Each withdrawal situation is different. Therefore, to determine the right advisement you should visit or contact the ISSC immediately so we can provide you further immigration advisement. The situation becomes critical as you approach the completion date listed on your I-20.
Withdrawing is not always guaranteed. Approval of withdrawal will depend on the time frame of the request, including USCIS’s 30 days to process your request. The $410 filing fee is non-refundable.
WHAT IF I DO NOT COMPLETE MY DEGREE PROGRAM AS REPORTED ON MY OPT APPLICATION?
You must visit or contact the ISSC immediately so we can provide you further immigration advisement. The situation becomes critical as you approach the completion date listed on your I-20. Therefore, as soon as you suspect you will not complete your program of study you must contact the ISSC. This situation may have serious immigration consequences.
You are eligible for 12 months of OPT (Pre and Post) at each higher degree level. For example, if you have been granted OPT at the bachelor’s level previously, you will not have OPT available again at the bachelor’s level. Also, if you are pursuing dual majors at the same degree level (minors do not count), you will need to decide which major to use when applying for Post-OPT.
Yes, so long as the new employment is directly related to your field of study and you work a minimum of 20 hours per week. No special permission is required to change employers. Remember, you must update your employer information via the SEVP Portal within 10 days of the change.
Yes, you will do this via the SEVP Portal (not in My ASU). Once your OPT is approved and the start date is current, you will receive an email from do-not-replay.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov with directions on how to set up your SEVP Portal account. Check your SPAM and JUNK email folders if you do not receive this email once your Post-OPT is approved and the start date is current.
For more information on the SEVP Portal, please read through https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevp-portal-help
You will be mailed an invitation to create an SEVP portal account on the start date (valid from date) printed on your EAD card. It can take up to 72 hours from your start date to receive the email. If you did not receive an email from do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov with the subject line: Optional Practical Training Approval, please check the Spam folder in your ASU email account.
If you still cannot find the email, please do the following:
- Go to the MyISSC eForm Portal.
- Under F-1 Practical Training, submit the SEVP Portal Issues eForm.
- The ISSC cannot process the SEVP Portal Issues eForm until you have submitted the Post-OPT EAD Upload eForm found under F-1 Practical Training in the MyISSC eForm Portal
After your eForm has been processed by the International Students and Scholars Center (ISSC), which may take up to 5 business days, SEVP will send an email containing the subject line: Optional Practical Training Approval - the next step. You are required to use your ASU email address as listed on My ASU to create your SEVP Portal account.
If your password is entered incorrectly 3 consecutive times or if you have not logged into your SEVP Portal account for 45 days or more, the account will be locked automatically. You should receive an email from SEVP containing the subject line: Your account has been locked for too many SEVIS ID validation failures. Please follow the instructions on that email.
If you did not receive this email, try to reset your password by the following steps:
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Click on “Reset password,” then enter your ASU Public Email address (as listed on your My ASU Profile) and your SEVIS ID (It starts with N00 and is listed on your Form I-20) and click on “Update Password.”
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Next, check your ASU email to see if you have received a temporary password and a link from the SEVP Portal. If not, check your Spam folder.
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After following the link, enter the temporary password as the “current password,” and set a new password.
If resetting your password does not work, submit the SEVP Portal Issues eForm found in the MyISSC eForm Portal under F-1 Practical Training.
There is no problem with breaking months in a Pre-OPT situation (separate filing fees apply); however, breaking Post-OPT time into different months is not recommended because the ISSC cannot guarantee that you will be granted use of the remaining months later.
As long as your application was received by USCIS, you are allowed to stay in the US until your application is adjudicated. You do not need to leave the US simply because your OPT was not approved within 90 days. Please visit USCIS Case Status Online and enter your receipt number (YSC########) to monitor your application progress. Check USCIS processing times to see how long they are taking on I-765 applications for Potomac, and if they are outside of their normal processing time, submit a Case Inquiry. Nevertheless, you cannot work, intern, or volunteer, and you should not travel until your application is adjudicated. If your OPT application has been approved you need to wait until your EAD card arrives (1-3 weeks after approval). You are NOT considered unemployed when your application is still pending.
No. You cannot start working until your application is approved, the start date is current, and you have your EAD card in-hand. This includes intern or volunteer work.
As long as your application was received by USCIS, you are allowed to stay in the US until your application is adjudicated. You do not need to leave the US simply because your OPT was not approved within your 60-day grace period. Nevertheless, you cannot work, intern, or volunteer until your application is adjudicated.
If you accumulate 90 days or more of unemployment during Post-OPT, you are in violation of status and will be accumulating unlawful presence in the U.S. Please be prepared to depart or make other arrangements to keep your record free from unlawful presence accumulation. If you have a job offer that will start after your 90 days of unemployment, we do not suggest taking it since you will be accumulating unlawful presence. A student may be denied future immigration benefits that rely on the student’s valid F-1 status if DHS determines that the student exceeded the limitations on unemployment.
If you have NOT mailed your application to USCIS, you can request a change of your OPT start date. Please visit the ISSC with your application for further instructions. However, if you HAVE mailed your application to USCIS, it is very difficult to change dates, which requires withdrawing your application, and may result in losing your Post-OPT benefit. Withdrawing the OPT application can be difficult and the fee is non-refundable. It can take up to 30 days for USCIS to respond to the withdraw request, and your application may be approved by then. Once OPT has been approved, no changes can be made.
You will remain in F-1 status while your application is adjudicated, during your Post-OPT and your 60-day grace period after OPT.
If you are authorized for Post-OPT, there are no employer or location restrictions; however, please choose a job that will have you work in the U.S., not in another country. The job duties, not the job title or employer, must be related to your course of study.
The only way to receive a new EAD is by submitting a new I-765 and supporting documents (i.e., I-765, fee, letter of explanation, and I-20). It is impossible to replace an EAD card if you are outside the U.S.
If you need a replacement EAD card, you must submit the following to the Lockbox based on your current address:
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A new Form I-765
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The Form I-765 filing fee
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A letter explaining your request
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Copy of an updated I-20 showing OPT as approved
If you did not receive your EAD card that USCIS mailed, you can also submit an inquiry on the non-delivery of a card.
The ISSC highly suggests that you start working prior to returning your EAD card for correction so you are not unemployed while your card is being corrected. It could take up to 90 days to receive your corrected EAD card.
This simply means that you must carry other documents to show proof of your eligibility to re-enter the U.S. such as your I-20, passport and valid F-1 visa stamp. The EAD alone is not enough to re-enter the U.S.
No. Do not enter the U.S. on any visa other than F-1 or you will lose your F-1 status and your Post-OPT will be invalidated.
The primary purpose of Post-OPT/STEM is working. Taking classes can be done as an incidental part of your stay. Students are allowed to enroll in non-degree seeking classes. A full-time or degree-seeking program of study while on OPT/STEM is not allowed.
If you decide to go back to school full-time, you will need to request a for SEVIS transfer out from the ISSC to transfer your SEVIS Record and I-20 to the new school.
If you will start a new degree program at ASU, you need to request a new degree I-20 from the ISSC before the new degree program start date or before the end of the 60-day grace period following the Post-OPT/STEM expiration date, whichever is earlier.
If you decide to transfer your record to another institution or pursue a new degree program, your Post-OPT/STEM will be invalidated once you receive the new degree I-20.
No, there are no extensions of Post-OPT unless you are STEM eligible. After your OPT ends you have a 60-day grace period to either change your visa status, transfer to another school, pursue a new degree program at ASU, or return home. You are not authorized to work during the grace period (unless you have a pending STEM OPT extension application).
Yes. However, if you decide to pursue a new degree program, your Post-OPT/STEM will be invalidated once you receive the new degree I-20. If you will start a new degree program at ASU, you need to request a new degree I-20 from the ISSC before the new degree program start date or before the end of the 60-day grace period following the Post-OPT expiration date, whichever is earlier.
If you will start a new degree program at another institution, you have to request for SEVIS transfer out from the ISSC. This must be done before the end of the 60-day grace period following the Post-OPT expiration date.
You have a 60-day grace period after your Post-OPT/STEM ends to either change your visa status, transfer to another school, pursue a new degree program at ASU, or return home. You are not authorized to work during this time (unless you have a pending STEM OPT extension application).
Changing your address while your Post OPT application is pending with USCIS may cause issues with your EAD card being mailed to you correctly. Even if you follow the procedures to update your address with USCIS, there is no guarantee that information will be processed by USCIS before the approval of your OPT application and your EAD card may still be mailed to your former address. Therefore it is recommended to avoid changing your address once your application is pending, if at all possible. If you know you will be moving while your application is pending, we recommend you put the mailing address of a reliable friend or family member on your application.
If you must change your address while your application is pending, you must do all of the following:
Note: You must update your address within 10 days of moving
If your EAD contains incorrect information that is not due to a USCIS error, you must submit:
- A new Form I-765,
- The filing fee, if required (or a request for a fee waiver),
- Any documents specified in the form instructions, and
- The card containing the error.
If your EAD contains incorrect information because of a USCIS error, USCIS will make the appropriate correction at no additional cost to you. In these cases, you do not need to submit a new Form I-765 or a filing fee. Instead, you must submit:
- The original card containing the error,
- A detailed explanation of the card error, and
- Supporting documentation on the correct information.
Submit this information to the service center or National Benefit Center that approved your latest Form I-765.
In either case, if they receive your application or request for a replacement EAD and you no longer have any basis for applying for an EAD or employment authorization, they will not return the card and will notify you that you do not have a current basis for applying for an EAD or employment authorization.
If your password is entered incorrectly 3 consecutive times or if you have not logged into your SEVP Portal account for 45 days or more, the account will be locked automatically. You should receive an email from SEVP containing the subject line: Your account has been locked for too many SEVIS ID validation failures. Please follow the instructions on that email.
If you did not receive this email, try to reset your password by the following steps:
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Click on “Reset password,” then enter your ASU Public Email address (as listed on your My ASU Profile) and your SEVIS ID (It starts with N00 and can is listed on your Form I-20) and click on “Update Password.”
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Next, check your ASU email to see if you have received a temporary password and a link from the SEVP Portal. If not, check your Spam folder.
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After following the link, enter the temporary password as the “current password,” and set a new password.
If resetting your password does not work, submit the Reporting SEVP Portal Issues eForm found in the MyISSC eForm Portal under F-1 Practical Training.
You will be mailed an invitation to create an SEVP portal account on the start date (valid from date) printed on your EAD card. It can take up to 72 hours from your start date to receive the email. You will be unable to create an SEVP Portal account until you receive this email.
If you receive an error while trying to create an SEVP Portal account, please do the following:
- Go to the MyISSC eForm Portal.
- Under F-1 Practical Training, submit the SEVP Portal Issues eForm.
- The ISSC cannot process the SEVP Portal Issues eForm until you have submitted the Post-OPT EAD Upload eForm found under F-1 Practical Training in the MyISSC eForm portal
No. You must submit the POST-OPT/STEM application to the appropriate lockbox designated by USCIS. Please check USCIS’s I-765 lockbox addresses https://www.uscis.gov/i-765 by scrolling down to Where to file. To avoid this issue, the ISSC highly recommends all students utilize myUSCIS to file their application online.
Yes, they will, however, you will NOT provide USCIS with copies of their I-20s for your Post-OPT/STEM application. Only provide USCIS with your I-20.
Yes. If you applied online, simply log into myUSCIS to check the status of your application. If you submitted a paper application, you must wait to receive a text/email or USCIS I-797A Notice of Action (i.e., receipt notice with receipt number), visit USCIS Case Status Online and enter your receipt number (YSC########). You can also call USCIS. Their phone number is 1-800-375-5283. Be sure to have your receipt number ready before you call. You can also set up an account with them. (When their phone prompts, your receipt number letters YSC = 972).
The ISSC takes up to 10 days to process Post-OPT/STEM requests. Our processing times can vary due to caseload; therefore, cases cannot be expedited and will only be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. USCIS has an average processing time of 90 days; however, please visit USCIS’s Processing Times website for their most up-to-date processing times. If you are interested in expedited processing from USCIS, please visit their Premium Processing webpage for details.