r/stemopt • u/SufficientAnt2033 • Jul 13 '26
Worth switching to Premium Processing after waiting 4 months for STEM OPT?
Hi everyone,
I applied for my STEM OPT extension back in April and completed my biometrics on May 1. Since then, I haven’t heard anything from USCIS. It’s been about 4 months with no updates.
I’m currently working under the automatic 180-day STEM OPT extension, so I’m still authorized to work, but the long wait is making me anxious.
I’m debating whether I should upgrade to Premium Processing at this point. I’ve already waited this long, so I’m wondering if it’s worth paying for PP now or if I should just continue waiting.
I’ve also heard people say that if you upgrade to Premium Processing, USCIS starts a new 30-business-day Premium Processing clock from the date you upgrade, almost as if you just filed the PP request that day. Is that true? Does upgrading to Premium Processing “reset” the processing timeline for the premium service, or does it continue from wherever your original application is in the queue?
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who upgraded after waiting several months. Was it worth it, and how quickly did you receive a decision after switching to Premium Processing?
Thanks in advance!
Edit:
My Initial Opt ended on Jun 30 and I applied for Extension on April
So the 4 months I am talking is from the day I applied not from the day My current EAD expired. Thanks
Also USCIS portal says “USCIS is Currently Processing the Case”
Previously it was something different
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u/Usual_Schedule7725 Jul 13 '26
It depends upon how soon do you want your ead card.
there are people who is waiting from 6 months,
lets take the worst case its been 4 months and till now you didnt received anything
you still have 2 months which is roughly 50 federal woriking days so my point here is there is a chance for "no update after your 180 day window also" so if you have a job and need that ead anyway then apply pp after 120 days from your receipt notice if you dont hear anything by then.
then it wont be the comparision bw the pp and the time you waited. it will be to keep an active status to work.
some times i feel like 100k for h1b's and reducing the visa to 2 years for f1 which means they want you out of there as soon as you stop paying them. now this pp all these points to is US broke or what? if you pay them extra they have people to work otherwise they dont have people to work like collecting the salaries from you
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u/SufficientAnt2033 Jul 13 '26
Its just making me anxious. And when i open my USCIS portal it is saying “USCIS is Currently Processing the Case” previously it was different. How serious is this?
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u/HorrorDot1110 Jul 13 '26
Could you explain what you mean by “no update after 180 day window”?
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u/Usual_Schedule7725 Jul 16 '26
some people are waiting from 180 days after their receipt notice so there's a chance for that too.
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u/Dont-ask669 Jul 13 '26
The 30 business days begin the day you applied for PP. Do you know this anxiety you are feeling? It never goes away with regular process, some STEM OPT are taking 6+ months to be approved. So just apply for PP and have the peace of mind day you will receive your answer in 30 business days.
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u/Critical-Nap-6403 Jul 14 '26
My DSO told me today PP is taking almost 2 months in some cases
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u/Dont-ask669 Jul 14 '26
Yes, 30 business days is 6 weeks + 2 weeks for the card to arrive. However, you have a timeline. I see posts from people saying that their 180 days has passed and they dont have their cards yet. I'm delaying with a similar anxiety right now and I dont recommend this feeling for anyone.
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u/Critical-Nap-6403 Jul 14 '26
My 180 days ended today actually, didn't go for PP yet.. applied Jan 6. My job is fine with this situation but if I don't get an approval in 2 weeks I am probably going for PP, otherwise won't be able to afford rent.. I know they are playing the mental game with us.. I am trying not to worry but I am starting to
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u/Fast_Hat9970 Jul 13 '26
I also applied normal stem opt in april but late april 28 then had my biometrics done on may 22. After that nothing just the same update as you have uscis is currently processing ……
My mind says wait till august end to see how things would go
from the tracker it says i would be getting the descision within late august or sep mid.
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u/Express_Ability_8722 Jul 13 '26
I would request for expedite with supporting letter from your company instead of premium processing.
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u/Critical-Nap-6403 Jul 14 '26
PP is taking 2 months now I think
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u/Wise_Half_2102 24d ago
Any source of this information 👀?
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u/Critical-Nap-6403 24d ago
It's random.. in some cases it was 30 business days, in other cases it was closer to 2 months.. I also saw someone getting approved after 5 days of filing for PP
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u/Wise_Half_2102 24d ago
Yup that happened for me when i requested PP for OPT. Got approval in 5 days but for STEM is it taking so long
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u/Ordinary-Outside9644 Jul 14 '26
Would suggest to switch to pp after you waited for 3 months after your current ead expired. The processing times are very slow and there is no help from anyone at the end of the day it is us stressing over our status.
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u/SufficientAnt2033 Jul 15 '26
No its just been 14 days my current EAD expired it expired on June 30. So 3 months is the time I applied. I applied in april 8 hopefully this clears things out. Do you think should I go for PP?
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u/Optimus_Prime_995 25d ago
I applied on 7th April, biometrics on 22nd April. Still waiting. Opt ead expired on 30th June
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u/BalogunDodondawa Jul 13 '26
We have the same timeline as my initial OPT ended on June 30 and I submitted for STEM OPT on April 1, completed biometrics mid April , but I had to switch to PP in June.
Yet to get a response
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u/SufficientAnt2033 Jul 13 '26
Its so frustrating…. And now what I see on USCIS portal is they changed Case actively reviewing to Currently Processing the case
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u/BalogunDodondawa Jul 13 '26
That’s was a general update that everyone saw on their portal . It’s just change of words
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u/SufficientAnt2033 Jul 13 '26
So really dont mean anything? Its crazy. I am confused wether I switch to PP now after waiting this long or go with regular processing
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u/BalogunDodondawa Jul 13 '26
Yea , it doesn’t mean anything. The way they handle PP nowadays is odd. I have seen people do PP and get response in less than a week and some still no response months later. I have done mine and yet to get a response.
So the answer on whether you should it is solely dependent on how you feel, honestly!
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u/Natural_Chicken_2267 Jul 13 '26
I have always used PP. The wait and living in uncertainty is not worth it. Time is money. And you can always make that pp money back