News

It’s the time of year when many of our students begin the transition from the final months of Post OPT to their STEM OPT Extension. Here’s a few tips to be prepared for the ins and outs of the STEM Extension application after you have submitted to USCIS!
 

• Please remember, USCIS processes and adjudicates your application, NOT ASU. Therefore, you should contact USCIS regarding application issues and/or delays. USCIS cannot change requested start/end dates nor can they change your completion dates.
• If you decide to not pursue your STEM OPT application, you may be able to withdraw your application before it has been processed. We recommend consulting with the ISSC before withdrawing your application.
• The average processing time for STEM OPT applications can vary. We recommend checking the USCIS website for current processing times.
  If your application is still processing after their currently posted processing times, you may submit a case inquiry with USCIS regarding their delay in processing times.
• If you have not received an answer from USCIS within 30 days, you may submit a case assistance request through the USCIS Ombudsman.
   

1. USCIS must receive your application within 60 days of the date your I-20 was issued AND before your Post-OPT end date. The ISSC recommends applying online at least the day before these deadlines to ensure your application is received by USCIS in time. The USCIS application portal does not have the same time zone as Arizona; therefore, depending on when you submit your application, it may be receipted by USCIS the next day.
2. Please Note: These deadlines are critical - applications received by USCIS more than 60 days after your I-20 was issued and/or after your Post OPT end date will be denied by USCIS. This time frame is counted by the day, not by the month. Remember, not all months have the same amount of days, so you must count out the specific days to make sure you are within the correct time frame.
3. If you will not be able to submit your application to USCIS within 60 days of receiving your STEM OPT I-20, you must request a new I-20 from the ISSC by emailing [email protected].
4. Print, sign and date your STEM OPT I-20 in blue ink. Do not forget to upload your STEM OPT I-20 or it may result in a delay or denial.