Travel and re-entry after September 15, 2026
In short
Travel is safe, with one permanent consequence: you come back on a fixed date. A transition-cohort student who leaves and re-enters loses duration of status and receives a new I-94 with a date certain — typically the program end date or OPT end date, or the four-year cap, whichever is sooner. Departing while an extension is pending can abandon it.
Status
Rule status — last checked September 14, 2026. The Duration of Status final rule took effect on September 15, 2026. It contains a severability clause and has no sunset or review provision. Plan on the rule as written; do not postpone a filing on the assumption that it will change.
The rule text
However, should these F and J nonimmigrants decide to travel abroad during this transition period, they will be issued a new I-94 with a date certain upon their return, as will all other F and J nonimmigrants.
All of these cases assume, consistent with this final rule, that the admission period of any F or J nonimmigrant previously admitted for D/S will be transitioned to a fixed date of admission upon travel outside the United States.
Departing and reentering may result in abandonment of a pending EOS application if admitted on a new Form I-20 or DS-2019 after the previous admission has expired.
What happens at the border
If you were admitted for D/S and you leave after September 15, 2026, you re-enter on a new Form I-94 with a fixed end date. You are no longer in duration of status. The fixed date will usually be your program end date — or your OPT EAD end date if OPT is approved — or September 15, 2030, whichever comes sooner. Once you are on a fixed date, the departure period is measured from that date, and any stay beyond it requires an approved extension.
Before you travel
- Have your DSO confirm the I-20 is current and endorsed for travel.
- Be in good academic standing, with health insurance in place and every F-1 requirement met.
- Carry your passport with a valid F-1 visa, your I-20, and your I-94.
- If your visa stamp has expired, you need a new one before you can return — even though you did not need it to stay.
- If an extension of stay or an OPT application is pending, do not travel without speaking to your DSO or a licensed immigration attorney. Departing can abandon the application.
The visa stamp and the admission period are different things
The rule changes your admission period — the date until which you may remain, tied to your I-20 and I-94. It does not change the visa in your passport. A visa expiring in 2029 does not need renewing to stay in the United States continuously in status. It needs renewing only if you leave after it expires and want to come back. If you expect to travel after your visa expires, plan the renewal well ahead of the trip.
Grandfathered students who stay put
A student admitted for D/S before September 15, 2026 who does not travel remains in D/S until the program end date or September 15, 2030, whichever comes first, with the 60-day departure period after. Filing Form I-765 for OPT by March 18, 2027 carries that student through OPT without a separate extension. The single most effective way to keep that position is not to travel unless you must.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to travel after September 15, 2026?
Yes, provided your documents are in order and nothing is pending — but on re-entry you receive a fixed-date I-94 and lose duration of status. Plan for that date.
I have a pending extension. Can I take a short trip?
Departing while an extension is pending can abandon it. Stay until it is decided, or get advice first.
Sources
The primary documents this page is written from. Check them before you rely on anything here.
- Duration of status final rule, 91 FR 44976 (July 17, 2026)
- CBP Form I-94 retrieval and travel history
- DHS Study in the States
Citations. 8 CFR 214.1(m)(1)(ii); 91 FR 44976 (July 17, 2026).
F-1 status under the 2026 rule
The Duration of Status rule, the Form I-539 extension of stay, OPT and the March 18, 2027 deadline, CPT, travel, and the FAQ.