Guidance Issued on Fixed Admission Period for J-1 Exchange Visitors
10 August 2025
The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) issued guidance on the implementation of the new regulation eliminating Duration of Status (D/S), which takes effect on September 15, 2026. The guidance instructs J-1 sponsors on how to complete Form DS-2019 and maintain SEVIS records under the new fixed admission period framework.
Some key points set forth in the guidance:
Sponsors may continue to issue Form DS-2019 for the full authorized program duration allowed under an exchange visitor's category (e.g., up to five years for Research Scholars), even though the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may, in its discretion, admit the exchange visitor for a shorter initial period, up to four years, plus 30 days for departure.
If the Program End Date listed on Form DS-2019 does not reflect the date the exchange visitor is expected to complete their program in full, the sponsor must enter an Expected Completion Date in the Subject/Field Remarks (Field 4) of the SEVIS record, formatted as "Expected Completion Date: MM/DD/YYYY." Sponsors should enter an Expected Completion Date only when the Program End Date does not already reflect the visitor's full anticipated program period.
For exchange visitors currently in the U.S. under D/S, whether they may remain under D/S or must instead apply for an Extension of Stay if a sponsor updates their Program End Date, depends on timing:
If the sponsor timely added an Expected Completion Date to the SEVIS record before September 15, 2026, the sponsor may extend the Program End Date without requiring an Extension of Stay application to be filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), up to that Expected Completion Date, and the exchange visitor may remain under D/S through that date.
If the sponsor did not timely add an Expected Completion Date to the SEVIS record, or if the updated Program End Date exceeds the Expected Completion Date on file, the exchange visitor must apply for an Extension of Stay with USCIS to cover the extended period, or depart the United States and apply for readmission at a U.S. port of entry.
For shortened and terminated programs:
if a program is shortened for a neutral reason, the exchange visitor must depart by their admitted until date (AUD) or within 30 days of the new DS-2019 Program End Date, whichever is earlier;
if a program is terminated for a negative reason before the AUD, the exchange visitor must depart immediately; if termination occurs on or after the AUD, the existing AUD departure deadline continues to apply.
You can find the guidance document here.
