019 first, so contact us several months early.

Usually yes, if you filed on time and are following your rules. You can usually keep studying.

Working is different. Read more in the Working: OPT, STEM OPT, CPT section of this webpage.

This is risky. If you leave, USCIS may cancel your application.

Talk to your advisor before you make any travel plans while your application is pending.

Contact the Center for International Services immediately. What happens next depends on why they said no.

F-1 students asking for more time must provide a strong academic reason. Examples include:

• Your lab work or experiments were delayed.
• Your research changed direction, with your department’s approval.
• You changed your major, which added required coursework (undergraduates).
• You had a documented medical problem.

USCIS decides—not Syracuse University. We can help you prepare your documents. We cannot promise they will say yes.

No. OPT, STEM OPT, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), on-campus jobs and J-1 Academic Training all still exist. The rules for getting them have not changed.

What changed is how long you are allowed to be in the country while you use them.

Yes, and it is important.

If you were here on D/S before Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, and USCIS receives your OPT or STEM OPT application (Form I-765) on or before March 18, 2027, you do not need to file a separate Extension of Stay.

Two things to remember:

1. What matters is the day USCIS receives your form. Not your graduation day. Not the day you file it.
2. This usually does not work if you travel outside the U.S. after Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, and then apply. In that case, you will probably need two (2) applications:  Form I-765 and Form I-539.

If you are graduating this year and thinking about travel, talk to your advisor before you book anything.

It depends on the kind of work.

For on-campus jobs, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), economic hardship work and J-1 Academic Training: If you file before your program end date, you can usually keep working for up to 240 days while you wait. If you file during your grace period instead, you do not get these 240 days. You must stop and wait for approval.

For OPT and STEM OPT (after you graduate): There is no 240-day rule. Filing an extension does not let you start working. If your stay ends when your program ends, you can file Form I-539 and Form I-765 at the same time. But you cannot start working until both are approved.

One exception: If you file a STEM OPT extension on time, you can keep working up to 180 days after your current work permit ends. This rule has not changed.

No. It only means you can keep working while USCIS decides. They can still say no.

In your first academic year, you cannot:

• Transfer to another school.
• Change your major.
• Change your degree level.

The only exception is if the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) approves a special case (for example, your school closes or experiences a natural disaster).

After your first year, you can do all of these things.

The rules are much stricter. While you are in your program, you generally cannot:

• Change your major.
• Change to a different degree program.
• Change your degree level.
• Transfer to another school.

The following are some realistic examples of what is not allowed.

• You are studying for an M.S. in mechanical engineering. You cannot switch to an M.S. in computer science.
• You are a Ph.D. student in one department. You cannot switch to a Ph.D. in a different department.
• Your professor moves to another university. You generally cannot transfer to follow them.
• You are in one degree program. You cannot add a second degree program.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) can approve exceptions for special situations, but these are rare (for example, your school closes or experiences a natural disaster).

This is different from changing in the middle of a program. Finishing one degree and moving to a higher level is still allowed—including at a different school.

However, you will still need a new I-94. That means requesting an extension or traveling.

If you are on academic probation or suspension, you generally cannot transfer schools or change your major.

Maybe. The government said it may delay these specific rules—about transfers, majors and degree levels—until as late as Sept. 14, 2028. They have not decided yet.

If they delay, we will tell you.

The same way. If you enter on or after Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, you get a date on your I-94. It will be your DS-2019 end date or four years—whichever is shorter—plus 30 days.

Your grace period remains 30 days. Nothing has changed there.

Your Responsible Officer will extend your SEVIS record and give you a new DS-2019, like always. But that is not enough anymore. 

Check your I-94 date. If your new appointment goes past that date, you need either:

• An approved Extension of Stay from USCIS, or;
• To travel and re-enter the U.S.

Departments: please start reappointment paperwork earlier than before. The timeline now often includes waiting for USCIS.

The rules for getting it have not changed.

If you file an extension before your DS-2019 program end date, you can usually continue Academic Training for up to 240 days while you wait. Filing during your grace period does not give you this ability.

No. The transition rule protects you, too. You continue until your current DS-2019 end date. Your final deadline is Oct. 15, 2030.

• Find your program end date on your I-20 or DS-2019.
• Get your I-94 on the I-94/I-95 website and save a copy.
• Check your passport—is it valid for at least six (6) more months?
• Update your address in MySlice.
• Keep following your rules—full-time enrollment, work permission, reporting.

• Review the Travel section of this webpage.
• Talk to your advisor first—especially if you are in your final year.

• Review the Working: OPT, STEM OPT, CPT section of this webpage.
• Note the March 18, 2027 deadline.
• Talk to your advisor before you travel.

• Start planning early for an extension or a trip.
• Contact us months before your date—not in the last few weeks.