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One expert. One topic. Every Thursday.
The DHS final rule changed the plan for nearly every F-1 student. Each week, an immigration or international education expert breaks down one topic in one hour — live, free, and built around your questions. Can't make it? Every session is recorded and posted here.
Extending Your Stay: When to File, and Who Keeps Working
On September 15, F-1 admission stops being open-ended. Instead of "duration of status," your I-94 gets a date — and staying past it becomes something you apply for. If you are on OPT or STEM OPT and planning what comes next, three things decide how this goes for you: whether you have to file at all, when you file, and whether you can keep working while it is pending. We are spending an hour on exactly that, with an immigration attorney who will tell you when the answer isn't settled.
Replay and event follow-up will be sent to registrants.
Register once. Get this week's session and the recording.
Register for live access on September 11. If you can't attend live, the recording will be sent to all registrants — and posted on this page.
Register once. Get this week's session and the recording.
Immigration policy meets the school-side reality.
Each week, an immigration or international education expert breaks down one timely topic using trusted sources, with time reserved for your questions.
A New Topic to explore Every Week
Follow the series for clear, practical insights on the questions that matter most—one focused topic at a time.
Extending Your Stay: When to File, and Who Keeps Working
On September 15, F-1 admission stops being open-ended. Instead of "duration of status," your I-94 gets a date — and staying past it becomes something you apply for. If you are on OPT or STEM OPT and planning what comes next, three things decide how this goes for you: whether you have to file at all, when you file, and whether you can keep working while it is pending. We are spending an hour on exactly that, with an immigration attorney who will tell you when the answer isn't settled.
Register NowDay 1 CPT & the Second Master’s Question Explained
How the fixed-admission rule may affect Day 1 CPT, second-degree enrollment, and master’s programs.
DHS Final Rule Implications for All OPT Students
Initial OPT, post-completion OPT, STEM extensions, and how the extension-of-stay process may work.
F-1 to H-1B to Green Card Under the New Rule
Cap-gap, H-1B timing, SEVIS transfers, pending I-485 filings, and fixed admission periods.
One hour, built around your questions.
Understand where the rule stands, how it may affect students, and which records, deadlines, and decisions matter most.
The rule behind this week's question
The event will confirm the final text before suggesting action. These are key issues to understand, not final legal conclusions.
This week's session applies these changes to one decision: enrolling in a second master's program.
Proposed rule published
Fixed admission periods proposed.
Federal review concluded
Final rule cleared OMB review.
Final rule published
Final rule published in the Federal Register.
Rule takes effect
60 days after publication.
Admission periods
D/S has no fixed I-94 program end date.
I-94 will show a fixed Admit Until Date (AUD): your program end date, capped at 4 years, plus a 30-day grace period.
Extensions of stay
Extra time uses school and SEVIS updates.
Staying beyond your AUD requires a Form I-539 extension filed with USCIS (with fee). Transition relief: eligible students filing OPT/STEM OPT I-765 by the transition deadline may not need a separate I-539.
Transitions + travel
Transitions and travel follow status timelines.
If you leave and re-enter the U.S. on or after Sept 15, 2026, CBP will issue a date-specific I-94 — travel timing now matters.
University workflows
Schools use current I-20 and SEVIS workflows.
Schools are updating I-20/SEVIS procedures now — DSO coordination becomes time-sensitive.
Clear answers, before the event.
The event is educational and designed for students, graduates, and university advisers navigating possible D/S changes.
No. It's an educational session. Nothing in it creates an attorney–client relationship, and your own situation should go to your DSO and to qualified counsel.
Not everyone does, and that is the first thing the session settles. Students already in D/S and maintaining status on September 15 stay in D/S until their I-20 program end date or four years, whichever comes first — with two exceptions we'll cover.
It depends which authorization you're on. CPT, on-campus and hardship employment continue automatically for up to 240 days. OPT and STEM OPT do not. The session explains why.
No one can promise you a number, and we won't. We'll show you what DHS itself said about processing and what commenters said back, so you can plan around filing early rather than an approval date.
Yes — everyone who registers gets it, plus a written follow-up answering the questions we don't reach live.
Yes. Add it when you register and ask it live. The room upvotes, and the most-asked go first.
Extending Your Stay: When to File, and Who Keeps Working
Vlad Chirianu walks through how to choose, then takes your questions live. friday, sept 11, 2026 · 3:00–4:00 PM PT / 6:00–7:00 PM ET · Live + recording
Disclaimer: This event and the information on this page are provided for general educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Attending the briefing, registering, or submitting a question does not create an attorney-client relationship with any speaker or their law firm. Immigration rules and their implementation may change, including through litigation, agency guidance, or further government action. Information presented is based on sources available as of the date of each session, including the sources listed below. Every situation is different—for advice about your individual circumstances, please consult a licensed immigration attorney and your school’s Designated School Official (DSO). This event series is hosted by GoElite and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, USCIS, or any other government agency.