F-1 visa programme: How the proposed DIGNITY Act could facilitate Indian students in US

New Delhi: The United States used to be a magnet for international students who opted it as their study destination. In 2023-24 academic year, the US registered a record high of about 1.13 million international students enrolled in colleges and universities. However, this saw a sharp decline and between March 2024 and March 2025, the number fell substantially. Only around 130,624 students enrolled in the universities and colleges of the US during that period. Studies reveal a 17 % decline in 2025, the biggest dip since the Covid pandemic.

The massive drop can be attributed majorly to stricter immigration enforcement and tighter visa regulations. However, a new proposal in the US Congress could markedly change how Indian students are evaluated during F-1 visa interviews.

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Scrapping the 'Intent to Leave' rule may make it easier for international students to secure US study visas. However, the new fixed-period admission system could still prove to an impediment in their long-term study plans.

Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, as well as twenty other members, have proposed the DIGNITY Act of 2025, which seeks to remove the long-standing 'Intent to Leave' Rule for F-1 visas. The Act would effectively make student visas dual-intent, permitting students to study in the US without having to prove they will return home after graduation.

At present, the 'Intent to Leave' rule requires international students to return to their home countries after completing their studies.

Currently, student visas require the applicant to show non-immigrant intent. This means international students have to prove that they intend to leave the US when they finish their courses. They should also prove that they have property in their home country to demonstrate evidence of their intent to return. This means that students are granted an F-1 study visa only if they intend to leave the US after completing their education.

A large number of F-1 visa refusals are issued under Section 214(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act. This provision presumes every applicant as a potential immigrant unless they can convince or persuade the consular officer that they have an intention to come back home after their temporary stay. Applicants must show strong ties to their home country — such as property, steady employment, or close family — to counter this presumption. Most often, visas are denied if a student cannot clearly demonstrate or convince the officer that they plan to return to their home country after their studies. The Act will remove this hurdle.

A report in The Times of India said that this year witnessed a steep drop in F-1 approvals for Indian applicants, with many refusals due to officers being unconvinced about the student’s “intent to return”.

If the 'Intent to Leave' Rule is removed and F-1 is treated as dual-intent, there would be no need anymore for students to prove that they do not plan to stay back in the US and return to their home country. Consular officers would no more be able to deny a visa solely because an applicant appears interested in working or settling in the US in the future. This change will potentially make interviews less subjective and lower visa refusals for Indian applicants who make a strong case for F-1 visa eligibility.