Last month, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced its intention to make significant changes to the admission period in the F, J, and I classifications of US visas, severely limiting international students’ duration of stay in the United States. The final rule, subject to congressional review, was published in the Federal Register, revealing that it would take effect on September 15, 2026.

In light of the big changes coming next month, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a new set of instructions pertaining to two forms crucial to foreign students’ time in the country.

USCIS to release new immigration forms as students brace for EOS rules

On Friday (US time), the federal agency confirmed that it will publish revised versions of Form I-539, aka ‘Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status,’ and Form I-765, aka ‘Application For Employment Authorisation,’ on September 15 as soon as the policy overhaul takes effect. Starting then, older editions of these forms will be rejected.

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Revisions will be made to these important forms in line with DHS’ plans to establish a fixed time period of admission and an extension of stay (EOS) procedure for international students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign information media coming to the US on visas.

Sharing previews of the new versions of the forms, USCIS affirmed that it will accept the older edition (08/28/24) of Form I-539 if it’s postmarked or electronically submitted before September 15, 2026.

Conversely, if the form’s older edition is postmarked or electronically submitted on or after September 15. Meanwhile, USCIS will accept only the 09/15/26 edition of the ‘Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status’ form if it is postmarked or electronically submitted on or after September 15, 2026.

A similar pattern will be followed when submitting Form I-765. The older edition (8/21/25) of ‘Application For Employment Authorisation’ will only be accepted if it’s postmarked or electronically submitted before September 15, 2026. On the other hand, just the new version dated 9/15/26/ of the form will be accepted if it’s postmarked or electronically submitted after September 15, 2026.

What do the new EOS rules for international students entail?

Under the originally applicable rules, students on F visas were admitted into the US for an unspecified period of time so they could pursue a full course of study at a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified school or even participate in practical training after completing their studies. This open-ended period of time was referred to as “duration of status” (D/S).

On the contrary, the new final rule will limit F students’ admission to the US to a fixed period of time instead of duration of status. Although based on the length of a student’s program of study mentioned on their Form I-20, ‘Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,’ this period will no longer exceed four years, plus 30 days for arrival and an additional 30-day period for departure.

If students need more time in the US, they must now apply for an extension of stay (EOS) with USCIS. Only then can students extend their stay in the US to complete their program of study, begin a new program, or engage in optional practical training (OPT) or science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) OPT following their program’s completion.

The new clause additions regarding the fixed period of admission and extension of stay for F students are among a series of policy changes the Trump administration has introduced since the Republican leader’s return to office last year.

It all primarily started small, with the US State Department expanding the screening and vetting process for visa applicants, particularly the F, M and J non-immigrant classifications, in June 2025. Eventually, the ‘specialty occupations’ H-1B work visa category was also roped in last year, with more additions following this year.

The basic argument used by the Trump administration to fuel such transformations has long been “national security” concerns, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterating, “US visa is a privilege, not a right.”

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available immigration guidance. Rules and deadlines are subject to change; readers should verify current requirements directly with USCIS or consult a qualified immigration attorney before making decisions based on this information. Financial Express is not responsible for any decisions made based on this information.