The United States is seriously considering the biggest changes to US student visas in decades, largely because fewer international students are choosing American universities. One of the most talked-about proposals is completely removing the long-standing “Intent to Leave” requirement that has caused countless visa denials over the year.
According to recent reports, stricter visa screening and tougher immigration policies have made it much harder for genuine students to get approved. Many talented applicants are now looking at Canada, Australia, or the UK instead, causing a visible drop in international enrollment numbers across US campuses.
The Intent to Leave Rule Why It’s So Controversial
Right Now, every applicant for US student visas (F-1 and J-1) must convince the consular officer that they will definitely go back home after graduation. Students have to show strong ties to their home country – family businesses, property, job offers, or other proof that they won’t stay in America illegally.
If the officer isn’t convinced, the visa is denied – even if the student has been accepted to Harvard, Stanford, or any top program and has full funding. Thousands of qualified students get rejected every year purely because of this rule.
The DIGNITY Act Wants to End This Requirement Forever
The bipartisan DIGNITY Act, introduced by Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) with support from members on both sides of the aisle, directly targets this problem.
If the DIGNITY Act passes, consular officers will no longer be allowed to deny US student visas just because the applicant cannot prove they intend to leave after studies. The focus will shift to whether the student is genuinely coming to study, not whether they might want to stay longer in the future.
You can read the official text of the bill on the Congress.gov website here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3599/text (this is the latest version introduced).
Important: The DIGNITY Act does NOT create any new path to stay after graduation. Students will still need to apply for OPT, H-1B, or other work visas exactly as they do today.
Second Big Change: Moving Away from Duration of Status
At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is pushing to replace the current Duration of Status (D/S) admission with fixed end dates for F, J, and I visas.
Todat, students are admitted for duration of status meaning they can stay as long as they are full-time students and their I-20 or DS-2019 is valid. Under the new proposal, every student would get a hard end date on their I-94. If your program runs longer than expected (thesis delays, research extensions, etc.), you would have to file for an extension or leave the country.
The official DHS proposal can be tracked here. https://www.regulations.gov/document/USCIS-2020-0013-0001
What This Means for Future International Students
If both changes go through:
- Getting US student visas will become much easier because the biggest reason for refusal (“221(g) non-immigrant intent”) will disappear.
- Maintaining legal status might become stricter because of fixed admission periods and the need for timely extensions.
Taken together, these reforms show that America realizes it is losing the global talent race and is finally willing to modernize outdated rules that have hurt its own universities and economy.
Universities, education agents, and immigration attorneys are watching these developments very closely. Many believe that removing the “Intent to Leave” barrier alone could quickly reverse the declining trend in international applications.
For the latest official guidelines on US student visas, always check the U.S. Department of State website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study.html and USCIS: https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/students-f-1
Stay tuned the next few months could bring the most student-friendly US student visas policy changes in a generation.
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