The student is limited to unemployment of 90 days during the 12 month period of Post-OPT and an additional 60 days during the month STEM extension for a total of days of available unemployment.
Frequently Asked Questions. Who is eligible for Optional Practical Training? When can I apply for Optional Practical Training? How do I select my OPT start date? How do I apply for Optional Practical Training? What if I have trouble finding a job while on OPT?
Quick Links. Request Information. Check Application Status. As before, you must keep OIA informed of any changes and are required by law to report your employment to our office:. OPT is a continuation of your F-1 status and is not a new status. While on OPT, you continue to be sponsored by the University and remain subject to F-1 travel regulations.
A few important things to keep in mind:. Although visa approvals are always up to the individual officers, the fact that you are on OPT will not negatively impact a F-1 visa application by itself. As with any F-1 visa application, you must be able to demonstrate non-immigrant intent and that you plan to return to your home country after OPT ends. It is supposed to say this. Visit our Travel FAQ for more information about what this means.
The "H-1B cap-gap" refers to the period of time between the end of a student's F-1 status end of OPT or grace period and the beginning of the student's H-1B status. The Cap Gap only applies for students submitting a Change of Status petition not consular processing for cap-subject employers.
If a student has an H-1B application pending with or approved by USCIS, the cap gap extension rule automatically extends an eligible F-1 student's authorized period of stay in the U. It will take about one week for your Cap Gap I to be printed. It is essential that you notify your adviser when your H-1B petition has been approved or denied by USICS, so they can update your record as necessary.
The standard day grace period will apply from the date the H-1B petition was denied, rejected or revoked. You must stop working immediately upon receiving notice that your petition was denied, rejected or revoked. You will then have 60 days to leave the U. Traveling while on Cap-Gap Extension If you are on a cap-gap extension of OPT, you will not be able to travel during the cap gap extension period.
You will not receive a new EAD for your cap gap extension. Because your EAD will have expired, you will not be able to re-enter the U. If you must travel abroad, please speak with your OIA adviser for more detailed advice. If you are on a cap-gap extension of STEM OPT, you will be able to travel during the cap-gap extension period, after the H1-B petition is approved and with the required documents listed here.
These sessions are limited in space and meant to provide an overview of the OPT application packet; including the order of application materials, collating, and shipping information. Unable to attend?
View the session slides here! Post-Completion OPT : You can apply up to 90 days before and up to 60 days after the program end date listed on your I You will not be eligible for post-completion OPT if you leave the U.
Late applications will be rejected. You are eligible for only one post-completion OPT segment per completed program of study. You must begin post-completion OPT within 60 days of your program end date. Any OPT you do not request or use will be forfeited. However, if you choose not to apply for OPT at the time you complete a program, you cannot go back at some point in the future and claim that OPT time.
You can apply for multiple segments of pre-completion OPT; for example, you can use pre-completion OPT during two separate summers while you are a student for an internship or job.
OPT is not employer specific. You do not need a job to apply for OPT. You will not include any information about your employer in your post-completion OPT application. When choosing an OPT start date, make sure you consider your proposed job start date, class schedule for pre-completion OPT , your plans for future study at the same degree level, and potential H-1B plans. Also consider that OPT can take 3 - 5 months to be approved.
Is the 'start date' my OPT start date or my work start date? What is the difference? The OPT start date you request must be within the day Grace Period following the end of your program. In most cases, this requested start date is the OPT start date that will be the start date that is printed on your EAD. To begin working, you need the EAD in hand and the start date printed on the card must be reached. In this case, the start date printed on your EAD may be later than expected.
Contact OIA if you need to change your start dates before you mail your application. Can I change this? Shortening your record to an earlier end date is final and cannot be reversed without a complete extension application. See the extension link for information about extension eligibility.
Your employer does not need to provide any documentation for your OPT application. If you can't make it, watch the OPT Workshop recording and make sure to review the website thoroughly.
Where is my new I? After you drop off your application, you can expect to hear back from OIA about the status of your application in one week 5 business days. In almost all cases, we stick to this timeline. If it has been more than a week since you submitted your OPT application, first, check your junk mail or 'Promotion' folder if applicable.
Sometimes email providers filter such messages. This receipt notice will have your receipt number on it. If you filled out a G request for electronic notification, you will be notified through email or text messages that it has been received.
If you paid the application fee by check, you can see if the money has been removed from your account. OPT takes about three months 90 days to get approved. If your application has been pending for more than 75 days, you can contact USCIS for assistance, but they will not typically accommodate expedite requests.
My OPT application is pending and I have moved to a new place. What should I do? If your address has changed since you applied for OPT, contact your International Student Adviser as soon as possible.
Address issues are one of the biggest complications we see with OPT applications, so it is important to contact your ISA early if there are any changes in your application. Will my application be approved? OPT is a benefit of your F-1 status. As long as you are follow the directions closely, submit all of the required documents within the specified timeframe, and are otherwise eligible, your application should be approved.
As long as you follow of the instructions exactly and submit your application in a timely manner, it is extremely unlikley your application will be rejected. The most common reasons we see for rejections are: applying too early more than 90 days before the end date, applying too late too close to the end of the day grace period , and the application being received more than 30 days after the OIA signature date on page 1 of the I Outside of these reasons, it is extremely uncommon for applications to be rejected.
If you forget to sign something or do not include a required document, it is more likley you wil receive an RFE than a rejection. The best way to avoid receiving an RFE is to make sure you are following all of the detailed application directions exactly.
By far the most common issues we see with OPT applications are address and mailing issues. It is absolutely crucial to include an accurate, reliable address that will be valid for months into the future.
If your home mail system tends not to be reliable, consider sending it to a trusted friend or family member. If you are going to move months after you submit your application, make sure to use a different address. I was authorized for OPT before, but don't have any documents from my previous application. What can I do? If you are missing copies of some or all of these docuemnts, include a formal letter to USCIS explaining that you were previously on OPT and that you have lost your documents.
If known, include the start and end date of the OPT, the service center where it was approved, and receipt number. If you do not have this information, your school may still have a record of your OPT. If you are missing copies of some or all of your previous Is, you can first try contacting your previous school to see if they have a copy.
If this does not work, you can create a letter of explanation that details your previous program s and any CPT or OPT you were authorized for. These letters should be relatively short and straightforward; as individual circumstances vary, there is no template available for them. In general, make sure to keep all previous immigration documents for your records. It is common for new applications to request previous documents from previous applications--even if you are now in a different status.
I want to withdraw my OPT application. Can I get a refund for my application fee? The application fee is non-refundable.
Once you put your application in the mail, you will not be able to get your payment back. This is true whether or not you withdraw your application or if it is rejected. As long as the service center receipts your application not just receives before the last day of your Grace Period, you can stay in the U.
You can travel as a regular F-1 student before your I end date. This is case even if you have submitted an OPT application. After your I end date, you will require the EAD and additional documents to travel. See below for more information. Before I end date : Yes. After I end date: Traveling during this time should be undertaken with caution. USCIS may send you a request for evidence while you are away, however, so you would want to make sure you have provided a correct U. Pre-completion OPT and travel before your program end date will not affect your eligibility to travel internationally.
After the program end date listed on your I, you are expected to have your EAD to re-enter the country. If you leave the U.
Yes, as long as it is before the program end date listed on your I If you are travelling before your program end date, you can travel like a regular F-1 student, even if you have an OPT application pending. If you are traveling after your program end date, you will need your EAD and a letter from your employer, in addition to your regular travel documents, to re-enter the U.
We do not recommend travelling out of the country after your program end date until your OPT has been approved and you have your EAD in hand.
See our page on Required Documents for Travel for detailed information. If you have an H-1B petition pending, contact the attorney or HR representative before traveling out of the country. OPT is a continuation of your F-1 Student status. As an F-1 Student, you are allowed to enter and exit the country as long as you have all required travel documents.
After the program end date listed on the I, you should not travel out of the country until you receive your EAD see below. If you have an H-1B or other status petition pending, make sure you speak with the attorney or HR representative preparing your case before travelling out of the country. How does this work with the OPT application?
You must be in the U. If you do not apply for OPT and your I end date passes, you will not be allowed to re-enter the U. Also note that all communication about your application will be sent to your U. If there are issues with your application or you receive a Request for Evidence RFE , you must be able to respond to it to keep your application active.
OPT is a continuation of your F-1 student status. For details, visit our Visa Renewal Information page. The EAD work authorization card does not replace your visa and other immigration and travel documents. You need the EAD in addition to your regular travel documents I with travel signature- signatures are only valid for 6 months while on OPT, passport valid at least 6 months into the future, valid visa, etc.
You can see all of the documents you need for travel on our website. I have my EAD. If you already have your EAD and have all other necessary F-1 travel documents, you can re-enter the U. You cannot begin working until your OPT start date, but you can enter the U. You can work for multiple employers and hours from multiple employers can be combined for the 20 hours total. It can be a big or small company, start-up, internship, temporary work, full-time, post-doc, hourly, unpaid, salaried, unconventional hours, non-profit, for-profit, self-employment, or any other employer situation.
Remember that federal law requires you to update your OPT employment within 10 days of starting any new job. As long as they otherwise meet all employment criteria, you can work for multiple employers simultaneously. Yes, as long as the internship is relevant to your field of study. The job can be paid, unpaid, full time, part time, contract work, etc. Yes, as long as the internship or volunteer work is directly related to your field of study.
If you are doing unpaid work, make sure to keep documentation showing details of your employment and that it is a bona fide unpaid internship , such as the posting, advertisement, contracts, hours worked, etc.
Who makes that determination? It is your responsibility to have a job that is relevant to your major or field of study. You are the sole person who can make the determination of whether or not your job is directly related, as you are responsible for your maintaining your immigration status and facing any consequences arising from status violations.
You are required to report how your job is related to your field of study on the OPT Update form. For details, see our information on Showing your OPT is directly related to your degree program.
Note that OIA advisers cannot make the determination or confirm that your position is related to your field of study. It is up to you to provide the relevant information.
What's the longest I can go without having a job on OPT? Can I be unemployed? You are allowed 90 days of unemployment while on post-completion OPT. You are expected to leave the U. If you accrue more than 90 days of unemployment or if you fail to update your employer information while employed , USCIS will automatically terminate your record, which will end your legal presence in the U.
If you have exhausted your 90 days of unemployment and are not employed at least 20 hours per week, we are expected to leave the country immediately and inform OIA so we can cancel your remaining OPT time. You are allowed 90 days of unemployment for the duration of your OPT. If you stay in the U. This can cause negative immigration consequences, especially for future U. Unpaid internships or volunteer positions count as OPT employment. While you are looking for something more permanent or paid, you may want to consider finding a non-profit or other volunteer opportunity related to your field.
Working will stop the unemployment clock and give you more time to search for a job. Your record will be changed to 'complete', you will forfiet any remaining OPT time, and you must leave the U. Outside of the online form above, you do not need to submit any additional information or documentation to OIA unless specifically asked by an adviser. Make sure to submit your OPT update form within 10 days of any change.
Once you receive your EAD, make a copy or scan of it and keep it for your records. You must currently be in F-1 status. You must be in good academic standing and be making normal progress toward finishing your degree. You must not have used more than 12 months of OPT in the past at your current degree level. If you are finished with your academic program, you can still apply for OPT as long as the government receives your application within 60 days of the date you finished your studies at NYU AND you have not left the US since completing your program.
It takes this long because: 1. Your academic department signs off on a request form weeks. The OGS prepares your new I up to 1 week. How to Apply. OPT and Travel Planning. See all events.
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