By Giselle Lee | Staff Writer
As Baylor international students return to Waco for the fall semester, they will face new regulations after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of “Duration of Status” (D/S), effective as early as Sept. 15 this year.
The final rule, published by DHS on Aug. 17, is the latest policy update, intended to provide “additional protections and oversight of these non-immigrant categories” and allow DHS to “better evaluate whether these non-immigrants are maintaining status while temporarily in the United States.”
Dr. Mark Bryant, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at Baylor, noted in an email that while the new policy does not change the F-1/K-1 visa process, it will “restrict what F-1 and J-1 students and scholars are allowed to do once in the US,” which may vary on a case-by-case basis.
“[The restrictions] include the length of stay in the U.S. and academic program changes,” Bryant said. “The impact of the new regulations will affect some more than others depending on how long it takes to complete the academic degree and whether the student faces any delays or wants to make any changes.”
According to the DHS, the main change is shifting the admission period from D/S to an “admission for a fixed time period” — predominantly four years — along with additional changes to admission and extension requirements.
Megha Bobba, a sophomore from Hyderabad, India, said the new restrictions could create more complications for international students.
“These changes could make planning our education and future careers more difficult because we have to be more careful about maintaining our status and meeting deadlines,” Bobba said. “Even small changes in immigration rules can have a major impact on our education and future plans.”
Bobba said she learned about the updated rules through her own research and information provided by the Baylor ISSS Office, which she said has been “helpful” in providing information and guidance; however, it lacks a case-by-case breakdown.
“I understand the general changes, but I still feel there is some uncertainty about how they could affect my individual situation,” Bobba said. “Having timely, clear and easily accessible information from the university, as well as more specific guidance, would help students feel better prepared.”
In light of the rule change, the ISSS Office has a dedicated webpage with an FAQ related to the changes and has held an online training course for students. Bryant said it will host an in-person training on Aug. 21. and release an online training module so students can learn more about the changes.
Bryant recommended that international students’ “best actions” are to ensure they make continual progress toward their degree, that their documents reflect the correct program end date and that they check with the ISSS Office with any questions.
“If students need to extend their program end date, they should begin that process with the Baylor ISSS office now,” Bryant said. “International students should also always ask for assistance from a Baylor ISSS Staff member if they have questions. Students should not make decisions based on something a friend said or what they may have read online.”
