On July 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published to the Federal Register the final rule that will eliminate Duration of Status (D/S) for F-1 and J-1 students and replace it with a fixed admit until date (AUD) upon admission to the U.S.
The final rule does will not take effect until September 15, 2026.
We understand this change creates uncertainty and raises many questions about how this new rule will impact our F-1 and J-1 international student community. We do not have answers yet, but we are actively collaborating with immigration experts and national organizations across the country to review and understand exactly what the new policy changes mean, the timeline, and any immediate impacts. ISS is working with University leadership, campus partners, and other immigration subject matter experts to quickly understand the new regulations and provide further updates to our F-1 and J-1 students.
What You Should Know Right Now
There is no action you need to take right now. This update is intended to keep you informed while ISS completes a thorough review of the rule. The final published rule is complex and will take us time to analyze and fully understand the regulatory changes. Our priority is to complete our analysis and follow up with more information as soon as possible. To enable this work, we kindly ask that you do not send emails about individual F-1 and J-1 student cases until we have completed this assessment. Also note that ISS web pages will not reflect the new policy until we are able to complete our review and understand the immediate impacts.
What Students Should Continue to Do
While ISS evaluates the changes, it remains important to stay in compliance with current immigration regulations. We encourage students to:
- Maintain full-time enrollment and continue meeting F-1 or J-1 registration requirements.
- Report any U.S. address change within 10 days by updating your local address in MyUW so ISS can report the change in SEVIS.
- Review your I-20 or DS-2019 program end date and submit requests early through MyISSS for benefits such as extensions, change of degree level, final quarter reduced course load, CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT.
- Monitor your @uw.edu email and continue reading ISS newsletters and blog updates for reliable information. Go to the ISS Duration of Status (D/S) Hub for the most up-to-date information.
Support for Our International Community
The University of Washington values and supports our international students. ISS staff are continuing to work with campus leaders and national immigration organizations to understand these developments and advocate for clear guidance.
ISS advisors remain available to answer questions about your F-1 or J-1 status through virtual and in-person advising or email, but they will not be able to answer questions about Duration of Status until we have completed a review and analysis of the regulatory changes.
We Will Keep You Updated
ISS will provide further communication as soon as more information becomes available. Thank you for your patience as we carefully review these changes and determine how they may affect our international student community. We will continue to update the ISS Duration of Status (D/S) Hub with the most updated information once we have completed our assessment.