USACourt decision
International students in the US get a reprieve: court pauses the rule limiting how long they can stay
Covers the week of 14 September 2026 · published 24 September 2026
Updated 11 October 2026.
This article covers the week shown above. Rules may have changed since then, so check the linked source below before applying, paying or relying on a deadline.
On 14 September 2026 the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that postponed the effective date of the Homeland Security rule replacing "duration of status" with fixed periods of admission for F students, J exchange visitors and I media visa holders. The rule had been set to start on 15 September 2026 and did not start. This is a court decision only; the government may appeal, and students should keep following the guidance the agency publishes.
This is a court decision, not a change to the rules. It may be appealed, and the authority may not have changed what it publishes. Nothing to act on yet.
Reported in the news. The US government hasn’t published it yet, so check the linked report before you rely on it.
Reported by washingtonpost.com: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/09/14/judge-blocks-dhs-rule-limiting-foreign-students-four-year-stays/
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