3 Key Changes Coming to Form I-539 for Students and Journalists Seeking to Extend Their Status
Foreign students, exchange visitors and foreign media representatives seeking to extend or change their status in the United States will face significant updates under a revised edition of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form I-539, effective Sept. 15, 2026.
The revised form implements a Department of Homeland Security regulation that replaces the open-ended “duration of status” with fixed admission periods. The changes in the Sept. 15 edition fall into three operational areas.
Revised Admission Terminology
In Part 1, Item 12, USCIS has replaced the previous checkbox language asking whether an applicant was “granted Duration of Status (D/S)” with wording stating that the applicant was “admitted for the Duration of Status.” The change reflects the transition to date-certain expiration periods tied to specific program end dates, ending open-ended stays.
Required Disclosures for Foreign Media Representatives
Part 2, Item 2, introduces new disclosure requirements for nonimmigrants in the I classification, which covers foreign information media representatives, and their dependents. Applicants seeking a change of status, change of employer or change of information medium must complete the expanded section. The information will allow immigration officials to more closely track publishing and employment credentials.
Expanded SEVIS Reporting
Part 3, Item 8, establishes a historical reporting requirement for nonimmigrants seeking an extension or change of status to F student or J exchange visitor status. Applicants must list every Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) identification number ever assigned to them, along with the corresponding educational level for each identifier.
USCIS stated that there will be no transition period because the updated form is necessary to implement the fixed-period rule. Applications postmarked or electronically filed before Sept. 15 must use the Aug. 28, 2024, edition of Form I-539. Beginning Sept. 15, USCIS will reject filings submitted on an older edition.