INDIA PERSPECTIVE

New Delhi, July 17, 2026. India's government is closely watching the US Department of Homeland Security's decision to end the "duration of status" rule, which is widely covered in the Indian press, given that India has one of the largest contingents of foreign students in the United States. The Free Press Journal reports that the new regulation, announced on Thursday, replaces a nearly 50-year-old system with fixed-term stays for F, J, and I visa holders, capped at four years, with mandatory federal reviews for any extensions. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin is quoted justifying the measure, saying the previous system had "compromised national security and created an environment conducive to immigration fraud" by allowing some individuals to stay indefinitely by continuously enrolling in courses.

The Times of India highlights the concrete consequences for students already in the United States. Immigration attorney Emily Neumann, cited by the newspaper, warns that "the biggest risk is booking a return flight": any departure from the US after the rule takes effect, expected around September 15, 2026, will result in readmission with a new I-94 document with a fixed date and a reduced departure window of 60 to 30 days at the end of their stay. However, students already in compliance at the effective date would not be required to file an urgent application, remaining protected until the end of their program, up to four years, or in case of a status violation.

The measure adds to other US migration restrictions mentioned in the same headlines, such as the elimination of the 2022 "public charge" rule conditioning the issuance of a green card. The Indian press links this tightening to a trend already observed in study financing: according to a Crisil study cited by the Deccan Chronicle, the share of Indian student loans destined for the US has fallen from 54% to 43% in one year, in favor of the UK, Ireland, and Germany, which are seen as offering more stable visa regimes.