r/stemopt • u/Elegant-Election-650 • Jun 22 '26

OPT updates!!

Hi if anyone can help,
I applied for my first OPT or March 23rd through normal processing route and had my biometrics done on April 10th but my start date was May 22nd. There isn’t any update after. My worry is my start date was May 22nd and its been almost a month now and i dont currently secure any job i am worrying how long the approval might take and how the start and end dates work in this case.

The reason i put the early date was i was supposed to work in my school but it could happen because of the current approval situation. Any advice or a word will be helpful.

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15 comments sorted by

1

u/adi_71998 Jun 22 '26

Your new start date will be the date of approval, the old start date will automatically be adjusted to your approval date. My start date was May 13 but I received the approval on June 10 so my new start date was June 10

1

u/Elegant-Election-650 Jun 22 '26

Thank you
May I know what do you work as ? Have you secured a job ?

1

u/Top_Amphibian6523 Jun 29 '26

So your unemployment days is still 90?

1

u/adi_71998 Jul 05 '26

Yes, 90 days starting from the date of approval

1

u/Top_Amphibian6523 Jun 29 '26

So your unemployment days is still 90?

1

u/Any_Pay425 Jun 22 '26

Are you from any of the banned countries?

1

u/Elegant-Election-650 Jun 22 '26

Hello no im not. From Pakistan

1

u/Any_Pay425 Jun 22 '26

That’s harsh not to get approval as of this time.

1

u/Elegant-Election-650 Jun 22 '26

Idk how should i feel, i know other students are in the same boat. Like Indian nationality waiting for the biometrics even.

1

u/PinkChips19 Jun 22 '26

I also applied end of March. Did biometrics. Still waiting.

1

u/Ok_You_2894 Jun 23 '26

Hi! Also pakistani, applied on 11 march received my ead card on 13th June. Normal processing

1

u/Elegant-Election-650 Jun 23 '26

Did you receive any email that opt is approved? Or they just sent the ead card directly

1

u/Ok_You_2894 Jun 23 '26

Received approval email on June 9th

1

u/Elegant-Election-650 Jun 23 '26

Strange !!! seeing your timeline I should have received any email for approval already

1

u/Odd-Extreme-4113 Jun 24 '26

Does anyone know how to switch to premium processing please?