Washington: An Indian diaspora policy group has cautioned that a new four-year cap on F-1 and J-1 visas may force foreign students to leave the country in the middle of their degrees or research. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and elected officials were urged by the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) to halt the Department of Homeland Security rule’s immediate implementation. The measure was finalized on July 16–17 and is scheduled to go into effect in mid-September, according to FIIDS.
According to the organization, the rule imposes a maximum stay of four years and ends the decades-old “duration of status” policy. STEM OPT and optional practical training are also included in that cap. According to FIIDS, the rule compels students to acquire USCIS clearance through Form I-539 for any extension and reduces the grace period after finishing their studies from 60 days to 30 days.”This is a self-inflicted wound on US competitiveness,” stated FIIDS Chief of Policy and Strategy Khanderao Kand.A 4-year cap is out of step with how modern degrees really operate; the usual time to earn a bachelor’s degree is approximately 52 months, and the median time to earn a PhD is approximately 5.7 years. Additionally, USCIS now has over 11 million cases with processing durations of approximately a year.He predicted that America would hand over its innovation pipeline to rivals, labs would lose vital talent, and students would be forced out mid-program or mid-research.
Many research-intensive programs, especially PhD programs and medical training, sometimes go longer than four years, according to FIIDS. According to the report, J-1 research scholars and doctors frequently need five to seven years to finish their programs. The group cautioned that uncertainty about extensions could cause laboratory disruptions, postpone graduations, and undermine faculty recruitment strategies linked to foreign talent.Delay implementation, safeguard US innovation and research, and protect students,” Kand stated. “Do it without blowing up degree pathways that power American labs and startups if integrity is the goal.”
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