India, July 21 -- International students in the United States, including those from India, have been advised by some universities to return to the country before September 15, 2026, ahead of a major immigration rule change affecting F-1 student visa and J-1 exchange visitor visa holders.

The advisory comes before the US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) new final rule takes effect, replacing the long-standing Duration of Status (D/S) system with fixed admission periods for several categories of non-immigrant visa holders.

Under the new rule, which comes into effect on September 15, F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors and I visa holders for foreign journalists will generally be admitted for a fixed period of up to four years, rathe...