Optional Practical Training

This is temporary employment that takes place prior to the completion of a student's course of study. If a student would like to apply for Pre-Completion Practical Training we recommend that the student schedule an appointment to speak with an ISS advisor. Please refer to the handouts and forms below for more information regarding Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training.

• F-1 Pre-Completion OPT Information Sheet
• F-1 Pre-Completion OPT Checklist
• F-1 Pre-Completion OPT Student Form
• F-1 OPT Department Form

This is temporary employment that takes place after the completion of a student's course of study. All F-1 international students planning to work in the United States with Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon completion of their degree are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to attend an In-person OPT Workshop* no earlier than 12 months prior to their estimated graduation date.
 
*NOTE: The ISS Online OPT Workshop is not currently available. It is in the process of being updated to reflect the new Form I-765 information and instructions. At this time, completion of an OPT Workshop is not required prior to applying for a Post-Completion OPT recommendation from ISS. If you are able, we encourage you to attend one of the upcoming in-person OPT workshops. Additional information is available at http://iss.tamu.edu/Events/Optional-Practical-Training-Workshop-(OPT).**

In-Person OPT Workshop

Please refer to the handouts and forms below for more information regarding Post-Completion Optional Practical Training.
 

• F-1 Post-Completion OPT Information Sheet
• F-1 Post Completion OPT Checklist
• F-1 Post Completion OPT Student Form
• F-1 OPT Department Form

OPT Start Date

For students applying for Post-Completion OPT based upon Graduation, the requested OPT start date must be within the 60 days after graduation. For example, suppose a student graduates on 11^th May, the requested OPT start date must fall between 12^th May to 10^th July for the same year. The requested start date cannot fall after 10^th July. Once the OPT is approved by USCIS, each calendar day following the start day on your EAD card that you are not physically working counts as an unemployment day. You are allowed up to 90 days of unemployment.
 
NOTE: Any graduate student who receives a Letter of Completion from the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (OGAPS) must request an OPT recommendation from ISS within 60 days after receiving the Letter of Completion. The requested OPT start date must also be within 60 days after the date that the Letter of Completion was issued. 

An F-1 student authorized by USCIS to engage in optional practical training (OPT) is required to report any employment, change of name, or change of address for the duration of the authorized training.
 
ISS requires students who are currently authorized for Post-Completion OPT to report changes to their address, telephone, and/or employment information through the SEVP Portal, which launched in March of 2018.
 
For more information about how to create a portal account through the SEVP Portal, please visit http://iss.tamu.edu/Current-Students/F-1-Status/SEVP-Portal. In addition, you must keep your local address and phone number up-to-date in the Howdy Portal. Enter your “Student Local Physical” or “SL” address and your “Student Local/Current” or “SM” phone number when you login at https://howdy.tamu.edu. For more information on how to do this, visit http://iss.tamu.edu/Current-Students/Resources.
 
The purpose of this Post-Completion OPT Employment Reporting Form is (1) to inform ISS that you have updated your information in the SEVP Portal and (2) to indicate whether you would like to receive an updated Form I-20 from ISS.
 
Deadlines: U.S. federal regulations require individuals on F-1 status to report any change of employment, change of address, or loss of employment within 10 days of the change to the school that recommended the OPT. Your OPT reporting requirement starts from the start date on your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. ISS processing times are 5 to 10 business days from the time the student’s request is complete depending on urgency and peak times that may occur during the year.
 
Required Documents: (1) Completed Post-Completion OPT Employment Reporting Form and (2) Copy of the front and back of the Employment Authorization Document (EAD)

• F-1 Post-Completion OPT Employment Reporting Form

Students on a STEM Extension mus tfollow the reporting requirements as outlined on the OPT STEM Extension page.

Upon completing the 12-month OPT period, certain F-1 students may seek temporary employment authorization through the STEM OPT Extension. Eligible students receive an extension of their OPT work authorization. Only students with degrees in designated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree programs are eligible to apply for a STEM OPT Extension. Please refer to the OPT STEM Extension page for more information regarding the STEM Extension application.

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Please refer to the information below to learn what should be included in a complete OPT application as well as how to mail the complete application to the appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Center for all three types of OPT.

This content explains how to complete the paper version of the I-765, Application for Employment Authorization for OPT and how to mail the completed application to the appropriate U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Center. These instructions are applicable to all three types of OPT (Pre-Completion, Post-Completion, and the 24-month extension). OPT applications must be received by the USCIS Service Center within 30 days of ISS issuing the I-20 with a 12-month OPT recommendation and within 60 days of the recommendation for a STEM extension. This clock starts upon the date the advisor signed the I-20 indicated on page 1 of the I-20. OPT applications received later than the indicated date will be denied by USCIS.

The following documents are required to complete the paper application for OPT. They should be compiled and submitted to USCIS in the following order:

1. A completed USCIS Form I-765, which can be downloaded from the USCIS web page: http://www.uscis.gov. Click on the Immigration Forms link and scroll to the form I-765. Make sure to use the latest version of Form I-765, to use the appropriate eligibility category on question # 27 on Form I-765 and to sign Form I-765. The appropriate eligibility codes for question #27 on Form I-765 are listed below:
   • ​Pre-Completion OPT: ( c ) ( 3 ) ( A )
   • Post-Completion OPT: ( c ) ( 3 ) ( B )
   • 24-Month Extension of OPT: ( c ) ( 3 ) ( C ) – If you are applying for the 24-month extension of OPT, you will have to complete questions #28a, 28b, and 28c on Form I-765 as well.
2.  Two passport-style photographs sealed in a plastic bag or envelope. Paperclip the bag (do not staple the photographs) to the top right corner of Form I-765. Write your name on the back of each picture.
3. A personal check or money order payable to “Department of Homeland Security.” Paperclip the check to the top left corner of Form I-765. The fee amount for filing Form I-765 is located on the USCIS web page: http://www.uscis.gov. Click on the Immigration Forms link and scroll to Form I-765.
4. A photocopy of the I-94 record (front and back). Do not send the original I-94 card if you have one.
5. Photocopies of previously issued Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), front and back, if applicable
6. A photocopy of the I-20 issued by ISS with the OPT recommendation.
7. Photocopies of all previously issued I-20s, including I-20s from other schools, for the F-1 OPT applicant. Do not submit dependent I-20s.
8. A photocopy of the following passport pages. Do not send the original or copies of dependent documents.
   • Page with the picture and name
   • Validity/expiration page
   • Most recent visa page
9. If you are applying for a 24-month extension of OPT, you must submit proof of your degree earned. Submit a photocopy of your diploma or an official transcript.
10. Review the Instructions for Form I-765 in order to verify that you have (1) completed all fields correctly and (2) included all required supporting documentation, even if it is not specifically listed above.
11. Review the Form Filing Tips provided by USCIS.
12. Review the Optional Checklist for Post-Completion OPT provided by USCIS.
13. Review the Optional Checklist for STEM OPT provided by USCIS.

Mailing your Application to USCIS

OPT applications should be mailed to the appropriate USCIS Lockbox. See https://www.uscis.gov/i-765  to determine which USCIS Lockbox should receive your OPT application. The appropriate USCIS Lockbox is determined by the address written on Form I-765. It is recommended that the phrase “I-765” be written on the envelope containing the OPT application. Remember to include a return address on the envelope as well. An example of what the envelope should look like is included below:

If the address listed on your Form I-765 is in the State of Texas, you should send your OPT application to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox. The addresses for the USCIS Dallas Lockbox are listed below:
The USCIS Dallas Lockbox address for U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliveries:
USCIS
P.O. Box 660867
Dallas, TX 75266
 
The USCIS Dallas Lockbox address for Express mail and private courier deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: NFB AOS
2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067
 
If the address listed on your Form I-765 is NOT in the State of Texas, you should visit the Application for Employment Authorization USCIS webpage (http://www.uscis.gov) to determine which USCIS Service Center will process your application. 

Mail the OPT application to the appropriate USCIS Service Center. This can be done in one of two ways:

1. U.S. Postal Service http://www.usps.com
   1. U.S. Postal Express Mail provides a tracking service to confirm when the application was delivered.
   2. U.S. Priority Mail provides a tracking service to confirm when the application was delivered.
   3. First Class Mail Packages does not provide a tracking service.
2. Private Courier Services (non U.S. Postal Service deliveries)

A Note about Electronic Filing Form I-765

It is no longer possible to electronically file Form I-765. The application must be submitted by mail to USCIS.

To Check the Status of your OPT Application

Use the U.S. Postal Service tracking system to check whether or not the OPT application was delivered. USCIS will send a receipt, usually within 4 to 6 weeks from receiving the OPT application, to the address on Form I-765. The receipt number may also written on the back of the check and a copy of the cashed check can be obtained from the applicant’s bank. The USCIS Case Status Online is available at https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/.

Reporting an Address Change after Applying for OPT

It is advisable to use an address that will not change while the OPT application is being processed. However, if the address where USCIS needs to mail the EAD changes, call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800- 375-5283. Please note that any change in address can dramatically delay the receipt of the EAD. Remember to update your “Student Local Physical” address information through the MyRecord tab of the Howdy Portal within 10 days of any change of address. Visit http://iss.tamu.edu/ISS/media/ISS-Files/ISS-PDF/Current%20Students/Updating-Your-Local-Address-Phone.pdf for more details about this requirement.
 

The final rule effective January 17, 2017 [ 81 FR 82398 (November 18, 2016) ] eliminated the prior rule at 8 CFR 274a.13(d) that required USCIS to adjudicate applications for employment authorization documents within 90 days, or else grant an "interim employment authorization" document.

Although USCIS is no longer required to process EAD applications within 90 days, they have stated that they are still committed to making this timeframe their processing goal.

How to check the status of my I-765 Application?

1. If it has been pending less than 90 days, you can check the status of your application on the USCIS Case Status Online webpage. Make sure you have the Receipt Number on the I-797C Receipt Notice.
2. If it has been pending for more than 75 days from the date on the Receipt Notice, USCIS has a Tip Sheet to guide you to contact the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283 and create a service request. The NCSC will route the service request to the appropriate office for review. Please have your Receipt Number ready when contacting the NCSC.
3. If it has been pending for more than 90 days, you can create a Case Inquiry or Service Request by utilizing E-Request, one of the USCIS Customer Service Online Tools.
   • Outside Normal Processing Time
   • You also have other options:
     • Non-Delivery of Notice
     • Non-Delivery of Card
     • Non-Delivery of Document
     • Appointment Accommodations
     • Typographic Error
4. After seeing online that USCIS has approved your case, you can call the USCIS National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283 to get a USPS tracking number so you can track delivery through the USPS website.

A DHS regulation is the official federal interpretation of a US law passed by the US Congress and signed into law by a US President. Federal regulations are written by the federal agency authorized to interpret a law. In this case, the F-1 visa regulations are interpreted by a unit within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for policy development. Unfortunately, unlike a law, federal regulations can be changed quickly. Good evidence of that is the F-1 OPT STEM Extension regulation change for which schools had virtually no warning and which became effective immediately the day it was published in early April 2008.

• Interim Rules on Extending Period of OPT by 17 Months for F1 students with STEM degrees and expanding Cap-Gap relief for all F1 students with pending H-1B Petitions.(4/8/2008)

An SEVP Policy Guidance is a set of explanations compiled by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the unit within DHS that oversees the SEVIS computer system. A SEVP Policy Guidance is an attempt to explain the latest version of SEVIS to users. Guidelines do not replace or override federal regulations. They are designed to help explain regulations.

• SEVP Policy Guidance: Updates to Post-Completion Optional Practical Training(4/23/2010)

The purpose of this policy memorandum (PM) is to clarify the eligibility requirements for a 17-month extension of Post-Completion OPT for F-1 students enrolled in STEM degree programs.

• http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/nativedocuments/OPT_STEM.pdf