New Delhi, June 20 -- A sweeping change to the US immigration system is set to transform how international students live, study and build careers in the country. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has formally approved a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation that dismantles the long-standing "Duration of Status" (D/S) framework and replaces it with fixed admission periods for student visa holders.

With the OMB review now complete-the final major administrative hurdle before implementation-the regulation is expected to be published in the Federal Register in the coming weeks. Once published, the rule could trigger one of the most significant changes to the US student visa system in decades, affecting universi...