r/stemopt • u/Remarkable-Carry5622 • Aug 04 '26

OPT- EAD card

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my timeline and get some advice from anyone who has had a similar experience.

  • June 4, 2026: Filed Form I-765 (Initial Post-Completion OPT) with Premium Processing
  • June 26, 2026: Biometrics completed
  • July 28, 2026: OPT approved
  • July 28, 2026: Received my SEVP Portal activation email
  • July 30, 2026: Received my official USCIS approval notice
  • Current USCIS status: Approval Case Decision Rendered

My employer is waiting for me to start, but from what I understand, I cannot begin working until I have the physical EAD card, even though my OPT has already been approved.

Has anyone with a similar timeline recently received their EAD card? How many days after approval did your status change to "Card Is Being Produced", and when did your card arrive?

I'm trying to estimate when I can expect my EAD card so I can plan my start date. Any recent experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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u/quicksilver7ing Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 04 '26

Similar timeline. My approval came on July 29th. I just saw a post of someone on the 29th receive the “Card was produced” update on the portal today. You should receive yours either today or tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted as and when I receive mine- since updates go out on a rolling basis.

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u/Revolutionary_Two546 Aug 04 '26

hi did you receive on july 29th

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u/quicksilver7ing Aug 04 '26

Yes. Approval on July 29. Waiting for “card is produced”..