The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule ending the longstanding duration of status (D/S) framework for F, J, and I nonimmigrants and replacing it with fixed admission periods. The rule also shortens the F-1 grace period from 60 to 30 days and shifts the focus for determining status maintenance from the Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to monitoring Form I-94 expiration dates and coordinating USCIS filings accordingly. Our panel of experts will provide an overview of the final rule and discuss the implications for students, their dependents, and their employers.

Featured Topics

• New fixed periods of admission for F, J, and I nonimmigrants
• Arguing timeliness
• Shortened grace period for F-1 students
• Impact on future Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Scientific, Technical, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) OPT applications, including applications for extension of stay
• Transfers between different F-1 programs and restrictions on degrees at the same level

Faculty

Maka Hutson (DL), AILA Student Visa Task Force Vice Chair, Dallas, TX 

Maka Hutson is a partner at Akin and leads its immigration practice. She focuses on visa fraud investigations and immigration compliance, representing clients in DOJ and DHS investigations and advising on business immigration policy’s intersection with export controls and sanctions. She received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. Before joining Akin, she served as a program coordinator at UT Austin, advising international students, scholars, and faculty on immigration and tax matters. p

Bob White, AILA DOL Liaison Committee Chair, Schaumburg, IL 

Bob White is a partner in the Immigration Group of Masuda Funai in its Schaumburg, Illinois office. Bob has been practicing exclusively in the employment-based immigration area for more than 30 years. Bob was previously Chapter Chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) Chicago Chapter. He was also a member of AILA National’s Verification Committee and SSA Taskforce. He was also Chair of NAFSA: Association of International Educator’s Region V. Bob is currently Chair of the AILA National’s DOL Liaison Committee. He is also a member of the AILA National’s Student Visa Taskforce. Bob was selected as 2022 Lawyer of the Year for Immigration (Chicago) by the Best Lawyers publication. 

Molly M. Coe, Brooklyn, NY 

Molly Coe is a Senior Staff Attorney with NYU's Immigrant Defense Initiative at Washington Square Legal Services, Inc. She serves as the co-chair of the USCIS Liaison committee in the AILA New York City chapter. Ms. Coe received her JD from CUNY School of Law (2014). 

Lisa H. York, Aurora, CO 

Lisa H. York is the managing attorney/owner of Curray York & Associates in Aurora, CO. She currently serves on the AILA USCIS HQ Benefits Committee and the Student Visa Task Force. Lisa’s practice focuses on H-1B visas, PERM, national interest waivers, outstanding research petitions, F-1/J-1s, and cross-border issues. 

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