Goa, Aug. 24 -- Harvard University has issued a clear advisory to its foreign students and academic scholars: consider returning to the United States before September 15. The guidance comes in response to impending regulatory changes by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant visas. These upcoming policy shifts could significantly alter how long international students are permitted to remain in the country and how their entry is processed.

At the core of the proposed reform is the elimination of the long-standing "duration of status" (D/S) framework. Under the current system, eligible international students can remain in the US indefinitely, provided they maintain active enrollment and comply with...