F-1 visa update: DIGNITY Act of 2025 aims to repeal ‘Intent to Leave’ rule affecting foreign students in US

The list of international students selecting the United States as their consider overseas terminus is declining due to stricter enforcement of in-migration and visa regulations under Trump administration. Amid immigration crackdown, US officials are expected to modify existing study visa rules that influence foreign students' inclination to pursue education in the nation.

The repeal of the ‘Intent to Leave Rule’ may assist international students in acquiring US study visas. However, the implementation of fixed-term admissions could hinder their plans to study in the US.

Congresswomen María Elvira Salazar and Veronica Escobar, along with a coalition of 20 members, have introduced the DIGNITY Act of 2025. The act aims to abolish the “Intent to Leave” Rule that requires international students to return to their home countries upon completion of their studies.

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During the visa application process, international candidates for study visas are required to declare their intention to return to their home country after finishing their studies.

At present, student visas necessitate that applicants exhibit non-immigrant intent. This implies that international students must assert their intention to depart the US upon completion of their courses and must provide proof of property ownership in their home country as evidence of their plans to return. Consequently, students are only eligible for an F-1 study visa if they intend to leave the US after finishing their education.

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While the majority of students plan to return home, visas can occasionally be denied if a student fails to clearly demonstrate their intention to return to their home country following their studies.

This modification will eliminate this obstacle. Should the proposals be approved, the denial of a student visa may no longer be exclusively based on the ‘intent to leave.’

Nevertheless, this does not alter the procedure for students wishing to remain in the US after completing their studies. Any student who desires to stay in the US post-studies must still meet the qualifications for employment-based or other relevant visas.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has suggested modifications to its regulations by altering the admission period for F, J, and I aliens from 'duration of status' to a 'fixed time period' admission. The term 'duration of status' indicates that individuals may stay in the United States as long as they uphold their non-immigrant student status. This newly proposed regulation by US authorities will require non-immigrants, including students with an F-1 study visa, to leave the country after a specified period.

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