New US student visa rules 2026: what changed for Pakistanis

The new US student visa rules that matter most to Pakistani F1 applicants in 2026 are in person interviews for almost everyone, public social media accounts, applying in your own country, a duration of status rule now postponed by a court, a legislated $250 visa integrity fee, and proposed OPT and H-1B fees. As of 14 October 2026, Pakistan is not on the US travel ban list.

Which US student visa rules changed in 2026?

Is the duration of status rule in effect?

No. Under duration of status, an F1 student can stay as long as they keep studying full time and follow the rules, plus a 60 day grace period at the end. On 17 July 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule to replace this with a fixed admission period: up to your programme end date, capped at four years, plus 30 days to leave. Anyone needing longer would have to apply to USCIS for an extension of stay. The rule also restricted some transfers and changes of programme. It was due to start on 15 September 2026.

On 14 September 2026, one day before that, Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV of the federal court in Massachusetts postponed the rule nationwide in Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration v. DHS, under section 705 of the Administrative Procedure Act. The government filed an appeal with the First Circuit Court of Appeals on 30 September 2026. NAFSA reports that the appeal does not put the rule into effect.

What this means today:

• F1 students are still admitted for duration of status.
• The 60 day grace period after your programme or OPT ends still applies.
• You do not need to file for an extension of stay just because of this rule.
• The rule has been postponed, not cancelled. A ruling from the appeals court could change the position at short notice, which is why we update this page.

Do F1 students still need an in person interview?

Yes. The US Embassy in Pakistan says that from 11 August 2025, all nonimmigrant visa applicants applying in Pakistan, including those under 14 and over 79, generally need an in person interview. Worldwide, the State Department ended most interview waivers from 2 September 2025 and updated the remaining categories from 1 October 2025.

In Pakistan, the only routine waiver is for certain B1/B2 renewals. A first time F1 student always interviews, in Islamabad or Karachi, and officers can still call any applicant for interview. Our list of F1 visa interview questions shows what to expect.

Can you apply for a US visa outside Pakistan?

Generally not. Since 6 September 2025, the State Department has told nonimmigrant visa applicants to book interviews at the embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence. If you apply based on residence, you must be able to prove it. Applying in a third country may make it harder to qualify, takes longer, and the fee is not refunded or transferred.

So a Pakistani student living in Pakistan books Islamabad or Karachi. A Pakistani who genuinely lives in, say, the UAE with a residence visa can apply there.

What is the social media vetting rule?

On 18 June 2025, the State Department told F, M and J applicants to set their social media accounts to public, and told officers to review applicants' online presence. From 30 March 2026 the same rule covers more visa types. The DS-160 asks for every handle you have used in the last five years. Our guide to US student visa social media vetting explains what officers check and what not to do.

Is the $250 visa integrity fee being charged?

The fee is law. Section 100007 of Public Law 119-21, signed on 4 July 2025, requires anyone issued a nonimmigrant visa to pay a visa integrity fee at the time the visa is issued. It is at least $250, rises with inflation and cannot be waived. It may be reimbursed later if you follow all the conditions of your visa and leave on time.

Collection has been uneven. Boston University's international office reported in May 2026 that some consular posts had begun charging it. As of 14 October 2026, the official USTravelDocs Pakistan fee page lists the $185 application fee for F visas and does not mention a visa integrity fee, and we could not confirm that it is being collected in Pakistan. Budget for it anyway, and check the fee page before your interview.

Is Pakistan affected by the US travel ban?

No. Proclamation 10998 has restricted entry for nationals of 39 countries since 1 January 2026, and Pakistan is not one of them. A separate pause on immigrant visas for 75 countries did include Pakistan, but it covered immigrant visas only and a federal court struck it down on 21 August 2026. Read the details in is Pakistan on the US travel ban list.

What about OPT and H-1B after you graduate?

These changes do not affect your F1 visa itself, but they matter if you are counting on work experience after your degree.

• OPT fees (proposed). On 8 October 2026, DHS proposed fees of $70,000 for a student's first OPT and $30,000 for any later OPT, paid by the school before it recommends the student. Comments close on 9 November 2026. Nothing changes unless a final rule is published.
• H-1B $100,000 payment. Required from 21 September 2025 for certain new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US. USCIS says it does not apply when a change of status inside the US, such as F1 to H-1B, is granted. On 8 June 2026 a federal court in Massachusetts vacated USCIS's guidance implementing the payment, and on 24 July 2026 the First Circuit refused to pause that order; USCIS says it is complying while it considers next steps. Proclamation 11069, signed on 18 September 2026, extended the restriction itself to 21 September 2027.
• Weighted H-1B lottery. A DHS rule published on 29 December 2025 gives more weight to higher paid, higher skilled jobs, and it applied to the fiscal year 2027 cap season.
• Proposed $103,265 H-1B fee. On 25 August 2026, DHS proposed this fee for all cap subject H-1B petitions, including the advanced degree category. It is not final.

Keep in mind that a visa officer assesses whether you intend to leave the US after your studies. Build your plan around your degree, not around a job you hope to get afterwards.

How do you keep up with changes?

• Check the notices at the top of the US Embassy Pakistan visa page and on USTravelDocs Pakistan.
• Ask your school's designated school official (DSO), who receives SEVP updates.
• Read final rules and proclamations in the Federal Register, not forwarded messages.
• Come back to this page, which we update when the courts or agencies act.

For the full step by step process, read our USA student visa requirements for Pakistan. If you want help planning around these rules, from I-20 to interview, see our USA student visa consultants.