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OPT Application Procedures

When to Apply?

  • For pre-completion OPT
    • You can apply up to 120 days before your employment start date.
  • For post-completion OPT
    • Apply early! Processing by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can take up to three months.
    • You may apply up to 90 days before your program end date and up to 60 days after your program end date. Your program end date is the last day of your final quarter, including final exams week.
    • ISS strongly encourages you to apply prior to your program end date. Though recent rule changes allow you to apply up to 60 days after your program end date, the government's SEVIS database has not yet been updated to reflect this change, and the application is a long, complicated process.
  • For 17-month STEM extension
    • Apply before your current EAD expires. USCIS recommends you apply up to 90 days before its expiration. You can continue to work for up to 180 days while the application is pending.

How to Apply?

For Pre- and Post-completion OPT

  • Step 1:
    • Submit the following to ISS:
      • Completed Optional Practical Training Request Form
      • Completed I-765 Form
      • Photocopy of all previously issued I-20s
      • Photocopy of passport identification page
      • Photocopy of F-1 visa page
      • Two passport-style photos
      • Photocopy of the front and back of your I-94 card
      • Photocopy of previously issued EAD (if applicable)
    • Choosing a start date:
      • If you are applying for post-completion OPT, your start date must be within 60 days after your program completion date. In other words, if you graduate or complete your exchange program June 13, your start date can be no later than August 13.
      • If you are applying for pre-completion OPT, your start date can be any date.
      • Changing the requested OPT dates after the application is mailed can be very difficult. Choose your dates carefully.
    • Photo specifications:
      • U.S. Department of State Guidelines
      • The two photos should have a white background.
      • They should be unmounted, printed on thin paper, glossy, and not re-touched.
      • The photos should show a passport-style, full-face image, with both ears visible.
      • The photo should not be larger than 2X2 inches, with the distance from the top of the head to just below the chin about 1 3/8 inches.
      • Lightly print your name and your I-94 number in pencil on the back of each photo.
      • Photographs must have been taken within the last 30 days and not previously used
    • Tips for completing Form I-765
      • Item 3:
        • Your Receipt Notice and EAD will be mailed to the address you provide. In most cases, we recommend you use our ISS office: c/o UW ISS Box 355832, Seattle, WA 98195-5832. If you will move soon, note that government mail cannot be forwarded, even if you file a change of address request with the U.S. Postal Service. Our office will need a photocopy of your EAD card. If you use our office address, we will automatically make the photocopy after receiving the EAD and will email you to pick up your card. If it is mailed to your address, you must provide us with a photocopy.
      • Item 10:
        • Use the number from your I-94 card (the small, white card in your passport). It is an 11-digit number.
      • Item 11:
        • Check "yes" only if you have previously received an EAD card from USCIS.
      • Items 12, 13, 14, 15:
        • Use the information from your I-94 card. In some cases you may have made recent short trips to Canada or Mexico, which are not reflected by your current I-94 card. This is standard and it will be fine to use the information from your I-94 card anyway. If you have changed to F-1 status within the U.S., include a copy of your Approval Notice.
      • Item 16:
        • Use one of the three following codes:
          • Pre-completion OPT: (c)(3)(A)
          • Post-completion OPT: (c)(3)(B)
          • 17-month extension for STEM degree recipients: (c)(3)(C)
      • Certification:
        • Sign the form in blue ink.
  • Step 2:
    • Your ISS adviser will review your OPT application and issue a new, updated I-20 with an OPT recommendation printed on the back page. Your adviser will email you to pick up the application at the ISS office. Within 30 days of the new I-20 being issued, mail the application, including the following documents, to the USCIS Nebraska Service Center:
      • Photocopy of signed I-20 with highlighted OPT endorsement on page 3
      • Photocopy of all previously issued I-20s
      • $340 check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"
      • Completed I-765 Form
      • Photocopy of passport identification page
      • Photocopy of F-1 visa page
      • Two passport-style photos
      • Photocopy of the front and back of your I-94 card
      • Photocopies of any previously issued EAD (if applicable)
    • Do not mail your original passport, I-94 or I-20. Be sure to sign your OPT-endorsed I-20 before photocopying it and mailing it to USCIS.
    • If you have a job offer that will begin soon, include a copy of the offer letter stapled to a cover letter on brightly colored paper. On the paper write:
      • EXPEDITE REQUEST: F-1 OPT
        Job Offer Pending, See Attached
    • Mail the entire application to:
      • USCIS Nebraska Service Center
        Box 87765
        Lincoln, NE 68501-776
    • It is recommended that you send your application by certified mail, return receipt requested.
    • Within two weeks of having received your application, USCIS will send you a receipt notice (I-797). Carefully review the notice to make sure your name is spelled correctly. If it is not, contact your ISS adviser immediately.
    • You may use the case number on your receipt notice to check the status of your application here.
    • You cannot begin employment until USCIS approves the OPT application and you have received your Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

For 17-month Extension

  • Step 1:
    • Submit the following to ISS (by mail or in person):
      • Completed I-765 Form
      • Name and address of current employer
      • Your job title
      • Your supervisor's contact information: name, email, phone
      • Your email address
  • Step 2:
    • Your ISS adviser will issue a new I-20 with a recommendation for the extension and will mail it back to you. Mail to USCIS the following:
      • Form I-765
      • Photocopy of new I-20
      • Application fee
      • Copy of STEM degree (official transcript, unofficial transcript, or copy of diploma showing level and program of study)
    • Be sure to mail your application to the USCIS Service Center serving the area of your current residence.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What happens if I move after I mail my OPT application?
     The U.S. Postal Service will not forward mail from USCIS if the address on the envelope does not match the name on the mailbox. Consider using the ISS address on the I-765 application; we will send you an email when the card arrives at ISS.
     
  2. How long does it take to get approved for OPT?
     Approximately three months.
     
  3. If I change my mind and decide not to work, can I cancel my OPT authorization?
     The answer depends on your situation. If you were issued a new I-20 with the OPT recommendation but have not yet mailed your application to USCIS, you must notify your ISS adviser of your change in plans. If you have already mailed your application to USCIS, a request can be submitted to USCIS to halt processing. Your application fee will not be returned and we cannot guarantee that your request will be honored. Contact your ISS adviser for assistance. If you have received your EAD card and wish to cancel authorization, contact your ISS adviser. Cancellation in this case is highly unlikely. OPT applications are not meant to be cancelled! Please plan carefully and apply for OPT only if you are sure that you want to work.
     
  4. When I receive my EAD card, should I give a copy to ISS?
     Yes. ISS needs a copy of your EAD card.
     
  5. I've heard that I can apply for a "temporary" EAD card. Is this true?
     In the past, students were able to apply for a temporary EAD card if their application was pending for more than 90 days. Processes have changed. If your application is pending for more than 90 days, contact your ISS adviser for recommendations on what to do.
     
  6. What happens if my EAD card never arrives, or has incorrect information on it?
     Contact your ISS adviser for assistance.
     
  7. What if I lose my EAD card?
    If you lose your card, you will need to apply for a replacement. Complete a new Form I-765 and resubmit it with all supporting documents, including the fee, to USCIS.