US Considers Major Student Visa Overhaul, 'Intent to Leave' Rule Under Review Amid Enrollment Decline

The United States is contemplating significant revisions to its student visa framework, including the potential elimination of the long-standing "Intent to Leave" rule, according to reports from menafn.com on November 25, 2025. This pivotal change could reshape the landscape for international students seeking education in the U.S.

This proposed overhaul comes as the U.S. faces a noticeable decline in international student enrollments, a trend that stricter visa enforcement has exacerbated, as hindustantimes.com reported on November 25, 2025. The aim is to make U.S. student visas more accessible and attractive to global talent.

Currently, the "Intent to Leave" rule mandates that international students demonstrate their clear intention to return to their home country upon completing their studies. This often involves proving strong ties to their native land through property, family, or career prospects, according to The Financial Express on November 25, 2025.

The proposed DIGNITY Act of 2025, introduced by Congresswomen María Elvira Salazar and Veronica Escobar, aims to abolish this requirement. If enacted, this legislative effort would prevent visa denials based solely on an applicant's perceived intent to remain in the U.S. post-graduation, NDTV Profit reported on November 26, 2025.

However, the DIGNITY Act does not alter the pathway for remaining in the U.S. after studies, as noted by Mint on November 25, 2025. International students would still be required to qualify for employment-based visas, such as the H-1B, to transition from student status to a work permit.

The discussion around these changes is particularly pertinent given the economic contributions of international students. NAFSA: Association of International Educators reported on November 19, 2025, that international students contributed $42.9 billion to the U.S. economy in the 2024-25 academic year, despite a slight decrease from the previous year.

This initiative seeks to address concerns from universities and advocacy groups that current visa policies deter talented individuals. The Institute of International Education (IIE) noted on November 17, 2025, that visa application concerns were cited by 96% of institutions as a primary issue for new enrollment declines.

• The "Intent to Leave" rule, formally rooted in Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, presumes every visa applicant is an intending immigrant unless they can convince a consular officer otherwise. This non-immigrant intent requirement has historically placed the burden on F-1 visa applicants to demonstrate strong ties to their home country, such as family connections, property ownership, or stable employment, to overcome this presumption and secure their student visa, as detailed by Boston University's International Students & Scholars Office.

• The DIGNITY Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill introduced by Congresswomen María Elvira Salazar and Veronica Escobar with support from a coalition of twenty members, proposes to amend F student visas to be "dual intent". This would allow international students to express future plans to stay permanently in the U.S. while studying, making it easier to transition from student status to employment-based residency and providing more legal certainty, according to the National Immigration Forum on July 15, 2025.

• International students are significant contributors to the U.S. economy, generating billions annually through tuition, living expenses, and job creation. nafsa reported on November 18, 2025, that international students contributed $42.9 billion to the U.S. economy in the 2024/25 academic year, supporting over 355,000 jobs, though this marked a 2% decrease from the previous year and the first annual drop since the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The decline in international student enrollments is attributed to several factors, including tightening visa policies, processing delays, and increased competition from other countries like Canada, Australia, and the U.K., as reported by Insight Into Academia on November 18, 2025. The Institute of International Education (IIE) noted a 17% drop in new international student enrollment for the current academic year, the largest decline in over a decade outside of the pandemic.

• Alongside the DIGNITY Act, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed other significant changes, including replacing the flexible "duration of status" system with fixed-term admissions for F-1 students. This proposal, announced in mid-November 2025, would cap initial stays at up to four years, potentially requiring extensions and creating new administrative burdens and uncertainty for students in longer programs, according to JF News on November 25, 2025.

• Higher education associations, including the American Council on Education (ACE), have strongly opposed the DHS's proposed fixed-term admissions rule, warning that it would undermine the U.S. higher education sector's ability to attract global talent. They argue that the four-year cap is incompatible with academic realities, especially for PhD students who often require six to ten years to complete their degrees.

• The potential abolition of the "Intent to Leave" rule could particularly benefit students from countries like India, where many F-1 visa rejections have been linked to officers not being satisfied with the student's "intent to return," NDTV Profit reported on November 26, 2025. However, the broader changes, including fixed-term admissions, could disproportionately impact students in long-haul programs such as medical degrees or engineering PhDs, creating additional stress and financial burdens, as noted by The Times of India on September 10, 2025.

• The DIGNITY Act also includes other provisions aimed at modernizing the immigration system, such as accelerating green card processing for high-skilled professionals and U.S.-educated graduates, and addressing issues like "aging out" for children stuck in backlogs. These comprehensive reforms seek to align U.S. immigration policies with economic needs and global realities, as outlined by the National Immigration Forum on July 15, 2025.