DHS to end duration-of-status admissions for F-2 and J-2 dependents starting Sept. 15, 2026

Federal immigration agencies are set to change how F-2 and J-2 dependents are admitted to the United States, replacing duration-of-status treatment with a fixed end date on the I-94 record beginning Sept. 15, 2026. The change matters because it shifts dependents from an open-ended admission model to one that tracks the principal F-1 or J-1 holder’s authorized stay and may require closer attention to extension filings and travel plans.

Under the new framework, new admissions and readmissions for F-2 and J-2 dependents will no longer be marked D/S, or duration of status. Instead, their I-94 records will show an Admit Until Date tied to the principal student’s or exchange visitor’s authorized stay. People already in the United States before the effective date generally remain in D/S unless they travel, are readmitted, or seek additional time to stay.

The policy change follows a final rule published by the Department of Homeland Security on July 17, 2026, with an effective date of Sept. 15, 2026. The rule is part of a broader shift toward fixed periods of admission for certain nonimmigrant categories. DHS has said the new approach is intended to replace long-standing duration-of-status admissions with a date-certain system that allows officers to assess whether a nonimmigrant remains eligible to stay in the country.

How the new admission clock works

For dependents, the practical effect is that admission periods will generally follow the principal F-1 or J-1 holder’s authorized stay instead of continuing indefinitely so long as the underlying status remains valid. The available information indicates the admission period is generally capped at four years, although that cap still yields to the program end date on the Form I-20 or DS-2019 and to any applicable grace-period rules. If a dependent needs more time, the family will generally have to file for an extension or obtain a new admission record rather than rely on automatic carryover.

A Department of State guidance update issued Aug. 10, 2026, for J exchange visitors follows the same structure. It states that new and continuing exchange visitors entering or changing to J status on or after Sept. 15, 2026, will receive an Admit Until Date that cannot exceed four years. The guidance says that date is the last day the exchange visitor is authorized to remain in the United States in J status under the new system.

The change also affects filing strategy. USCIS is issuing new editions of Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, dated 09/15/26. Older editions filed on or after Sept. 15, 2026, will be rejected, meaning applicants will need to use the correct version of the form once the new admission rules take effect.

What stays the same for families already in the United States

The rule does not appear to strip status from dependents already inside the country before the effective date. Instead, the change is triggered when a person is newly admitted, readmitted, or applies for additional time. That distinction is important for students, exchange visitors, and their families who may plan international travel after Sept. 15, 2026, because a departure and return could move them into the fixed-date system.

The broader regulatory shift has been years in the making. DHS previously described F, J, and I nonimmigrants as being admitted under duration of status rather than a fixed time period, and the new rule reverses that model. For Arizona families with international students, visiting scholars, or exchange visitors, the practical consequence is more paperwork tied to travel, extensions, and employment authorization, along with less room for uncertainty on the I-94 record.

The result is a more rigid admission calendar for dependents whose status has traditionally tracked the principal’s program rather than a specific end date. Once the new framework is in place, the I-94 will become the key document showing how long a dependent may stay, and the timing of future filings will matter more than it has under the old duration-of-status system.