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• DHS Proposal to End “Duration of Status” for F, J, and I Nonimmigrants
• Appeals Court Allows End of TPS for Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal
• Egypt Nears DV-2025 Per-Country Gap

DHS Proposal to End “Duration of Status” for F, J, and I Nonimmigrants

DHS has proposed eliminating “duration of status” (D/S) for F (students), J (exchange visitors), and I (media representatives), replacing it with fixed admission periods tied to program length but capped at four years. Nonimmigrants would need to apply for extensions with USCIS, potentially with biometrics, to remain beyond their initial period.

DHS argues the change is needed to improve oversight and national security, citing sharp increases in admissions (over 1.6M F-1 students and 500K J-1 visitors in 2023), concerns about fraud such as “pay-to-stay” schemes, and long-term residents who have remained in student status for a decade or more. While SEVIS tracks students and exchange visitors, DHS believes fixed terms will further reduce abuse, improve compliance monitoring, and bring these categories in line with other nonimmigrant classifications.

Impact: Employers and program sponsors should anticipate higher legal and filing costs, closer monitoring of status expirations, and stronger coordination with universities and exchange sponsors to prevent status gaps and assignment disruptions.

Appeals Court Allows End of TPS for Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal

The Ninth Circuit has allowed the administration to proceed with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an estimated 61,000 individuals. TPS for 7,000 Nepalese expired on August 5, 2025, while protections for 51,000 Hondurans and 3,000 Nicaraguans will expire on September 8, 2025.

Impact: Employers with affected workers should prepare for loss of work authorization tied to TPS and explore alternative immigration options (such as H-1B, L-1, or employment-based green card sponsorship) to retain key talent. Early planning and employee communication will be critical to avoid disruption.

Egypt Nears DV-2025 Per-Country Gap

The Department of State announced that Egypt is close to reaching the seven percent per-country cap of the 52,056 Diversity Visa (DV) numbers available for FY 2025. To avoid exceeding the limit, DOS may cancel visa interview appointments for applicants once numbers are no longer available. Affected individuals may reapply in future DV program years if eligible.

Impact: Egyptian nationals relying on the DV lottery for U.S. immigration could face unexpected cancellations and delays. Employers should not assume DV as a reliable pathway for Egyptian employees and may need to consider alternative sponsorship strategies (e.g., employment-based green cards) to secure long-term U.S. work authorization.