F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT)

If all of the below statements are TRUE, then you are eligible to apply for OPT:

• I am completing my degree or have only thesis remaining.
• I have been lawfully enrolled full-time for at least one academic year (Fall and Spring) immediately preceding my degree completion.
• I have maintained my F-1 status.
• I have NOT been approved for 12 months or more of full-time CPT.
• I have NOT been approved for OPT in the past for this same degree level or a higher degree level.
• I will apply for OPT within the deadlines - no more than 90 day before my graduation date and no more than 60 days after my graduation date.

Step 1: Read through the information in this section of the website and determine whether you are eligible for OPT. If you are unsure whether you are eligible for OPT or have questions about the application process, please contact your ISSS Advisor. Please choose your advisor's name from the Staff Listing page to see their most up-to-date contact information and walk-in schedule.

Step 2: Submit an OPT Request. Please note: Applications will not be accepted more than five business days in advance of your earliest filing date (90 days prior to program end date). This policy is in place to help avoid application denials due to timing errors. There is a very useful Planning Tool for Post-Completion OPT located on the Study in the States website, which can help you determine your filing deadlines.

• Your Academic Advisor will be notified that you submitted an OPT Request and will need to submit their recommendation.
• Once all documentation and your Advisor's recommendation are on file, ISSS will begin processing your application. Please allow 5 (five) business days processing time.
• An ISSS advisor will review your OPT Request and issue you a new I-20 document that reflects our recommendation for OPT and lists the requested employment dates on page 2.

Step 3: Pick up and sign your new I-20 from ISSS on the second floor of Fell Hall. You will be notified via email when your I-20 is ready and available times for pick-up.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID-19, all I-20s will be shipped. The notification email you receive will describe your shipping options.

Step 4: Download the OPT Application Checklist or view the checklist from within your ISSS Portal and gather your OPT application materials. For full details on what is required for your OPT application, please visit the USCIS website. The downloadable checklist and the below list of application materials is provided for your convenience and is not meant to replace the official instructions listed on the USCIS website.

• Form G-1450 - Authorization for Credit Card Transaction OR
  Check or money order for $410 made out to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"
  IMPORTANT: The fee to apply for OPT or STEM extension was scheduled to increase from $410 to $550 on October 2, 2020. However, on September 29, 2020, a federal judge granted a motion for a nationwide preliminary injunction against the fee increase from USCIS. This injunction has affected both the release of the 10/2/2020 edition of the I-765 as well as the planned fee increase from $410 to $550. Until Further notice, students applying for OPT or STEM Extension should continue to use the edition of the I-765 that is currently available on the USCIS website and continue to pay the application fee of $410. More information can be found on the USCIS website: https://www.uscis.gov/i-765.
  
• Two passport-size photos taken within the last 30 days (your name and I-94 number written lightly on the back of both using either a soft pencil or felt pen so that you are not pressing through and distorting the picture)
  
• Completed Form G-1145 (optional)
• Completed Form I-765
  • It is VERY IMPORTANT that you fill this form out correctly. Any errors may result in delay or even possible denial of your OPT application. Please read carefully through the Instructions for Form I-1765 posted on the USCIS website and fill out the form accordingly.
  • For your convenience, ISSS has created a Sample I-765 for you to reference. Please keep in mind that this is just an example of how most students should complete the form, but your specific case may vary. Always reference the official USCIS Instructions for Form I-765 for full details.
• Copies of ALL previous I-20s
  • Make sure all I-20s are signed before copying
  • place I-20s in order from newest on top to oldest on bottom
  • Make sure you have signed your newest I-20 (issued for OPT) and place a copy of this I-20 on top of the other I-20 copies
• Copy of Passport
• Copy of visa
• I-94 Printout
• Copy of front and back of any previous EAD cards

Step 5: Mail your complete application to USCIS. You should include all the documents listed in Step 4 above. If you would like ISSS to review your application prior to mailing, please visit the office during walk-in hours and bring your complete application with you. You can also have your advisor review your application remotely/electronically. If you choose this option, please omit/hide your social security number when providing the documents for review. Please choose your advisor's name from the Staff Listing page to see their most up-to-date contact information and walk-in schedule.

• ISSS recommends that you make a copy of your entire application before mailing it, so that you have a copy for your records. We also recommend that you mail your application using a method that allows for package tracking and/or receipt confirmation.
• IMPORTANT: USCIS must receive your application within 30 days from the date your OPT request was entered into the SEVIS system by ISSS or within the 60 days following your program end date, whichever is sooner.
• You are responsible for mailing your application. Please see the I-765 Direct Filing Addresses page of the USCIS website to find the appropriate address to use. The "If you live in..." state should correspond to the address you entered on your I-765 form.

General Application Processing

Two to three days after USCIS receives your OPT application, you should receive an email and/or text message from them indicating that they have received your application (USCIS will contact you based upon the information listed on the Form G-1145 you submitted with your application). Within two weeks of receiving the text/email, you should receive a paper Receipt Notice (Form I-797) in the mail. Both the text/email and the Receipt Notice should contain a Receipt Number which can be used to check your application status online.

To get a general idea of how long it will take USCIS to process your OPT application, you can visit the Check Case Processing Times page of the USCIS website. You will need to choose the appropriate service center from the pull-down. The service center processing your case will be listed in the bottom left corner of your I-797 Receipt Notice.

OPT processing times can range anywhere from 2-5 months. There is no guarantee USCIS will process your application within 90 days. If your application is processed and approved, your EAD card should arrive in the mail in approximately 7-10 days. 

You may only begin working after you have received your EAD card and the start date on the card has been reached.

Checking Your Case Status Online

Both the text/email from USCIS and the I-797 Receipt Notice should contain a Receipt Number which can be used to check your application status online at the USCIS Case Status website. You can also Create a USCIS Account to receive case status updates via email or text message.

If you have entered your Receipt Number in the USCIS website and the number was not recognized, you should email myuscissupport@uscis.dhs.gov.

Once your application is approved and the EAD card is shipped, the USCIS Case Status website will provide the USPS tracking number for the envelope containing your EAD card. If you created a USCIS account and signed up for case status updates, you should automatically be notified via email when your card has been shipped.

Reporting Changes to ISSS

Even though you may have finished your program at ISU, you continue to have reporting obligations to ISSS.

Before you graduate: you should continue to report any changes to your personal contact information (phone, address, etc.) by updating your contact information in your MyIllinoisState account.

After you graduate: you will report any changes directly through the ISSS Portal. When you submitted your OPT Request to ISSS, you provided a personal (non-ilstu) email address in your request. Your new ISSS Portal login instructions will be sent to this personal email address shortly after you graduate. The email will ask you to create a new login for your "non-integrated" ISSS Portal account. Basically, what "non-integrated" means is that your ISSS Portal account will no longer be connected to your My account, since you are no longer a student.

Once you have your new "non-integrated" ISSS Portal login, you will be able to report any changes to your personal contact information by editing your profile information directly in your ISSS Portal. You will also use the ISSS Portal to report any updates to your employment while on OPT. See the Reporting Requirements section of this page for further details.

SEVP Portal

You will receive an email with a link to setup your SEVP Portal account soon after the start date listed on your EAD card. After you have setup your SEVP Portal account, you should only use it to review your current information for accuracy.

You should MAKE NO CHANGES to the information in your SEVP Portal. All changes should be reported through your ISSS Portal.

Address Changes

While your OPT application is pending, you must report any changes in address to both ISSS and USCIS within 10 days of moving to the new address. It is also important to update USPS with any changes of address to ensure the proper delivery of your EAD card.

• Update ISSS by updating your contact information in your MyIllinoisState account (pre-graduation) or by editing your profile information in your ISSS Portal (post-graduation).
• Update USCIS by completing the online Change of Address form
  • This form creates a service request that is sent to the service center processing your case
  • The service center has 5 days to update your application with the new address. Make sure to take this delay into consideration when updating your address.
• Update the United States Postal Service (USPS)
  • complete an Official USPS Change of Address form online
  • Sign-up for Informed Delivery

Application Pending More Than 90 Days

If your application has been pending for longer than the processing time posted on the USCIS Case Processing Times website, and you have not received your EAD card, you can call the USCIS Customer Service number listed on your Receipt Notice and ask that they open a service request. You can also submit a case inquiry for Outside Normal Processing Time online.

EAD Card Issues

Non-delivery

If the USCIS site shows that your card was delivered, but you have not yet received it, then you should contact your local post office. If you are still unable to locate the card:

• First, make sure that the address on file with USCIS is correct and submit the online Change of Address form if needed.
• Then submit a case inquiry for Non-Delivery of Card online.
• Follow up in a few days by calling the USCIS Customer Service number listed on your Receipt Notice to check the status of your inquiry request.

Possible reasons for non-delivery:

• The address you wrote on the original I-765 was illegible or incorrect. For example, if you live in an apartment and you did not include the apartment number on the I-765, then the envelope may not be delivered.
• You requested USPS to forward your mail to a new address, and did not update your new address with USCIS. EAD cards are mailed by USPS as "Return Service Requested". This means they will not be forwarded to a new address.
• You updated your address with USCIS but did not change your address with USPS. EAD cards are mailed by USPS as "Return Service Requested". This means they will only be delivered if the individual named on the envelope is officially associated with the address on the envelope.

EAD Card Errors

After you receive your EAD card, you should look it over and make sure everything is correct. If you find any errors on the card, the process of correcting them depends upon the cause of the error:

• If the error was caused by USCIS, then the Notice of Action you received with your EAD card should have instructions on how to fix the error. You can also fill out the USCIS online typographical error form.
• If the error was caused by you (the applicant), then you must refile an entirely new I-765 OPT application with USCIS, including submitting the full filing fee again.

Job Requirement

Any job you take while on OPT must be directly related to your field and level of study. To be considered "employed" while on OPT, you must be working for at least 20 hours/week in a paid or unpaid position. If you are working multiple jobs, they must collectively add up to at least 20 hours per week.

You cannot begin working on OPT until you have your EAD card in your hand and the start date has been reached, and you must stop working on the end date listed on the EAD card.

If you are uncertain whether a potential job would be considered in your field of study, ISSS recommends that you obtain a signed letter from your employer and/or a faculty member within your previous ISU academic department stating how the job duties directly relate to your field of study.

While on OPT, you cannot exceed 90 days of unemployment for the entire 12 months. Staying past the 90-day limit may be considered a violation of status by DHS.

Cap Gap Extension

"Cap Gap" is a term used to describe the "gap" between the end of OPT/STEM Extension and the beginning of H-1B status with an employer subject to the H-1B "cap".

You are eligible for a Cap Gap Extension to your OPT employment if:

• Your employer timely filed an H-1B petition that was receipted before the end date of your OPT EAD AND
• Your employer is subject to the numerical "cap" AND
• The H-1B petition requested a change of status AND
• The H-1B petition requested an October 1st start date

IMPORTANT: If your H-1B petition was receipted after your OPT EAD card had expired (but before your 60-day grace period ended), then your are eligible for a Cap Gap Extension to your F-1 status, but not to your employment authorization. You can remain in the U.S. in F-1 status, but you cannot work during the "gap" period.

F-1 students who are eligible for Cap Gap and would like a new I-20 printed reflecting the extension of their status/employment should submit a Cap Gap Request.

Your are NOT eligible for a Cap Gap Extension if:

• Your employer is cap-exempt OR
• Your H-1B petition requested "consular processing" OR
• Your H-1B petition requested a start date other than October 1st OR
• Your H-1B petition was filed after your 60-day grace period expired (if this occurs, USCIS will likely deny the change of status portion of the petition, and you will be required to travel to change status.)

Though you may no longer be an ISU student, your are still in F-1 student status while on OPT and continue to have requirements to report information to ISSS.

ISSS Portal

Shortly after you graduate, you will receive an email to setup your new "non-integrated" ISSS Portal account. This email will be sent to the personal (non-ilstu) email you provided on the OPT Request you submitted to ISSS.  Once you have created your new "non-integrated" account login, you will be able to make personal contact information updates directly in your ISSS Portal user profile and also submit any employment updates. Your ISSS Portal account will no longer be tied to your My account because you will no longer be a student.

Illinois State University F-1 students on OPT must report ALL changes through the ISSS Portal.

SEVP Portal

You will gain access to the SEVP Portal through a link sent to you via email. This email will come from do-not-reply.sevp@ice.dhs.gov and will be sent to the email address currently listed in your ISSS Portal profile. The email with the link to the SEVP Portal will only be sent after:

• Your OPT has been approved AND
• The start date on your EAD card has been reached

If you believe you should have received this email, but did not, please first check your spam or junk mail folders. If you still do not see it, please submit an SEVP Portal Account Reset request.

Locked SEVP Portal Account

If you have been locked out of your SEVP Portal account, click the "Reset Password" link on the SEVP Portal Login page. The SEVP Portal will send you an email with a temporary password, so you can login and create a new password.

If you already attempted to reset your password and are still unable to login to the SEVP Portal, please submit an SEVP Portal Account Reset request.

Reporting Changes

You must report any changes in your personal contact or employment information to ISSS while on OPT. All ISU F-1 students on OPT must report changes as follows.

Changes Reported via the SEVP Portal

You should not make any changes to the information in your SEVP Portal. All changes should be reported through your ISSS Portal. You should only use the SEVP Portal to review your current information for accuracy. 

Changes Reported via the ISSS Portal

You must report ALL CHANGES through the ISSS Portal. DO NOT use the SEVP Portal to report any changes.

• Personal Contact/Profile Information - changes to your personal contact/profile information should be made by logging in to the ISSS Portal and editing your profile information. The profile edits you make will be used to update your SEVIS record, and you will also see the changes reflected in your SEVP Portal account (please allow five business days for processing).
• Email Address - if you need to update your email address while on OPT, email your ISSS Advisor. Once your ISSS Advisor has updated your email address in the ISSS Portal (please allow five business days for processing), you should receive an email asking you to reset your ISSS Portal login credentials based upon your new email address. Shortly, thereafter, you should also receive an email from the SEVP portal with new login instructions.
• Employment information - to report any of the following changes, you must submit an OPT Employment Update. Your request will be used to update your SEVIS record, and you will also see the changes reflected in your SEVP Portal account (please allow five business days for processing).
• adding a new employer
• changing employers
• adding another employer (you have multiple employers)
• unemployed
• deleting an employer (who you never worked for)
• reporting a significant change in your current job duties
• Name or date of birth - to update your name or date of birth please email internationalstudents@ilstu.edu. Before making any changes to your name, please note that you will have to reapply for OPT (and pay the application fees again) in order to update the name on your EAD card.

If any major change related to your visa status occurs, such as the following, please notify ISSS directly by emailing internationalstudents@ilstu.edu.

• You plan to depart the U.S. prior to your OPT end date, with no plans to return and resume OPT
• You plan to transfer to another US institution to begin a new program of study
• You have applied or been approved for a change of status

Traveling outside of the U.S. prior to receiving work authorization is strongly discouraged. Attempting to enter the U.S. without proof of employment may result in denial. When traveling outside of the U.S. following OPT approval, the following documents are required:

• Valid Passport
• Valid F-1 Visa
• I-94 Printout marked D/S
• Valid EAD card
• I-20 with a valid DSO travel signature on page 2 (the signature is only valid for 6 months from the date it was signed)
• Employment letter (stating: start dates, hours, and duties)

Request a Travel Signature

If the travel signature on page 2 of your most recent I-20 has expired, you can request a new signature by submitting a Travel Signature Request.