When is opt start date




















Pre-Completion OPT is for off-campus employment before graduation. Apply as Early as Possible You can apply as early as 90 days before your requested employment start date.

Employment Start Date If you do not know the exact date you will start working, you may choose the earliest date you hope to start working as your prospective start date and calculate your application timeline accordingly.

Apply as Early as Possible If you are graduating, you can apply as early as 90 days before your program end date. For most students at Yale, the program end date is the Commencement date, but please check your I to find out your actual program end date. 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 will also use this update form to inform OIA of any changes to your employment status, employer, or address. The only difference between applying for a new card and applying for a replacement is checking one box on the I For the replacement card, you will have to submit an entirely new application with all supporting documentation, pay the filing fee again, and wait for your application to be processed.

During this time, you will either need to leave the country, change to a new immigration status, or transfer to a new program. You are not allowed to work during this time. Please see our information on the Grace Period for details. If you are leaving the U. The last day you can be legally employed is the work authorization end date listed on your EAD.

After the end date, you can no longer work on OPT. You will have 60 days to leave the country, change to a new immigration status, or transfer to a new program. If you want to quit working and leave the country before your OPT has ended, that is fine.

This would have a negative impact on your immigration status and could cause complications for future U. I studied in a STEM field. First, OPT provides flexibility for both you and your employer. OPT is not employer specific; this means you can have multiple employers and change jobs.

It also gives you a chance to show your skills and build a relationship with your employer, which could lead to sponsorship in the future. Logistically, OPT will give you an opportunity to work in the U. Speak with the company that is going to sponsor your employment status for more information on application timing, eligibility, or other questions. OPT also adds time to your work eligibility in the U. H-1B status is limited to a finite number of years.

OPT can give you extra time to work in the U. I am pursuing an H-1B application through consular processing. Anything I should know? If your record is 'terminated' or 'inactive' it can cause travel issues when you try to return to the U. There is no tracking system which allows OIA to find out if you have applied for a different status or if your record has been erroneously terminated by the system.

Because of this, we encourage students in this situation outlined above to proactively contact OIA before traveling to confirm their records are 'active'. Skip to main navigation Skip to main content The University of Chicago. The Office of International Affairs.

OIA Newsletters: Sign up here. Search Search. You may not pursue a new course of full-time study while on OPT. USCIS is allowed up to 90 days to process your application once it is received; it will take additional time for USCIS to receive your document, receipt it, and mail it back to you.

You must be in a degree program to be eligible. Students in non-degree programs e. You must not have used OPT at a higher degree level. You will not be eligible to apply for OPT if you are outside of the U.

You are eligible for 12 months OPT per education level. For example, if you are completing a second Master's degree and you have already used OPT at the Master's level, you are not eligible for 12 additional months of OPT after completing the second Master's degree.

As long as each position meets the required employment criteria, you can work for multiple employers simultaneously. Part-time OPT is counted at a half-rate.

Example : Four months part-time OPT is subtracted from the total as two months. If your current I end date does not currently reflect the actual end of your program, it must be adjusted. See our information on shortening or extending your record. Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for OPT you must: Be registered full-time in a degree program for at least one academic year three quarters in valid F-1 status Have not used 12 months of OPT for a previous degree at the same level e.

Important Notes: If you are outside of the U. On-campus employment does not count against the month OPT eligibility. The 'clock' begins on the start date listed on your EAD. Visit our employment FAQ to learn what is considered employment, how unemployment works, and what to do if you accrue 90 days of unemployment. Reporting: You must report all employers to OIA within 10 days of any new job. Multiple jobs: OPT is not employer specific. As long as they otherwise meet all employment criteria, you can work for multiple employers simultaneously Showing that OPT is directly related to a degree program After your OPT has been approved and you start working, you are required to report what your position is and how it is related to your degree program through the OIA OPT Update Form.

You must be able to concisely describe how your work is related to your studies in sentences. OIA advisers are unable to determine your degree relevancy or confirm that your job is directly related; determining the relevancy is up to you. Make sure to proofread before submitting your updates.

If it is not clear from the job description that the work is related to the student's degree, SEVP highly recommends that you obtain a signed letter from your supervisor or manager or the employer's hiring official stating how your degree is related to the work performed and keep it for your records. OIA does not need a copy of this statement. The Student Exchange and Visitor Program SEVP recommends that you maintain evidence - for each job - of the position held, proof of the duration of that position, the job title, contact information for the your supervisor or manager, and a description of the work.

This documentation should be kept for your own records and may be requested during future immigration applications e. OIA does not need a copy of this documentation. Keep a list of all gigs, the employer, and duration of each.

Work for hire: Commonly referred to as or Independent Contractor Employment; keep evidence of the duration of contract periods and the name and address of the contracting company. You should be able to prove that you have the proper business licenses and that it is related to your degree program.

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, NGO or any other employer situation. Additional questions about types of OPT employment? Unpaid Employment: You may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern while on OPT, where this practice does not violate labor laws. Assuming it meets all other criteria, unpaid internships and volunteer positions can qualify as OPT employment for reporting purposes.

However, the work cannot start until after you complete 3 quarters of full-time enrollment. Your OPT start date can be between the day after your end date and 60 days after your end date. If you are outside of the U. If you cannot attend, you can review the OPT workshop slides or recording , as well as all of the information of this webpage, including the OPT FAQs Starting your OPT application without attending or viewing the workshop could lead to application errors and delays in processing your request, as well as have a negative impact on your application to USCIS.

You must include OPT start and end dates on this form. For post-completion OPT, your OPT start date has to be between the day after your end date and 60 days after your end date. Upload the following two documents as a pdf signed Verification of Completion Form and completed I application : a. If your ending quarter is earlier than your current end date, your F-1 record will be shortened to reflect the change. Shortening your record will add additional processing time, so please plan ahead.

This document is required for post-completion OPT applications only. Fill it out online and then print it write-able PDF format. Follow the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions will cause review and processing delays. If this does not work, we recommend printing and uploading or saving as an image For any technical issues editing the form: If you have any issues editing any of the sections of the pdf, you can always handwrite your answers, as long as the handwriting is neat and legible.

Submission: Your form will be considered "submitted" once you see green text at the top of the page. See image below for example of a fully submitted form. Your name field should match your I exactly. Part 2, 5a-e : This is where your EAD will be sent. You must select an address that will be valid for the next months.

If your address will change, you can ask a friend, relative or employer if you can add their name and U. EADs will not be sent abroad. When using a friend, relative or employer's address , you must write their full name in the "In Care of Name if any " field. The U. Postal Service will NOT forward government mail to a new address.

If you live in an apartment, check the 'Apt. Include the last four digits of the zip code Ex. You will likely need to hand write this. S' address is correct in the my.

Part 2, Items : Optional. If you already have your SSN, you can leave these items blank. This option was added to the I in early October, If you applied prior to Oct , this option did not exist. Part 2, 21a: Visit the U. If you entered the U. Part 2, 21c Travel Document Number, if any : Most F-1 students will not have a separate travel document other than their passport, so this can be left blank Part 2, Enter the date of your most recent entry into the U.

Part 2, 23 : Enter the port of entry you last came through on the entry stamp in your passport. Part 3: Choose 1a, complete , and sign and date in 7a-7b. Your signature must be handwritten , as electronic signatures will not be accepted and may lead to the denial of your application. If you are submitting the online OIA application , it is fine if you leave the signature blank until you get the draft copy back.

That way, you will not need to print, scan, and upload the document. It may say ' Don't forget to sign! If you can't get the document to print without the warning message, it is fine. USCIS has started that including the warning will not impact your application.

Related blog post: Must-know 4 eligibility for student visa OPT. As I wrote in the title, what you need to remember are these numbers: 90, 60, and If you are graduating earlier than the program end date, you should talk to your international student advisors. Below is the visualized time frame that shows from when to when F-1 visa holders can apply for OPT.

Since it gives you 3 months before your program end date to apply for OPT and 2 months after the graduation date, it is called a 5-month window. Basically, international students can choose any date within the 5-month window as a OPT start date.

However, students should be strategic when it comes to choosing the OPT start date and I will discuss why and how in the next section. This will help students to not go over than 30 days, thus, be eligible for applying for OPT. Post-completion OPT. For post-completion OPT, not including a month OPT extension under paragraph f 10 ii C 2 of this section, the student may properly file his or her Form I or successor form up to 90 days prior to his or her program end date and no later than 60 days after his or her program end date.

In the previous section, the 5-month window to apply for OPT has been discussed. On the other hand, the latest OPT start date should be no later than 60 days from the graduation date. Case scenario 1 : If you have had job interviews during your final term, you may choose the date that is closer to the program end date as your OPT start date.



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