On July 17, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule to change the current I-94 Duration of Status (D/S) to instead issue an exact date in which an individual can be in the U.S. lawfully for F and J nonimmigrants students and scholars.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a policy update on December 12th, 2025 introducing enhanced photo and identity verification procedures for certain immigration benefit applications, including Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization), which is used for Optional Practical Training (OPT).