- Student visas for Indian nationals plummeted sixty-two percent during the peak twenty twenty-five admission season.
- A new federal rule ends Duration of Status, limiting student stays to a maximum of four years.
- The administration is considering eliminating post-study work through the Optional Practical Training program entirely.
U.S. State Department data released in August 2026 showed Indian student visas to US fall 62% during the 2025 peak admission season, dropping to 22,149 from 58,694. The slide was sharp. A separate think tank report is also calling for ending OPT.
The four-month stretch from May–August usually carries about 77% of Indian annual student visa issuances. That makes the summer window decisive. Chinese nationals also saw a 34% decline in the same period.
Free toolOPT Timeline Calculator Online
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin cast the change as a break from open-ended study stays.
"For decades, foreign students have been admitted into the US indefinitely, allowing thousands to abuse our immigration system by perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave the US. With clear, finite limits on these visas, the screening and vetting will become [the focus]. Going forward, non-immigrant students (F visas) and exchange visitors (J visas) will be admitted for the length of their specific program, not to exceed a maximum period of four years."
On July 17, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published its final rule in the Federal Register, titled Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure. It takes effect on September 15, 2026. The rule ends Duration of Status and replaces it with a fixed stay of up to four years, or the program length if shorter.
The department said the rule aims to "provide additional protections and oversight. and allow DHS to better evaluate whether these nonimmigrants are maintaining status while temporarily in the United States." The agency framed the overhaul as a compliance measure. It is also a paperwork shift.
A fixed clock now governs student stays
| Provision | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Admission length | Duration of Status | Up to four years, or the program length if shorter |
| Extension process | School-based status updates | Form I-539, a fee, and biometrics |
| Grace period | 60 days | 30 days |
| Vetting | Standard screening | Enhanced social media screening and background checks |
Students who need more than four years now face a formal extension process with USCIS. That includes a fee and biometrics. It is no longer a quiet university-level update.
PhD candidates and medical students are among those most likely to feel it first. Their status changes will run through federal paperwork mid-course. Universities used to handle those updates inside SEVIS.
OPT is now the next target
The Center for Immigration Studies analyzed the visa drop and then turned to post-study work. George Fishman called OPT a "de facto guest worker pipeline" and urged its total elimination. He said the program bypasses congressional caps and disadvantages American graduates.
Indian nationals are the largest group of OPT participants, at about 143,740 in the 2024-25 cycle. That gives the debate scale. It also gives it urgency.
Joseph Edlow, the USCIS director nominee, backed a tighter work window for F-1 students.
"remove the ability for employment authorizations for F-1 students beyond the time that they are in school"
He tied that position to the interests of American workers. Reports in August 2026 also say the administration is considering a $100,000 fee for OPT participation. DHS has posted quick facts on its Study in the States portal ahead of the rule's rollout.
