The F-1 Visa 4-Year Rule, Explained for Nepali Students (And Why It’s Currently Blocked)

For a long time, the F-1 student visa worked on a simple arrangement: as long as you were enrolled and followed your program, you could stay in the US for as long as your studies took. Your Form I-94 — the record of how long you are allowed to stay — simply said “D/S,” short for Duration of Status, with no expiry date to watch.

In July 2026, DHS published a final rule that would have ended that arrangement and replaced it with a fixed admission period capped at four years. But on 14 September 2026, a federal court blocked the rule, one day before its scheduled start — so it never took effect, and Duration of Status still applies. This guide explains, accurately, what is in force today and what the rule would change if the government’s appeal succeeds.

Here is the essential point before anything else: the four-year rule is not in effect. On 14 September 2026 — one day before it was due to start — a US federal court issued a nationwide injunction blocking the rule, and it remains blocked while the government’s appeal continues. In its own October 2026 court filing, DHS acknowledged the rule “has already been stayed in its entirety nationwide.”

So, for F-1 students right now:

• Duration of Status (D/S) still applies — you are admitted for the length of your program, not a fixed four-year period.
• The grace period is still 60 days after program completion — not the 30 days in the blocked rule.
• There is no fixed “Admit Until Date” and no Extension of Stay requirement for simply taking longer to finish.

DHS has appealed, so this could change in future. The rest of this guide explains what the rule would do if it ever takes effect, and why it is worth understanding now — but none of it is current law. For the focused update on the court decision, see our F-1 Duration of Status rule, explained.

Under D/S — which still applies today — an F-1 student’s authorized stay is tied to academic progress rather than a fixed date. You could take a two-year master’s or a six-year PhD and either way your Form I-94 simply said “D/S.” As long as your SEVIS record stayed active (full course load, valid I-20, no unauthorized work), you did not need to file anything with USCIS just because your degree took longer or you changed programs. It is flexible for students but, according to DHS, harder to monitor — which is what the blocked rule set out to change.

If the rule ever takes effect, F-1 students would be admitted for the length of their program as listed on the Form I-20, capped at a maximum of four years, plus a 30-day grace period (down from 60). Instead of “D/S,” the I-94 would show a specific admit-until date, which may not match the visa expiry or the I-20 end date.

• Programs shorter than four years (most bachelor’s and master’s) would get an admission period matching the program length plus the grace period.
• Programs running longer than four years — or students needing extra time — would have to file an Extension of Stay (EOS) with USCIS before the authorized period ends.
• It would apply to F-1 students and F-2 dependents, and to many students already in the US, subject to transition provisions.

If the rule takes effect, the students who would need to pay closest attention are those in longer programs — PhD candidates, combined bachelor’s programs, or anyone whose stay (including post-completion OPT) is likely to stretch beyond four years. For them, at least one Extension of Stay filing would become a normal part of the path to graduation. A standard two-year master’s student would likely never need to file anything extra.

Under the rule, if you needed more time than your fixed admission period allowed, you would file Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) with USCIS before your authorized stay expired. Timely filing would matter a great deal:

There is also a transition carve-out in the rule for current D/S students: those graduating in spring 2027 or earlier would not need a separate Form I-539 EOS if they file Form I-765 for post-completion or STEM OPT by 18 March 2027 — though a later STEM OPT extension could still require an EOS.

The rule’s transition provisions mean current F-1 students admitted under D/S would not have to rush to USCIS or the airport just because it took effect. They could generally continue under their current program period, or up to four additional years plus a 60-day departure period from the effective date — but not beyond 14 November 2030 — whichever comes first. Current students could keep travelling, but re-entering after the effective date could mean admission under a new fixed period.

For most Nepali students heading into standard bachelor’s or master’s programs, the practical impact — even if the rule returns — is manageable. The bigger shift the rule would bring is a mindset one: under D/S you rarely think about immigration deadlines once you land; under a fixed-period system, missing a paperwork deadline could carry real immigration consequences even if you are doing everything right academically.

So if you are planning a longer program, or you know your plans include OPT or STEM OPT, it is worth building the EOS timeline into your thinking from day one rather than working it out in your final semester. Either way, choosing the right-fit program and major from the start — and tracking your dates — is the best protection against a changing rulebook.

A changing rulebook is exactly where good planning pays off. As Nepal’s first AIRC-certified and ICEF-screened education consultancy, Edwise Foundation has guided students to the USA since 2005. We help you choose the right-fit program and major from the start, track the dates that matter on your I-20 and I-94, and plan your OPT and any Extension-of-Stay timeline so nothing catches you off guard — whatever the appeal decides. With a 96% acceptance rate and 7,000+ students placed, our job is to keep your plan steady while the rules move. For the full picture, see our complete guide to study in the USA from Nepal.

• NAFSA — Legal challenge to the Duration of Status rule (injunction, 14 Sept 2026)
• Federal Register — DHS final rule (91 FR 44976, 17 July 2026)
• USCIS — Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status
• USCIS — Unlawful presence and inadmissibility