On July 30, 2026, the State Department published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to change the rules on termination, extension and reinstatement for the J-1 exchange visitor program. This is at the proposed stage and not yet in effect, and public comments are being accepted.
What the proposal would change
According to the summary the State Department published, the draft covers four areas:
- Clarifying when sponsors must terminate: the circumstances in which a program sponsor must end an exchange visitor's program
- Authorizing the State Department to terminate on its own: in limited circumstances, the State Department could use its discretion to end a person's program itself
- Rewriting the extension and reinstatement process: removing outdated requirements and running the process through existing SEVIS functions
- Adding two definitions: "Unauthorized Employment" and "Valid Program Status"
The draft also removes the separate extension provision for au pairs.
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Where things stand
A proposed rule is the first step in rulemaking, not a final decision. The State Department says the public comment period runs 60 days from July 30, 2026, which means through the end of September.
In the end, a proposed rule may be adopted as written, adopted with changes, or quietly dropped. Until a final rule is published, the current rules stay the same.
One of the most common mistakes in Chinese-language immigration content is reporting a proposed rule as a done deal, writing things like "it will take effect next year." Whenever you see coverage of this draft, first check whether it's talking about a proposal or something already in effect.
Does this affect you?
If you're on a J-1, or working as an au pair, this draft changes the process you'd go through in the future to extend your program or reinstate your status.
But you don't need to do anything right now. The draft isn't in effect, and any extension or reinstatement you're currently going through is still handled under the current rules. If you see someone saying "the new J-1 rule takes effect next month, hurry up," that's treating a proposal as a done deal.
We'll follow up when the final rule comes out. Until then, all you need to know is that this draft is working its way through the process.