Duration of Status (D/S) final rule: Overview and FAQs
An overview, an FAQ for F-1 Students, and an FAQ for J-1 students and scholars regarding the new DHS rule eliminating Duration of Status are now available on the International Center website.
Government News
U.S. Department of State Realigns Visa Operations In Africa
Effective August 1, 2026, the Department of State will transfer routine visa services from Antananarivo, Abuja, Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou, and Windhoek to regional visa hubs.
Duration of Status (D/S) final rule published on Friday, July 17, 2026
Please note that this rule did not take effect on September 15, 2026, as previously scheduled, due to a preliminary injunction by a federal district judge.
Movement on the Duration of Status (D/S) Final Rule
The Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has completed its review of the proposed rule on Duration of Status. The rule is now designated as “consistent with change”, meaning that some changes were made during the review. We do not know yet what those changes entail nor how they will impact international students and scholars.
$100,000 H-1B Fee Invalidated
June 8, 2026: A federal judge blocked the $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications imposed by the Trump administration, determining that the administration exceeded its authority, and that the fee usurped Congress’s power to set immigration policy and taxes.
District Court Sets Aside USCIS Adjudication Pause
On June 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ruled that USCIS’s Benefits Hold Policy, the Global Asylum Hold Policy, the Comprehensive Re-Review Policy, and the Country-Specific Factors Policy are unlawful, discriminatory, and beyond USCIS’s authority.
USCIS announces it will grant Adjustment of Status only in extraordinary circumstances
On 5/22/2026 USCIS announced a new Policy Memorandum related to the final step of the green card application process.
Public Health Travel Restrictions to Prevent the Introduction of Ebola Disease into the United States
On May 18, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced targeted travel restrictions “to protect the health of the United States from the serious risk posed by the introduction of Ebola disease into the United States by covered aliens based on the emergent outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain confirmed present in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.” The travel restrictions apply for a period of 30
ATTN OPT/STEM OPT Applicants: USCIS Implementing New Photo Submission and Reuse Policy
The International Center has received reports from students that USCIS has begun implementing a new photo policy.
Temporary Pause on Immigrant Visas Vacated by Federal Judge
On Friday, August 21, a federal judge struck down the immigrant visa processing pause that was originally announced on January 14, 2026. The stated purpose of the pause was to allow the agency to reassess procedures for determining whether applicants are likely to become financially dependent on the U.S. government.