Federal judge postpones visa limits amid international SU student doubt
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A federal judge blocked a ruling that would limit international student visas to four years on Monday, Forbes reported. The ruling would’ve gone into effect on Tuesday.
The ruling, which was finalized in July, would end a nearly 50-year-old policy that allowed international students to stay until the end of their studies, instead limiting them to four years. United States District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV ruled that the Department of Homeland Security failed to follow the Administrative Procedure Act, which outlines how government departments must develop and issue rulings and regulations.
Since the block, the current duration of status visa rules are still in effect nationwide, meaning visa holders can stay until the end of their program.
The decision comes after a lawsuit by multiple organizations including the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
The “preliminary relief” provided by the ruling is an “important step” toward clear and fair legislation around international students and educators, co-plantiff of the lawsuit and CEO and Executive Director of NAFSA Fanta Aw wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange.
“At a time when countries around the world are competing for talent, the United States should be strengthening our ability to attract the best and brightest, not creating new barriers to it,” Aw wrote. “NAFSA remains committed to protecting international education and the tremendous benefits it brings to our nation.”
Syracuse University struggled to “attract” international students in recent years, before the new change to visas. While the ruling is a regulatory change issued by the DHS, President Donald Trump’s administration has already targeted student visas in its One Big Beautiful Bill Act. International student enrollment at SU has decreased by around 50% in “recent years,” a university spokesperson previously told The D.O.
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Law, a political science professor, said it’s difficult to secure admission to a U.S. university as students worry about federal visa changes.
In April 2025, the Trump administration also revoked visas for three international students at SU.
In a 2025 University Senate meeting, former Chancellor Kent Syverud said SU was 41 students below its master’s student enrollment goal. He attributed this to international students struggling to get visas.
The judge’s blocking only postpones the final resolution, meaning the lawsuit remains ongoing.
The ruling affects certain F, J and I class visas. F visas are for students, J visas are for “exchange visitors,” including educators and researchers and I visas are for journalists and media representatives. If the rule is passed, stays on F and J class visas would be capped at four years or until the end of their program – whichever comes first. I class visas would be capped at 240 days.
The current duration of status regulations state that F-1 and J-1 visa holders can stay until their program or studies are finished, with no renewal needed. Under the new rule, if approved, students with a program longer than four years, such as a Ph.D. program, must request an annual extension.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will decide if extensions will be granted, and decisions cannot be appealed.
USCIS is currently backlogged, with processing times around one year, meaning visa holders will have to apply early for extensions. Visa holders will be 240 day grace period while waiting for a decision on their extension, but rulings may take longer. If a request is denied, visa holders must leave the country immediately.
Grace periods with visa expirations will also be shortened from 60 to 30 days.
In his court order, the judge said that plaintiffs are “therefore likely to succeed on the
merits of their claims.”
The ruling’s next court date is scheduled for Oct. 2.
