Thousands of Visa Applicants Face Shake-up in Weeks
Immigration authorities are updating forms for certain students, exchange visitors and foreign media representatives.
Thousands of U.S. applicants for temporary stay programs are facing changes to documentation requirements, as immigration authorities update and impose hard cutoff dates on two key forms, Form I-539 and Form I-765. These updates are part of a broader rule from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that transitions from a previous, open-ended duration of status system to one with a fixed admission period for certain groups.
The affected groups include those seeking to extend a stay, change visa categories, students, exchange visitors, and foreign media representatives on F-1, J-1, and I visas. H-1B applicants are not directly impacted but may be indirectly affected through family members or the student-to-worker pipeline. Forms I-539 and I-765 will only accept new versions from September 15, with older versions being rejected thereafter.
The DHS aims to improve oversight and enforcement by bringing these visa categories in line with other nonimmigrant visas and making it easier to evaluate compliance with lawful status. Higher education institutions and immigration advocates have raised concerns about the potential administrative burden and financial costs for affected individuals and institutions.
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