The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued new guidance implementing a significant change to the admission of J-1 exchange visitors. Effective September 15, 2026, J nonimmigrants who enter the United States or change to J status will generally be admitted for a fixed period of stay rather than for “Duration of Status” (D/S). Under the prior D/S framework, qualifying J nonimmigrants could remain in the United States as long as they continued to comply with the terms and conditions of their status.
The new framework introduces an “Admit Until Date” (AUD) that establishes the last day an exchange visitor is authorized to remain in the United States in J status. The admission period generally may not exceed four years, although a 30-day period may be provided for departure or other action to maintain lawful status.
What Is Changing?
Beginning September 15, 2026, DHS will generally use the Program End Date on Form DS-2019 when determining an exchange visitor’s AUD. If the Program End Date occurs within four years of the Program Begin Date, DHS generally will admit the individual through that date, plus 30 days for departure.
If the Program End Date exceeds four years, DHS may admit the exchange visitor for up to four years plus 30 days, even when the underlying J-1 program is authorized to continue for a longer period.
Importantly, the four-year admission limitation does not necessarily limit the permissible duration of the J-1 program itself. Department of State rules may authorize a longer program duration. For example, Research Scholars may have programs lasting up to five years, and sponsors may continue to issue Forms DS-2019 reflecting the full authorized program period.
New Importance of the Form DS-2019 and Expected Completion Date
Sponsors must ensure that the Program Begin Date and Program End Date recorded in SEVIS accurately reflect the exchange visitor’s current program terms.
Where the Program End Date does not reflect the date the individual is actually expected to complete the full program—for example, because the current end date is tied to funding or contract dates—the sponsor must enter an Expected Completion Date in the Subject/Field Remarks section of Form DS-2019.
The guidance specifies that the notation should appear at the beginning of Field 4 in the following format:
“Expected Completion Date: MM/DD/YYYY.”
Because only the first 200 characters of Field 4 print on the Form DS-2019, the Expected Completion Date should appear first. DHS may consider this date when determining the period of admission, although DHS retains discretion over the final AUD.
What Employers and J-1 Foreign Nationals Should Do Now
The move from Duration of Status (D/S) to a fixed Admit Until Date (AUD) will require employers, J-1 program sponsors, and exchange visitors to monitor immigration status more closely. Beginning September 15, 2026, the expiration date governing an exchange visitor’s authorized stay may differ from the Program End Date listed on Form DS-2019.
| What Employers / Program Sponsors Should Do | What J-1 Foreign Nationals Should Do |
| Identify affected J-1 employees and exchange visitors. Review J-1 populations whose programs will continue on or after September 15, 2026, with particular attention to individuals in longer-term programs. | Check your immigration status expiration date. After entering the United States or changing to J-1 status on or after September 15, 2026, review your Form I-94 and confirm the specific Admit Until Date assigned by DHS. |
| Review SEVIS and Form DS-2019 records now.Confirm that Program Begin and End Dates accurately reflect the exchange visitor’s current program terms. Sponsors are responsible for maintaining accurate SEVIS records and promptly issuing updated Forms DS-2019. | Do not rely solely on the DS-2019 expiration date. A valid Form DS-2019 does not necessarily mean that you are authorized to remain in the United States through its Program End Date if your AUD expires earlier. |
| Add an Expected Completion Date where required. If the Program End Date does not reflect when the exchange visitor is expected to complete the program in full, sponsors must place the Expected Completion Date at the beginning of Field 4 of Form DS-2019 in the required format: “Expected Completion Date: MM/DD/YYYY.” | Compare your AUD with your DS-2019 Program End Date. If the Program End Date extends beyond the AUD, additional immigration action may be necessary before the AUD expires. |
| Prioritize the September 15 transition deadline.For certain individuals currently admitted in D/S, timely entry of an Expected Completion Date before September 15, 2026 may preserve the ability to remain in D/S through that date without filing an extension of stay. | If you are currently admitted in D/S, contact your sponsor. Confirm whether an Expected Completion Date should be added to your SEVIS record before September 15, 2026. If it is not timely entered, a later program extension may require an extension of stay or departure and readmission. |
| Track the AUD separately from the Program End Date. Immigration tracking systems should capture both dates. Extending a DS-2019 or SEVIS Program End Date does not, by itself, extend an AUD. | Plan well ahead of the AUD. If additional time is needed, you generally must file Form I-539 with USCIS or depart the United States and seek readmission with a valid Form DS-2019 and, where required, a valid J visa. |
| Coordinate extensions early. If a sponsor extends the Program End Date beyond the exchange visitor’s AUD, the foreign national must take separate action to obtain additional status authorization. The sponsor must provide an updated Form DS-2019 for the USCIS filing or admission process. | Keep copies of updated immigration documents. Retain your Form I-94, passport, visa, and all Forms DS-2019, and verify that updated documents are consistent with your anticipated program dates. |
| Pay particular attention to long-term Research Scholars and Professors. Sponsors may issue Forms DS-2019 for the full five-year program period, but DHS may grant an initial admission period of only four years plus 30 days. Additional action may therefore be required before year five. | Do not assume a five-year J-1 program means five years of admission. Research Scholars and Professors may have a five-year DS-2019 but receive an AUD covering a shorter period. |
| Review immigration implications before shortening or terminating a J-1 program. A shortened or terminated program can require departure before the date shown as the AUD. | Understand that the AUD is not always a guaranteed departure date. If your program is shortened, you may need to depart earlier. If your program is terminated for a negative reason before the AUD, the Department’s guidance states that immediate departure is required. |
| Establish reminder protocols. Consider calendaring advance reviews of AUDs so that required USCIS filings or travel planning can occur before status expires. | Discuss travel before relying on readmission as an extension strategy.International travel can involve visa validity, passport validity, admission discretion, and other case-specific considerations. |
| Coordinate with immigration counsel on complex cases. This is especially important where program dates change, the anticipated program exceeds four years, an extension beyond a regulatory maximum is contemplated, or SEVIS status has been corrected or reinstated. | Seek advice before an AUD expires. Missing a fixed status expiration date may have significantly different consequences than remaining in the United States under the prior D/S framework. |
Immediate Compliance Priority
Before September 15, 2026, employers and J-1 program sponsors should review existing J-1 populations—particularly individuals currently admitted in D/S—and determine whether SEVIS records accurately reflect the anticipated full program duration and whether an Expected Completion Date must be added.
Foreign nationals should likewise confirm their current admission notation and work with their J-1 sponsor and immigration counsel to understand whether the transition rules affect their continued stay in the United States.
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