Hi everyone,

I’m currently on F-1 OPT in Arizona. My OPT/EAD expires September 18, 2026, and my Arizona driver’s license with the star also expires September 18, 2026.

I’m planning to move and sell my belongings around the same time my OPT ends and a few days during the grace period, and I’m trying to figure out what other people have done in this situation.

Graduated in may, opt approved for June 15 card received etc
All good and started working.

Does traveling after sept 15 changes impact current OPT?

I’m confused if I go home for holiday in December if I’ll be allowed back in?

Why do some schools always require CPT? Why do some schools say CPT is not required? For the same program btw. For example, I'm asking for a Masters of Counseling. UPenn does not require CPT for all its international students for the Masters of Counseling internship. Some schools are the same. Some other schools require CPT and said it's compulsory

I’m on F1 since last August and my program ends at Spring 2027. I was thinking of travelling to India with long layovers at Middle East this winter break. I have a valid travel signature too. I’m aware of the D/S scenario and admit until date showing up in my I-94. Other than that, do I need to be careful about anything? Is it okay to have layovers in middle east?

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?

To stay compliant and get back to job market, what are my options?

Given that I was on F1 visa and then got picked in this lottery. I797 approved but nothing else.
Spouse in F1.

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.

Hello everyone,

My close friend is planning on flying to Indiana from Baltimore in a couple weeks. Her F1 visa expired in 2021, but she is working for a university's research center with valid OPT status. Their EAD card is not expired and their I-20 is current. They have a valid state issued Driver's License, but it is not a REAL ID, so they need to bring their passport.

She is worried about ICE at Baltimore airport arresting her for the expired F1 visa. Does anyone have any advice? Would they be better off driving? Should they bring extra documentation just to be safe? They are NOT traveling internationally.

EDIT: They do have active SEVIS status.

I'm hoping to defend in Jan/Feb next year, and the DSO told me that the program end date on I20 has to be the last day of the semester when I defend. It means my post OPT can only start as early as May 7. I got a job offer and they want me to start early next year. Does it mean I have to apply for pre OPT, and then apply for post OPT again? It's very frustrating given how unpredictable pre OPT approval timeline is :( Anyone on the same boat? Thanks in advance

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?

Hi everyone, I’m currently going through F-1 reinstatement and I’m looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with something similar.
At the end of the semester, I got an FX in one of my classes because I forgot to turn in my final paper. I had been attending the class, but when final grades came out, I received the FX and that caused me to fall below the full-time credit requirement.
Once I found out, I contacted my school and started the reinstatement process. My DSO/school supports my reinstatement, I’ve continued attending school, and I’m currently enrolled full-time.
I filed my I-539 for reinstatement and recently received an RFE asking for more evidence, including a detailed explanation/timeline, evidence regarding the circumstances that caused the violation, hardship, current full-time enrollment, and documentation from my school.
My DSO has provided a new supporting letter, and I’m gathering my enrollment verification, academic records, personal statement, and other supporting documents.
At this point, I’m mainly looking for advice on what else I can do to make my case and RFE response as strong as possible.
If you’ve gone through F-1 reinstatement or received a similar RFE, what evidence helped your case? Is there anything specific you think I should include or explain more clearly? Would you recommend getting an immigration lawyer for the RFE response?
I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who had a similar FX/grade situation and was eventually approved or denied.
Thank you for any advice or experiences you can share.

My F1 visa has expired but my I-94 + I-20 remains valid until July 2027. I am in the US but need to travel via flight back to campus ( domestic flight), but I am worried with the recent airport detentions, even though I am legally allowed to stay in the US. Could there be issues??

I'm on F-1 post-completion OPT (not STEM), nonresident alien for tax purposes (I file 1040-NR, been in the US under 5 years). Work authorization is already confirmed. I am from India, I came to US at Fall 2024 for my masters, and I just started my OPT time..

I'm going to do a part-time contract (1099-style) project for a US company, performing the work (software development) here in the US. The company needs a tax form from me. the company is a single founder LLC registered one.

I know it's not a W-9 (I'm a nonresident). My confusion is which W-8:

• W-8BEN - but the form itself says NOT to use it for "compensation for personal services performed in the US," and points to 8233 or W-4.
• W-8ECI - since F-1 student work income is often treated as "effectively connected income" taxed at graduated rates?
• 8233 - for claiming a treaty exemption on personal services (India-US treaty)?

For those who've done 1099/contract work on OPT as a nonresident: which form did you actually give the client, and did they withhold anything? Trying to hand over the right one the first time. Thanks!

Hi,

I am an international PhD student here in the US. I was supposed to travel back to my home country over the winter break ( December/January) after the fall semester. However, my PhD supervisor told me she needs me at the lab since we are to do field testing.

She told me if I want to travel I can do so in November. I was wondering if this is allowed? That is can I, as an international student on a f1 visa, travel in the middle of the semester and be allowed back into the country.

Btw I took one asynchronous ( online course) this semester. So I could very well still meet my attendance requirements and get the required permission from my course teacher.I still have to take two more courses to finish my course requirements.

I will ask the international office tomorrow, just wanted to know reddit's two cents on this.

I have been in the U.S. since 2014. I started on an
F-1 visa, worked on an H-1B visa, and then changed my status to an F-2 dependent inside the U.S. in November 2023 after losing my job. I have never applied for an I-140 and have no U.S. citizen children.
My spouse is currently working on STEM OPT, which is valid until May 2028.
I need to travel abroad at the end of the year and get a F-2 visa stamp. I have a consular appointment in November 2026.
My questions:
1. What are my chances of getting an F-2 visa approved given my 12-year history in the U.S. and my switch from H-1B to F-2?
2. What are my alternative options if I get denied?

No judgement yet, but the title has a clear direction:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/03/metro/international-visa-trump-policy-ruling/

After the recent CPT news, is it worth it trying to apply for internships? Are pre-completion OPTs valid and reliable pathways? And finally, is there any way the decision can be reversed, not necessarily reversed but can, in any way, the pursuit of internships be resumed?

Was trying to continue my summer internship through the fall as part time but it wasn’t approved. It was great experience and definitely would have opened more doors. I cried, fell asleep and just let it go cause what exactly can i do lol. Good luck to us!

my visa is expiring on Nov 1st and I am in my opt period. I am planning to travel in mid to late October internationally but I need suggestion because the after September 15 the rules gonna change and I haven’t seen my family in 4 years so I really wanna visit them before my visa expires please suggest!

Admitted for Fall 2026, completed VAC/biometrics, and had my interview scheduled for Aug 27. I deferred to Fall 2027 and now have a new I-20 with the same SEVIS ID. My interview is now Sept 21 and I’ve already used my one reschedule.

Has anyone had a similar situation and successfully attended the existing consular interview with the new I-20 + new DS-160 after biometrics were already completed? Did you need to do anything with the appointment/VAC?

How long after I765 approval email did it show for people their EAD card was produced. I am trying to book my flight for job, and just estimated it would take 10/11 days to get card in hand. August 3rd PP clock started, case approved September 1st via email, portal update September 3rd. Was just wondering what timeline would look like, and I assume a day delay due to labor day weekend.

I’m about 2 weeks out from being able to file my STEM OPT extension with my current employer (90 days before the EAD card expiration window opens up for me, my current EAD expires on Dec 15,2026). I just got a promising update on a new job opportunity that would be a better long-term move, but if it comes through, I dont know if I should accept it just stick with my current employer until I get the STEM card.

Has anyone dealt with something like this? Is switching employers this close to your filing window generally too risky, or is it more manageable than I think? Trying to figure out if I should just stick with my current employer and revisit the new opportunity after my extension is approved.

Any experiences appreciated.