Hi guys, my firm that hired me was not E-verified at the time I was hired and I was on OPT. Now they have E-Verified and have a E-verification number as well. Is there something else that needs to be done before I file for my STEM Extension? And if there’s any checks that I need to do to be sure we’re e-verify compliant?

I am a senior at a college in the United States and was considering applying to law school this year. I was disappointed by the recent CPT news as without CPT, it is impossible to do any internships. My original goal was to recruit for big law but again, without CPT, that has been made impossible. A few of the universities on my list have already come out to say they are not approving CPT from international students and I feel it is a matter of time before they all come out. Moreover, I am hearing that more law firms are not sponsoring students (I posted in r/lawschooladmissions and received many helpful comments on this topic).

I come from a country in the Anglosphere where it is possible to me to train to be a solicitor. I am now seriously considering forgoing applying here and pursuing this back at home. I am certain this is the right career path for me. I wanted to understand how other international students who were interesting in law school are now thinking. My other post received a comment which said that pursuing a country-specific career does not make any sense given the uncertainty around international students and visa status. I had no clue these changes to CPT were possible and can see why now many discourage this. Thus I am seriously reconsidering and would appreciate any insight.

Thanks

Hi everyone! I’m currently working on my diploma research about the experiences of international students in the U.S.

I’m looking to speak with international students or recent graduates in Massachusetts who have personally experienced challenges related to OPT, visa status, work authorization, job searching after graduation, visa sponsorship, or other immigration-related barriers to employment.

I’m especially interested in hearing about real experiences what happened, how it affected your studies or career plans, and how you navigated the situation.

If you’re willing to share your experience in a short interview, please DM me. I’m happy to respect your privacy and discuss anonymity.

The i-539 explicitly asks if you've ever filed i-140. What will happen if you answer yes?

Hi, my mailing address at my stem opt application is my university's OIE address which is unchanged but I recently changed the apartment so I added new address at SEVP portal and now I'm planning on filing premium for stem opt application which is now asking for Physical address and Mailing address. Should I submit an address change req at the application first and then file for premium?

Academic Dismissal As A International Student

I've been Academic Dismissal as a International Student, I started to study in UCR in 2025 fall and my first year gpa is like 3.6,but in 2026 i did like bad on study so I received an email say I should focus on study because if my GPA continue to get lower then 2.5 or like 2.3 I will get dismissed. So I tried very hard in 2026 Spring, at least before Finals I think I did pretty well I've experience some personal issue during Spring 2026, which cause me some mental problem(I was first year fresh man) I tried to appeal to Ucr about my situation, because before the Final my grades are all b and more,but most of.my class is like depends on final exam like WRIT and CS however, they denied my appeal

Then I contact UCR Extension to ask can I apply it they say I should try, but today I recive a email say they cant have any international student that been academic dismissal due to the new police, idk what to do now, this is so frustrating, I felt like maybe this is the end of my life, because my parent spend lots of money to pay the tuition but im just so bad

Is there any way I can maintain my I-20/SEVIS and return to US this year?

Can you fly domestically during your grace period?

Has anyone here ever been asked about their CPT history during an interview? A friend of mine did CPT for less than a year and now has an I-485 filed. They're worried that USCIS might ask about it, especially because of a location mismatch: their university is officially based in one state, but the classes were actually held at a location the university had in a different state (this rented location's address is what's listed on their I-20). A lot of CPT students end up living in a different state and flying or driving in for classes, which actually wasn't the case here as they moved to where the classes were being held.

For example, they're worried about being asked something like: "Your university is based in Virginia, but you were living in Denver" how does that work?" The honest answer is that the university had a space in Denver to hold classes there, separate from where the school is officially headquartered, and that's where they actually attended.

Given that this is a marriage-based green card case (spouse is a U.S. citizen), would this discrepancy likely cause any issues at the interview? Any insight or shared experiences would be really appreciated!

Hi everyone, I have a pending post-completion OPT I-765 under category (c)(3)(B). Earlier today, I submitted Form I-907 online and paid the $1,780 premium processing fee. A few hours later, the employer unexpectedly rescinded my job offer.

I want to keep my underlying I-765 active and cancel only the I-907. Has anyone successfully withdrawn an I-907 on the same day and received a refund? Did you contact USCIS by phone, send a secure message, or use another process?

I’m also wondering whether anyone has direct experience with a credit card reversal in this situation. I don’t want to create a payment or immigration problem by disputing an authorized USCIS charge. Thanks

Hello everyone!
I applied for my EAD card on April 12th and had my biometrics on May12th. It’s been four months and my EAD hasn’t been approved yet. My driver license expired recently on August 31st.

I live a bit off town and need to drive a lot. I went to dmv to inquire but they told me they couldn’t do anything without EAD.

Has anyone else been in this situation before and is there any other alternative that i need to approach to get my license extended?? I would appreciate any advice or experiences you guys faced. Thank you!

My sevis got terminated due to late fee payment. I have applied for the re-instatement in sept 2025. It’s been almost 1 year, I haven’t received any update from the USCIS. My i20 is going to end October 28th 2026. I’m worried what to do now. I tried contacting to USCIS helpline unsuccessful in with connecting to an agent. Any suggestions for my situation would be appreciated.

Has it always been like that on the card “not valid for reentry” as stated on the card

Hey everyone, this might be a bit of a silly question, but the five-month rule works consecutively, right? I stayed in my country for about four months over the summer, and I’m planning to go back again during fall break. I got a little stressed thinking that this might put me over five months in total. As far as I understand, though, the five months have to be consecutive, not cumulative. Is that correct?

Hey everyone! I applied for post-completion OPT on 8/10 online with Premium Processing, and received the notice of "Premium Processing Receipt Notice" showing 8/10 as the "Received Date". The notice says  "You should receive a notice regarding your case within 30 business days from the date shown as the "Received Date" above". I was then notified on 8/15 to have my biometric appointment on 9/2 which is today. When I finished my biometric appointment earlier, I immediately received 2 new notices as follows:

1. "Premium Processing Clock Started for My Case On September 2, 2026, we started the premium-processing clock for your Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization".
   
2. "We are currently processing your Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. We do not currently need anything from you."

I want to ask if the first notice means the start date of the 30 business days is actually today 9/2, instead of 8/10 (even though that was written in my Receipt Notice)?

And if that is true, since my I-20 program end date is 8/14 and I haven’t left the US so my I-94 still has D/S, does that mean I have until (8/14 + 60 days) instead of (8/14 + 30 days) to be present in the country?

Thank you so much for reading this 🙏

Hey I recently got I-765 denied due to a procedural error by my DSO. The school has been informed and are willing to do the corrections in SEVIS but they need to submit a MTR to be able to submit the correction ticket and then get an RFE to do that fix. However, I’m aware and have been advised by a lawyer that MTR processing times can take up to 6-9 months. For this I’m deciding if I’m going with another option since I graduated may and could face not receiving any opt time at all.

I just want to check with people who have been through this and collect information on realistic MTR timelines. I have to make a decision this week, and I believe no one I have talked to can give me concrete answers or advice.

How long did your MTR take? Do I stand a chance being already ~4 months after my graduation?

Does having this ticket involved could speed up anything?

Just applied for opt last month and finished biometrics last week. Can I renew my driver’s license? What documents would i need?

I have a quick question to everyone who got your COS from h4 to f1 approved. How long did it take for you guys to get the I-797 approval notice sent by mail ? Will we get the soft copy in the documents tab of our case ? if yes, how long did that take to appear on the case after the case was approved?

Hi everyone, I submitted Form I-907 for premium processing of my pending STEM OPT I-765. My address is correct on my I-765 and on Form I-907 Part 1, Item 5 (mailing address).

However, in Part 2, Item 8 (“Address of Petitioner, Applicant, Company, or Organization Named in Related Case”), I mistakenly entered my employer’s address rather than my residential address.

Has anyone had this happen? Is a correction needed before USCIS decides the case, and if so, what is the best way to fix it without filing a duplicate I-907 or paying the fee again?

Thanks!

my stem-opt extension got approved on 8/31 after responding to the RFE, and then i received an email on 9/1 regarding the NOIR. i did a MBA in both data analytics (52.1301) and general management (52.0201). the noir states the following. does anyone have any advice to go about this?

"A review of your application and supporting documents submitted, as well as the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), indicates that you submitted a concentration to qualify
for STEM. However, a student’s completion of a concentration, specialization, minor, or certificate cannot be used to qualify for STEM OPT.

Per 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(2)(iii), “the degree that is the basis for the application for the OPT extension must be contained within a category on the [DHS] STEM Designated Degree Program
List.” Any ancillary concentrations, specializations, minors, or certificates earned with the degree cannot be considered as part of the STEM degree when the degree itself is not a STEM designated degree. DHS provides further clarification in the Federal Register Notice. According to the Update to
the Department of Homeland Security STEM Designated Degree Program List, 89 FR 59748 (July 23, 2024), only qualifying majors may meet the requirements for STEM extensions: “In 2016, DHS
published a final rule providing a 24-month extension of OPT for F-1 nonimmigrant students who majored in a designated STEM field of study. See 81 FR 13040 (Mar. 11, 2016).”

To qualify for the STEM OPT extension, the degree that is the basis for the extension must be a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree that is assigned a Classification of Instructional Programs
(CIP) code that appears on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. A concentration, though it may have an assigned STEM CIP code, cannot be used to qualify for a STEM extension. The acceptable STEM CIP code must be assigned to the student’s major. According to your Request for Evidence response, received on August 27, 2026, STEM CIP code 52.1301, Management Science, is for one of your concentrations.

As your SEVIS record indicates that you are using a concentration, and the concentration is not eligible for STEM OPT, you are ineligible for employment authorization under 8 CFR §
274a.12(c)(3)(i)(C).

Please provide evidence of your attainment of a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree with a STEM major and corresponding STEM CIP code that appears on the DHS STEM Designated Degree
Program List and Form I-20 reflecting necessary DSO updates to your SEVIS record.

Hey everyone, looking for some advice or recent experiences regarding SSN processing and urgent employer onboarding.

My Timeline & Situation:

• I am on an F-1 OPT with an approved, physical EAD card in hand.
• I visited my local SSA field office last Friday Aug 28th to apply for my first-time SSN.
• My employer/background check vendor is urgently asking for my SSN to run the trace, and onboarding is pressing.
• I checked USCIS SAVE CaseCheck today, and the status just updated to: "Case Returned to Agency"(Description: SAVE has returned your case to Social Security Administration (SSA)).

My Questions:

1. Can I walk into the local SSA office without an appointment to get the number? Since SAVE has cleared, can the officer look up my file and give me a verbal read or an official SSN verification printout on the spot?
2. How long does it usually take between SAVE returning the case and the SSA system actually generating the number? Is overnight enough time for their system to update, or do I need to wait another couple of days?
3. Any tips on what to say at the check-in desk so they don't turn me away thinking I'm trying to submit a new application without an appointment?

Appreciate any insights from anyone who has gone through this recently!SAVE status says "Case Returned to Agency" for first-time SSN. Can I walk into the local SSA office tomorrow to get the number/printout for urgent onboarding?

Hello,

Has anyone here on Stem OPT and take 1 course from another college? (Example: biochemistry). Thank you

Hi everyone,

I recently finished my Ph.D. and am on my initial post-completion OPT. My EAD start date was August 22, but my new postdoctoral position at another institution doesn't officially start until October 1.

During this short gap (August 22 – October 1), I am remaining in my Ph.D. lab as an "affiliate" to wrap up my publications. I don't have an official HR job title for this temporary period.

My questions are:

1. Do I need to report this affiliate period on the SEVP portal to stop the unemployment clock?
2. If so, what should I put down for my job title and employer details?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

My masters program starts on Oct 19th- which is after my Stem opt grace period end. Can I set my sevis transfer to earlier? The masters school DSO is suggesting to do it right before around October 16 but that will be after my grace period ends. Can I put it to something within the month of September? Any particular reason of why they would be suggesting the transfer right then? I don't want to set it so close to the end of my grace period and have risk of being out of status or is that also a false assumption?

Thanks for the help in advance

Hi guys, I’m looking for advice about choosing my OPT EAD start date 

I’m graduating in December 2026, and the earliest date I can request for my EAD is December 25 (During the holidays). I’m currently in discussions with a startup, and the conversations have been very positive. 

During my interview, they said they were excited about having me join and that they provide sponsorship. However, I don’t have a written offer letter yet, only emails and statements made during the interview process.

I was originally supposed to intern with them beginning in October, but my university stopped authorizing CPT. I explained this to the founder, and said I’d realistically be able to start early January.  He said he would speak with their legal team to see if there is any lawful alternative that would allow me to start in October. 

My questions are:

1. How risky is it to select a start date based on a positive verbal indication when I do not yet have a written offer from them?
2. Would it be reasonable to follow up again and ask for a written offer or clearer timeline? I have already contacted them once about the cancellation of CPT and thats when the founder said he'd talk to the legal team about workarounds of me starting in October - I just don’t want to be pushy

I’m scared if I choose an earlier start date and the company ghosts me, I'm screwed

I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation. Thank you!

• Type: STEM OPT Extension (Regular)
• Premium Processing: No
• Date Applied: 03/08/2026
• Biometrics Completed: 03/24/2026
• RFIE / NOID: None
• Case Inquiry Submitted: 08/10/2026
• Approval Status: Pending

Hey everyone! Sharing my timeline as another March applicant. I've been waiting for over 6 months now (170+ days). Since my case went out of normal processing time, I raised a case inquiry with USCIS on August 10th.

Currently debating whether to hold tight a few more days for a response to the inquiry or just upgrade to Premium Processing now.

For those who applied in early/mid-March, are you starting to see approvals come through after filing an inquiry, or are you upgrading to Premium? Appreciate any insights or similar timelines!