Duration of Status Final Rule

The new Department of Homeland Security rule ends the use of “Duration of Status,” commonly shown as “D/S,” for F and J nonimmigrants. Instead, students and exchange visitors admitted or readmitted to the United States on or after the effective date will receive a specific “Admit Until Date” on their Form I-94.

For F-1 students, the admission period will generally be based on the program end date listed on the Form I-20, but it cannot exceed four years at a time. The admission period also includes a 30-day grace period. A student who needs additional time may have to apply to USCIS for an extension of stay or depart and request a new period of admission upon returning to the United States. DHS final-rule overview

The rule is scheduled to take effect Sep 15, 2026

Yes. Although this is a final rule, the effective date could be delayed or otherwise affected by additional federal action, congressional action, or litigation. At this time, however, students should plan for the rule to take effect on September 15, 2026. International Services will provide updates if the federal government changes the effective date or implementation requirements.

Yes, but special transition provisions apply to students who are already in the United States and whose current Form I-94 shows “D/S” on September 15, 2026.

These students will not be required to obtain a new I-94 or immediately file an extension simply because the rule takes effect. However, the new rule establishes limits on how long they may remain under their existing D/S admission. Their individual deadline may depend on the program end date on the Form I-20 in effect on September 15, 2026, any authorized OPT period, and the rule’s maximum transition period.

Students who leave the United States and return on or after September 15, 2026, should expect CBP to issue a new I-94 containing a specific Admit Until Date rather than “D/S.”

Review the “Admit Until Date” field on your most recent Form I-94.

• If the field says D/S, you were admitted for Duration of Status.
• If the field contains a date, that is your current Admit Until Date.

You should also confirm that the class of admission shown on your I-94 is correct, such as F-1 for a student or F-2 for a dependent.

You can retrieve your electronic I-94 from the official CBP I-94 website by selecting Get Most Recent I-94. Save a copy for your records each time you enter the United States. CBP I-94 information

No. The visa in your passport allows you to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request admission. Its expiration date does not determine how long you may remain in the United States after you have been admitted.

Your authorized stay is governed by your Form I-94 and the immigration requirements associated with your status. A visa may expire while you are lawfully inside the United States, although you generally need a valid visa to return after international travel. U.S. Department of State explanation

Not necessarily. The Form I-20 identifies your academic program and its expected start and end dates. The Form I-94 is the official record of your admission and authorized period of stay in the United States.

Under the new rule, the I-20 program end date will help determine the date issued on the I-94, but the two dates may not be identical. For example, the I-94 may include the applicable grace period, may be limited to a maximum four-year admission period, or may reflect a later extension approved by USCIS.

Most current students do not need to file an application immediately simply because the rule has been published.

Students should:

• Retrieve and save their most recent I-94.
• Confirm whether the I-94 shows “D/S” or a specific date.
• Review the program end date on their current Form I-20.
• Continue maintaining full-time enrollment and all other F-1 requirements.
• Read messages from International Services carefully.
• Contact International Services before international travel, changing programs or degree levels, transferring schools, extending an academic program, or applying for OPT.

Do not file Form I-539 solely because of this rule unless International Services or qualified immigration counsel advises you that an extension is required.

International Services will provide instructions and contact students when university records indicate that action may be required. Because travel, changes of status, USCIS applications, and other personal circumstances may not always appear in university records, students remain responsible for monitoring their own I-94 and maintaining lawful status.

Students should regularly check their Southeastern email and contact International Services if their I-94 contains an unexpected date or incorrect information.

No. The rule does not automatically cancel, terminate, or rewrite your current Form I-20. The program end date printed on the I-20 remains important.

However, an I-20 is not, by itself, permission to remain in the United States. Under the new system, students must also monitor the authorized-stay information associated with their I-94 and any applicable transition deadline. If additional time is needed to complete a program or participate in authorized practical training, an updated I-20 may be only one part of the process; a separate extension-of-stay application to USCIS may also be required.

You are covered by the transition provisions only if all of the following are true on September 15, 2026:

• You are physically present in the United States.
• You were admitted in F or J status for “D/S.”
• You are properly maintaining your F or J status.
• You have a valid Form I-20 or DS-2019, are in an authorized practical-training period, or have a qualifying application pending as described in the rule.

Entering before September 15, 2026, by itself is not enough. Your location and immigration status on the effective date are what matter. DHS final rule and transition provisions

The transition provisions may protect your stay while you remain inside the United States, but international travel ends that protection. If you leave and reenter on or after September 15, 2026, CBP will apply the new rules and should issue you an I-94 with a specific Admit Until Date.

That date will generally be based on your current Form I-20 or DS-2019, subject to the four-year maximum admission period, plus the new 30-day departure period. Students should consult International Services before traveling.

For an F-1 student covered by the transition provisions, the later of these dates generally controls:

• The program end date on the valid Form I-20; or
• The expiration date on the student’s Employment Authorization Document.

However, the transition period cannot extend beyond the rule’s overall four-year limit. After an authorized post-completion OPT or STEM OPT period, a transition student generally retains the existing 60-day departure period.

Students should not rely on the I-20 program end date alone when they have an approved OPT or STEM OPT EAD.

If your program or OPT has ended but you are still within your authorized 60-day F-1 grace period on September 15, 2026, you may use the remainder of that original 60-day period. The new rule does not restart or extend it.

For example, if 40 days of your grace period have passed by September 15, you would generally have only the remaining 20 days. You may not work or continue studying during the grace period unless separately authorized.

If you need to remain beyond the grace period, contact International Services immediately. You may need to timely file an appropriate application with USCIS before your authorized period ends.

If USCIS approved the change to F-1 before September 15, 2026, the approval notice would generally include an I-94 showing D/S under the rules in effect at the time of approval.

If you remain inside the United States and properly maintain F-1 status on September 15, you may qualify for the transition provisions. After international travel, however, CBP will apply the new fixed-period rules when deciding whether and for how long to readmit you.

Always review the I-94 attached to your USCIS approval notice; it may be more recent than the I-94 issued at your last entry.

Yes. F-2 spouses and children are subject to the fixed-period rules and transition provisions. An F-2 dependent’s authorized stay is generally tied to the F-1 principal’s authorized period, but the dependent must also independently maintain F-2 status.

Each family member should retrieve and review their own I-94. Do not assume that every family member received the same Admit Until Date.

• Does my spouse or child need to file a separate extension?
• Does the rule affect J-1 students and scholars differently?
• Does the rule apply to permanent residents, H-1B employees, or undocumented students?

The Admit Until Date, or AUD, is the date shown in the “Admit Until Date” field on your Form I-94. It is the last date of the period for which DHS admitted you to the United States.

Under the new rule, the F-1 Admit Until Date will generally include the student’s academic or training period and the applicable 30-day departure period. You must depart, obtain an approved extension, or otherwise take timely action to maintain lawful status before your authorized stay ends.

“D/S” means Duration of Status. Under the previous system, most F-1 students were admitted without a specific I-94 expiration date. They could generally remain while properly pursuing their authorized program or practical training, followed by the applicable departure period.

Beginning September 15, 2026, most F and J nonimmigrants admitted or readmitted to the United States will receive a specific Admit Until Date instead of D/S. Certain people already inside the United States may temporarily retain D/S under the transition provisions.

The I-94 is the primary record of your authorized admission, but it does not permit you to disregard the other requirements of F-1 status. Your authorized activities can end before the I-94 date if, for example, you graduate early, stop attending classes, exceed OPT unemployment limits or otherwise violate your status.

The safest approach is to treat the earliest applicable deadline or status-ending event as controlling and ask International Services when the dates do not match.

Your visa and I-94 serve different purposes. The visa’s expiration date determines how long you may use it to travel to a U.S. port of entry. CBP determines your period of admission and records it on your I-94.

Your visa can expire while you are lawfully inside the United States. Likewise, having an unexpired visa does not allow you to remain after your authorized stay ends. Department of State visa-expiration explanation

No. Extending the program end date in SEVIS and issuing a new I-20 will not automatically extend or replace a fixed-date I-94.

The updated I-20 supports your request for more time, but you must generally either:

• Timely apply to USCIS for an extension of stay; or
• Depart the United States and request a new period of admission when returning.

An updated I-20 alone will not authorize you to remain beyond your I-94 deadline.

It may. CBP determines the admission period at the port of entry, and passport validity can affect that decision. Most travelers are expected to have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the anticipated period of stay, although citizens of certain countries are exempt from the additional six-month requirement.

Renew your passport before traveling whenever possible. If CBP limits your I-94 to your passport expiration date, renewing the passport afterward will not automatically update the I-94.

Your status-related deadline will be based on your actual completion date, not the later date originally printed on your I-20 or I-94. Under the new rule, you and your F-2 dependents must generally depart or otherwise take action to maintain lawful status within 30 days after early completion.

A later I-94 date does not allow you to remain inactive until that date after completing your program early.

If your current authorized stay does not cover the additional semester, you must:

1. Request a program-extension recommendation from International Services before your current I-20 program end date.
2. Provide academic and financial documentation supporting the request.
3. Receive an updated, properly endorsed Form I-20 with the recommended new program end date.
4. Timely file Form I-539 with USCIS, including the new I-20, supporting documents, fee and any required biometrics.

The additional semester is not authorized merely because you register for classes or your academic department changes your expected graduation date.

Generally, no. Under the fixed-period rule, a new I-20 is the DSO’s recommendation and an essential part of the application, but it does not change a fixed Admit Until Date on your I-94.

To remain beyond your authorized period, you must generally either:

• Obtain the new I-20 and timely file Form I-539 with USCIS; or
• Depart the United States and request a new period of admission when returning.

Different procedures may apply to students covered by the D/S transition provisions whose existing authorized period already covers the additional semester.

Yes, if you need to remain beyond your current authorized period of stay. After Southeastern recommends the extension and issues an updated I-20, you must apply to USCIS for an extension of stay using Form I-539.

Updating SEVIS is no longer the final approval. It is the first step in the federal extension process. DHS final rule

Request the I-20 extension first. You need the updated, DSO-endorsed I-20 to file a complete Form I-539 application.

The sequence is:

1. Obtain academic and financial documentation.
2. Request the extension from International Services.
3. Receive the updated I-20.
4. File Form I-539 with USCIS before the applicable deadline.

Do not file the I-539 first with the intention of obtaining the I-20 later unless specifically instructed by USCIS or qualified immigration counsel.

Contact International Services as soon as you know you will not finish on time—preferably at least 90 days before your I-20 program end date. USCIS generally recommends filing Form I-539 at least 45 days before the authorized stay expires or as soon as the need becomes known. USCIS Form I-539 guidance

Waiting until the final weeks is risky because you need time to obtain departmental documentation, financial evidence, the updated I-20 and a USCIS receipt.

USCIS must receive a properly filed Form I-539 no later than the expiration of your authorized period of stay shown on your I-94. Under the new system, this generally includes the 30-day period reflected in the I-94.

However, you must request the I-20 extension from International Services before your current I-20 program end date. Do not treat the 30-day departure period as an extra month to begin the entire extension process.

The USCIS receipt date—not the date you mail the application—determines whether it was timely filed.

Yes, the rule permits USCIS to receive an extension application during the 30-day period. However, this is a dangerous last-minute option:

• International Services should already have recommended the extension and issued the new I-20 before the original I-20 program end date.
• You may continue a full course of study while the timely filed application is pending.
• You may not continue or begin employment or practical training while the application is pending if it was filed during the 30-day departure period.

A late request to International Services after the I-20 end date may require reinstatement rather than a standard extension.

Yes. If USCIS timely receives a properly filed extension-of-stay application, you may remain in the United States and continue pursuing a full course of study while USCIS decides the case.

Continuing classes does not guarantee that USCIS will approve the extension.

Generally, yes, subject to Southeastern’s normal registration requirements and any applicable holds. A pending I-539 does not itself prohibit registration or continued full-time study.

You must provide International Services with the USCIS receipt notice. Registration by the University does not constitute immigration approval and does not guarantee USCIS will approve the extension.

USCIS may approve additional time when the delay is supported by:

• A compelling academic reason;
• A documented illness or medical condition; or
• Exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control.

Examples of compelling academic circumstances may include an appropriate change in major, a change in research topic, an unexpected change in faculty adviser, research-funding delays or unexpected research problems requiring additional work.

You must also have continually maintained lawful status, be pursuing a full course of study and have no unauthorized employment.

Not by itself. A single failed or repeated class does not automatically disqualify you, but merely needing more time because of poor grades is unlikely to establish a qualifying reason.

DHS specifically states that delays caused by academic probation, suspension or a pattern showing repeated inability or unwillingness to complete the program are generally unacceptable. USCIS will examine the full academic history and the documented cause of the delay.

A student in this situation should speak with International Services early. “I did not pass enough classes” is no longer the fairly routine extension explanation it once was.

International Services may require a letter or approved form from your academic adviser, graduate coordinator, department chair or dean confirming:

• Your degree and major;
• Your academic standing;
• Your original and revised expected completion dates;
• The remaining courses, research, thesis or dissertation requirements;
• Why the program could not be completed by the original date;
• Whether the delay resulted from a change in major, research problem, medical circumstance or event outside your control;
• Confirmation that you are expected to complete the program by the requested date; and
• Your expected enrollment during the additional period.

Vague statements such as “the student needs another semester” may not be sufficient for USCIS.

You must demonstrate sufficient funding for tuition, fees, living expenses and any F-2 dependents during the requested extension period. Acceptable evidence may include:

• Recent bank statements;
• Assistantship or employment-funding letters;
• Scholarship or sponsorship letters;
• Government or institutional funding documentation; or
• A sponsor’s financial statement and supporting bank evidence.

Documents should be recent, clearly identify the account owner and currency, and show funds that are actually available. Documents not in English should include a certified English translation.

If USCIS denies the extension after your prior authorized period has expired, you and your F-2 dependents must generally depart the United States immediately. The rule does not provide an additional grace period following the denial.

You must also stop all study and employment not otherwise authorized. Unlawful presence may generally begin the day after the denial. Contact International Services and qualified immigration counsel immediately if your application is denied.

Generally, yes. If you fail to request the program extension before your I-20 end date and International Services must enter the new date afterward, you will ordinarily need to file for reinstatement of F-1 status.

Depending on the timing, you may need separate Form I-539 submissions for:

• Reinstatement; and
• Extension of stay.

Each request may require its own filing fee. If reinstatement is denied, the related extension request will also generally be denied. Missing the deadline is therefore not just a late form—it can create two USCIS cases instead of one.

Probably not, provided all of the following apply:

• You were admitted for D/S.
• You are physically present in the United States and maintaining F-1 status on September 15, 2026.
• You do not leave and reenter the United States before filing for OPT.
• USCIS timely receives your post-completion OPT Form I-765 on or before March 18, 2027.

The final rule provides a temporary exemption allowing qualifying transition students who file for post-completion OPT by March 18, 2027, to file only Form I-765. If approved, the student is authorized to remain through the EAD expiration date plus 60 days.

Yes. If you leave before filing for OPT and reenter on or after September 15, 2026, CBP will admit you under the new fixed-period rules.

You would then need both:

• Form I-765 for employment authorization; and
• Form I-539 for the OPT extension of stay, unless CBP admits you for the full recommended OPT period based on an already pending or approved OPT application.

Travel before filing OPT is therefore particularly risky for a December 2026 graduate.

Not automatically. If you qualified for the transition exemption and filed the I-765 before traveling, the filing remains valid. When you return, however, CBP will convert you to a fixed admission period.

If the I-765 is pending, CBP may admit you through the DSO-recommended OPT end date shown on the I-20, plus 30 days. If approved, CBP may admit you through the EAD end date plus 30 days.

Your new I-94 will control. Review it immediately after reentry to determine whether any additional extension is needed.

For a qualifying transition student who timely files Form I-765 on or before March 18, 2027, yes. Approval authorizes F-1 stay through the EAD expiration date plus 60 days without a separate I-539.

Outside that temporary exemption, OPT approval alone does not replace the extension-of-stay requirement. A student under the new rules generally needs:

• An approved I-765 for employment authorization; and
• An approved I-539 or a new CBP admission covering the OPT period.

A post-completion OPT application may generally be filed:

• Up to 90 days before program completion; and
• No later than the applicable post-completion filing deadline.

You must first receive the DSO’s OPT recommendation and OPT-endorsed I-20. USCIS must receive the I-765 within the period specified in the current Form I-765 instructions after the DSO enters the recommendation in SEVIS.

It depends on which rules cover you:

• Qualifying D/S transition students filing by March 18, 2027: The rule expressly permits the I-765 to be filed during the existing 60-day departure period.
• Students admitted under the new fixed-period system: The filing deadline is 30 days after program completion.

Waiting until either deadline is a terrible plan. Students should apply before graduation whenever possible.

Under the new fixed-period rule, the requested OPT start date generally cannot be more than 30 days after the program end date.

The rule clearly preserves a 60-day filing and departure period for qualifying transition applicants through March 18, 2027, but the interaction between that exemption and the newly shortened OPT start-date window needs additional SEVP/USCIS implementation guidance. Until DHS clarifies otherwise, students should plan to request an OPT start date no later than 30 days after completion.

If both forms are required, DHS recommends filing them concurrently. They remain separate applications with separate fees, but USCIS has stated that related cases will be identified and adjudicated together.

Do not wait for one approval before submitting the other if doing so could cause you to miss an OPT or extension deadline.

Transition students who qualify for the through-March-18 exemption file only the I-765.

Form I-765 may be filed online for eligible OPT categories. Online Form I-539 availability is more limited and may depend on whether the student already has a pending I-765 and whether dependents are included. USCIS online forms

Because the forms must be connected for adjudication, students should follow the current USCIS and International Services filing instructions. A paper filing may be necessary for a true concurrent submission or when including F-2 dependents.

Generally, no. When an I-539 is required, DHS states that the student may not begin post-completion OPT until both the extension of stay and employment authorization are approved.

The temporary transition exemption is different because no I-539 is required.

No. The I-539 authorizes the period of stay; it does not authorize OPT employment.

You may begin OPT only after USCIS approves the I-765, you receive the EAD, and the EAD start date has arrived.

The EAD controls employment authorization. The I-94 or I-539 approval notice controls the authorized period of stay.

You may not:

• Work after the EAD expires; or
• Remain beyond the authorized stay unless another provision or timely filed application protects you.

The approvals should generally align through the EAD period plus the applicable departure period. Report any unexplained mismatch to International Services and USCIS immediately. Use the earlier restriction unless the record is corrected.

If you are required to file an I-539 for OPT, each F-2 dependent who will remain with you must be included through Form I-539A or file a separate extension.

For qualifying transition students using the temporary OPT exemption, the principal does not file an I-539. F-2 dependents should generally remain covered through the principal’s transition OPT period, but each dependent must maintain F-2 status and should obtain individualized advice if their I-94 or travel history differs from the principal’s.

The dependent may generally remain in a period of authorized stay while a timely filed I-539 remains pending. The dependent cannot work unless separately authorized and must continue complying with F-2 requirements.

Approval of the principal’s OPT does not guarantee approval of the dependent’s application.

Before the authorized period ends, you must take appropriate action to:

• Depart the United States;
• Begin an eligible higher educational level;
• Apply for STEM OPT, if eligible;
• Change to another immigration status; or
• Obtain another authorized basis to remain.

Employment must stop when the EAD expires unless a specific automatic-extension provision applies.

A student who remained covered by the D/S transition provisions retains the legacy 60-day post-OPT period.

This includes qualifying students whose OPT I-765 is approved under the temporary exemption through March 18, 2027.

Generally, yes. STEM OPT is a new period of requested practical training. Under the fixed-period system, the student normally must file:

• Form I-765 for the STEM OPT employment authorization; and
• Form I-539 for the extension of stay.

The forms should be filed concurrently. A student may instead travel and seek a new admission covering the STEM period, but that carries separate visa and admission risks.

Yes, if you qualify for the transition provisions and USCIS timely receives your STEM OPT I-765:

• On or before March 18, 2027; and
• Before your current post-completion OPT EAD expires.

If approved, your F-1 stay extends through the STEM EAD expiration date plus 60 days. DHS may extend this temporary exemption in six-month increments, but no extension should be assumed unless officially announced.

Yes. The final rule preserves the existing automatic extension of post-completion OPT employment authorization for up to 180 days when a qualifying STEM OPT I-765 is timely filed before the current EAD expires.

Yes, if you qualify for the existing 180-day STEM OPT automatic EAD extension and timely filed both required applications.

The pending I-539 places you in a period of authorized stay, while the STEM provision extends employment authorization for up to 180 days. Employment must stop if:

• The 180-day period ends;
• USCIS denies the STEM I-765;
• USCIS denies the I-539; or
• You otherwise lose eligibility.

If you are a transition student moving to a new program, you generally must obtain a new I-20 and file an I-539 to move to a fixed period of admission.

For students already admitted with a fixed date, an I-539 is required if the master’s program cannot be completed within the current authorized admission period.

The rule also permits departure and reentry to request a new fixed admission period instead of filing with USCIS.

Generally, yes. A student who timely files a proper extension request may remain in a period of authorized stay and pursue a full course of study while USCIS considers the application.

If the I-539 was filed during the post-completion departure period, the student may study but may not work until the extension is approved.

Yes. Moving from a master’s to a doctoral program is movement to a higher educational level and is permitted if the student otherwise maintains F-1 status.

You will need a new doctoral I-20 and, when the doctoral program extends beyond your current authorized stay, a timely I-539 or new admission following travel.

Generally, no, if you complete your current program on or after September 15, 2026. The rule prohibits maintaining, receiving or being admitted in F-1 status for another program at the same or a lower educational level after completing a U.S. F-1 program.

This is a major restriction. Admission to an academic program does not override it.

Generally, no. After completing a program on or after September 15, 2026, an F-1 student cannot continue in F-1 status for a program at a lower educational level.

A student who completes a master’s degree could not ordinarily move to a bachelor’s, associate or second master’s program in F-1 status.

No. DHS states that the same-or-lower-level prohibition applies prospectively to programs completed after September 15, 2026.

A student who completed a degree before the effective date is not barred from a same-level program solely because of that earlier completion. Any program completed after the effective date will trigger the new restriction.

A change of major is treated as a change in “educational objective,” although it may not involve completing one degree and starting another. Separate restrictions apply:

• Below the graduate level, a student generally cannot change majors during the first academic year without an SEVP-authorized exception.
• At the graduate level or above, a student generally cannot change educational objectives during the program.

Changing a major also does not automatically extend the student’s authorized stay. If more time is needed, an I-539 may be required.

The student becomes out of status, and the SEVIS record must be terminated. If the previous authorized period has expired, the student and F-2 dependents must immediately stop unauthorized activities and depart.

There is no additional grace period following the denial. This is one of the nastiest practical risks in the new system: the rule permits study while the application is pending, but a later denial can retroactively blow up the student’s plans.

No. Approval for the new academic program covers the approved period of study. It does not automatically authorize post-completion OPT or extend the stay through a future OPT period.

When the student later applies for OPT, a new I-539 and I-765 will generally be required unless another exemption applies.

Yes. F-2 dependents who will remain in the United States during the additional period must be included through Form I-539A or file their own timely I-539 applications.

Their extensions cannot exceed the F-1 principal’s authorized period.

Yes, but travel is no longer merely a routine signature check. Every reentry creates a new admission decision and a new fixed Admit Until Date.

You will need the usual required documents, including a valid passport, valid F-1 visa when required, travel-endorsed I-20 and evidence of your current academic or OPT activity.

Yes. A student who reenters on or after September 15, 2026, should receive an I-94 with a specific Admit Until Date rather than D/S.

Yes. The transition protection applies while you remain inside the United States under your earlier D/S admission. Reentry subjects you to the new fixed-period system.

This does not necessarily mean you lose OPT or your program. It means your authorized stay will now be governed by the new I-94 issued at reentry.

Not always.

USCIS will generally not treat a pending F, J or I extension as abandoned if:

• You leave while it is pending;
• Your previous admission period remains unexpired; and
• You return seeking only the remaining balance of that existing period.

USCIS may treat the extension as abandoned if you return using an I-20 with a program end date beyond the period previously authorized. In that situation, CBP’s new admission may replace the requested USCIS extension. A related I-765 is not automatically abandoned.

Carry:

• Valid passport;
• Valid F-1 visa, unless a specific exception applies;
• Current travel-endorsed I-20;
• I-797C receipt notice for every pending I-539 and I-765;
• EAD, if issued;
• Proof of enrollment or employment;
• Financial documentation;
• Copy of the application package, when practical; and
• International Services contact information.

Admission is never guaranteed.

Yes. The final rule specifically advises travelers with pending I-539 or I-765 applications to carry the I-797C receipt notices along with the I-20 showing the requested program or training period.

An I-94 controls your admission while inside the United States; it does not authorize your presence abroad. To return, you must request a new admission from CBP.

If you have a pending I-539 seeking time beyond the expired I-94, departure and a new admission may make the pending extension unnecessary or cause USCIS to treat it as abandoned. Do not attempt return travel without individualized advice.

Contact International Services immediately and request correction through CBP Deferred Inspection when appropriate. Save your passport, visa, I-20, admission stamp, I-94, boarding pass, EAD and USCIS receipt or approval notices.

A new I-20 does not correct an erroneous I-94.

The final rule does not eliminate automatic visa revalidation. Eligible F-1 students may still qualify after travel of 30 days or less to Canada, Mexico or, for F and J classifications, certain adjacent islands.

Automatic revalidation has strict exclusions. It generally does not apply if you:

• Apply for a new visa during the trip;
• Are denied a visa;
• Travel outside the permitted territory;
• Remain outside the United States for more than 30 days; or
• Are a national of a country excluded under the applicable rules.

Even when automatic revalidation applies to the visa, CBP will still make a new admission decision and issue a fixed I-94. Department of State AVR guidance

My strong recommendation is yes unless the trip has been reviewed in advance. A cruise may involve a departure from the United States, inspection upon return, travel to multiple countries and issues with automatic visa revalidation.

Neither option is automatically faster or safer.

• I-539: Allows the student to remain while a timely application is pending, but involves fees, processing delays and denial risk.
• Travel and reentry: May produce a new period of admission immediately, but requires international travel, appropriate visa documentation and a discretionary CBP inspection. Admission is not guaranteed.

Travel should not be used as a casual shortcut around the I-539 process. The better option depends on visa validity, travel history, timing, pending applications and the student’s tolerance for being stuck outside the country. DHS final rule