US Universities Urge International Students to Return Before Sept 15 Visa Rule

American universities are urging international students to return to the United States before September 15, when new federal immigration rules imposing fixed-term visa limits take effect. The guidance, issued by institutions including Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago, aims to ensure students are physically present in the country before the Department of Homeland Security rule changes their visa status upon reentry. The new rule replaces the existing "duration of status" system with fixed admission periods for F1, J1, and I visa holders. Under the previous system, international students could generally remain in the U.S. as long as they maintained their academic status.