- Harvard International Office urged J-1 scholars and F-1 and J-1 students in on-campus programmes to be in the US by Sept. 15
- A new Department of Homeland Security rule imposes four-year limits on student visa status, with different consequences for those already in the country
- A coalition of universities and labour unions filed a lawsuit seeking to block the rule, with Harvard connected to two of the plaintiff organisations
Harvard’s International Office has advised all international students and scholars enrolled in on-campus programmes this autumn to ensure they are physically present in the United States before September 15, 2026, when a new federal rule on student visa status is scheduled to take effect.
The rule, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, introduces four-year caps on student visa status and tightens several other conditions governing how international students may remain in the country.
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The key factor driving Harvard’s advice is how the rule treats those already in the US versus those who arrive after it kicks in.
Why September 15 Is Critical
Students and scholars who are inside the US when the rule takes effect will be allowed to stay without filing for an extension until either their programme end date or the expiry of any post-completion work authorisation, up to a maximum of four years.
However, anyone who leaves and re-enters the country after September 15 will immediately fall under the new framework upon return.
The rule also shortens the grace period for F-1 visa holders from 60 days to 30 days, while J-1 visa holders retain their existing 30-day grace period only if they are already in the country on the effective date. Students re-entering after September 15 may also find that the “Admit Until Date” on their I-94 entry form changes to reflect only their programme end date, which could complicate future applications for extended status.
Under the new system, staying beyond the authorised admission period will require a separate application to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, replacing the current arrangement in which students can extend their stays through their universities.
Harvard’s International Office acknowledged that significant uncertainty remains around how the rule will operate in practice.
“We are fielding many questions, and over the last several weeks have continued to gather more information through our work with national higher education associations, but it is possible we may not have clarity around some of those questions by the effective date of September 15, 2026,” the office wrote in its guidance.
Legal Challenge Under Way
A coalition of higher education groups and labour unions filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to block the rule before it takes effect. The plaintiffs also asked a federal judge for a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt the rule while the case proceeds, though no such order has been granted.
Harvard is a member of two of the plaintiff organisations: the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued the rule is “arbitrary and capricious,” saying DHS failed to justify a complete overhaul of the existing system despite more than 20,000 public comments submitted in opposition when the rule was first proposed in August 2025.
“DHS has failed to identify any concrete, systemic problem with the existing duration of status system that would justify a complete regulatory overhaul affecting more than two million nonimmigrants annually,” the 81-page complaint read.
A DHS spokesperson defended the rule, saying it was necessary to curb abuse of the student visa system, and dismissed criticism as “performative outrage.”
Harvard President Alan Garber had previously called the four-year limit “odd” and warned it could discourage international students from pursuing doctoral programmes in the United States.
US seeks to strip Nigerian fraud convict of citizenship
In a previously published report, United States authorities have moved to revoke the citizenship of a Nigerian national convicted for his role in a sprawling identity theft and tax fraud operation that targeted hundreds of thousands of victims and sought tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent refunds.
The United States Department of Justice disclosed that it filed a civil complaint seeking to strip Emmanuel Oluwatosin Kazeem of his American citizenship.
Prosecutors alleged that the status was obtained through deception and deliberate concealment of criminal conduct. The complaint was lodged on Wednesday at the US District Court in Baltimore, Maryland.
Source: Legit.ng