Exchange Visitor Program-Termination of Program Participation, Extension of Program and Reinstatement to Valid Program Status
Agency: State Department
Document #: 2026-15450
Published: July 30, 2026
Comments close: July 30, 2026
Docket: Public Notice: 13087
Who this affects
- F-1 / J-1 students and OPT holders
Inferred from the official title and Federal Register summary. Confirm on the official document — not legal advice.
Summary
The Department of State's (Department's) Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the Exchange Visitor Program, as set forth at 22 CFR part 62, wherein exchange visitors on educational and cultural exchange programs travel to the United States in the J visa category. The Department tracks the status and geographic location of exchange visitors through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a database administered by the Department of Homeland Security. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Proposed Rule) seeks to clarify the conditions under which a sponsor must terminate an exchange visitor's program and authorizes the Department, in its discretion, to terminate an exchange visitor's program in limited circumstances; modifies Extension of Program and Reinstatement to valid program status in their entirety by eliminating outdated requirements and introducing updated procedures that make use of current SEVIS functionality; amends Definitions to include definitions for "Unauthorized Employment" and "Valid Program Status"; and rescinds the separate extension of program provision for au pairs.
