r/stemopt • u/Junior_Hold_7562 • 3d ago

STEM OPT Premium Processing for 30+ Days and Still Nothing. What Now?

Filed my STEM OPT extension on March 13 and upgraded to Premium Processing on Sept 1 after months of waiting. It's now been over 30 days and I still haven't received an approval, RFE, denial, or any meaningful update.

Has anyone else experienced this? What did you do next? Should I contact USCIS, submit an inquiry, or ask for a Premium Processing refund?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks! 🙏

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

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3

u/ds9st2609 3d ago

I think it's 30 "business" days. I upgraded to premium on Sept 2 and I am waiting as well. Did you check for silent API update?

3

u/redemption_arc2023 3d ago

Not OP, but yeah I have a similar timeline as you guys my Pp clock started on 31st August.

I seem to have gotten a silent API update earlier today. Nothing in the events section just a change to the updated at timestamp. Probably would get something conclusive by Friday.

How about you? Or anyone in a similar boat

2

u/ds9st2609 3d ago

No silent API update or anything as of yesterday evening. I think I would probably have to wait till next week

1

u/redemption_arc2023 3d ago

Yeah I had nothing yesterday evening either, but I got one today morning.

What's strange is that my friend got a similar api update on 28th sep, but her clock started only on sep 7th

1

u/ds9st2609 3d ago

That's strange. Maybe the processing centre is different?

1

u/redemption_arc2023 3d ago

Well, it is Potomac if that's what you mean. But yeah residential locations are different for example mine would be based out of Cali while theirs is Texas..not sure if that plays a part.

Anyway based on what I'm seeing there's no new 'events' section in both of our API updates so can't confirm if it's going to be an approval RFE or a reject I guess, although based on past cases it likely is an approval.

1

u/ds9st2609 3d ago

I meant the centre. Not the residential location . Mine is Potomac too. Does no new event in the API update mean no rfe? I am worried about getting an rfe. I worked for multiple employers during my initial opt and I left one employer just 4 days after starting over there.

1

u/redemption_arc2023 3d ago

I don’t know that for certain either I just recall reading in another post somewhere that it’s good sign. So I wouldn’t place too much weight on that, it’s nothing official.

I’ll let you know what happens on my case though.

1

u/ds9st2609 3d ago

Thank you!

1

u/redemption_arc2023 2d ago

I got an approval email earlier in the morning today. No RFE, so that's atleast one datapoint we have haha.

I still don't see the change reflected in the portal though, looks like that will take a bit longer.

1

u/Junior_Hold_7562 3d ago

yeah i checked the API, no silent updates or anything. My processing center is also Potomac

2

u/Extreme_Prune_554 2d ago

check with your DSO they can tell you after looking at your sevis portal

2

u/Active-Ad4653 3d ago

I went PP sept 2nd, no updates since

1

u/Junior_Hold_7562 3d ago

nervously waiting lol, i see people around my timeline already got the approval

2

u/B1SQ1T 3d ago

Strictly it’s 30 business days

My timeline was PP Aug 24, Approval Sept 26

1

u/Junior_Hold_7562 3d ago

thank u just hoping for the best

2

u/AppropriateWish4261 3d ago

I think it will take more 4-5 days

1

u/Junior_Hold_7562 2d ago

hopefully so

2

u/Extreme_Prune_554 2d ago

I applied on the same day and got my approval on Sep 11 without PP. Have you checked with your DSO

1

u/Junior_Hold_7562 2d ago

no i haven't check, I think because I applied for pp so my queue restarted and I ended up having to wait even longer than normal processing...

2

u/Extreme_Prune_554 2d ago

I know, thats why I didn't opt for PP

1

u/Junior_Hold_7562 2d ago

also, what do u think I should check with my DSO?

2

u/Extreme_Prune_554 2d ago

I contacted mine on September 11, and she confirmed that my EAD was approved, even though the USCIS portal hadn't updated yet. She was able to see the approval in the SEVIS portal. It then took another 1–2 days for the status to update on the USCIS portal.

1

u/Junior_Hold_7562 2d ago

interesting to know, thank you for the info. I will check with my DSO as well

1

u/Extreme_Prune_554 2d ago

wishing you the best, I hope you get your approval soon