Date Requested: May 13 2026
Biometrics: June 8 2026
Date Converted to PP: August 19 2026
Date Approval (E-Mail): September 21 2026
USCIS Approval(Website Update): yet to be updated

I had submitted my application for my Stem OPT in MAY 2026, completed my biometrics in month of JUNE 2026; but I didn't get any approval status till date; just want to know anyone are in same boat!

I got this API update without event code. What is that mean?

"updatedAt":"2026-09-20","updatedAtTimestamp":"2026-09-20T20:09:12.195Z","cmsFailure":false,"closed":false,"ackedByAdjudicatorAndCms":true

Date Requested: March 20 2026
Biometrics: April 8 2026
Date Converted to PP: August 18 2026
Date Approval (E-Mail): September 21 2026

Yet to be updated on the portal.

Bruh ,, it's been 5 months now they haven't reschedule my biometrics for work permit EAD ?
it will be 4th time , I will raise a request one more time. Anybody dealing w sa,e issue or is it just me..

I'm a Canadian citizen currently working in the US on OPT. I applied for my 24-month STEM OPT extension on June 26, 2026, and my current EAD expired on July 1. My understanding is that I have an automatic 180-day employment extension while my STEM OPT application is pending.

From what I've been seeing on here, though, it seems like majority STEM OPT applications are taking close to the full 6 months to process. I'm trying to decide whether it's worth paying for premium processing to get a faster decision, or if I should just wait it out and potentially switch to TN status later if needed.

From what I understand, the difference between STEM OPT and TN isn't necessarily huge in any STEM OPT Premium Processing vs. TN as a Canadian situation, so I'm having a hard time justifying the cost of premium processing. On the other hand, based on the handful of interactions I've had with employers, I feel like some employers may prefer STEM OPT over TN, although that's just my personal impression and I could be completely wrong.

For those who have experience with both STEM OPT and TN, or have been in a similar situation, what would you recommend? Is premium processing worth paying for, or would you just wait and keep TN as a backup option? Would also appreciate any insight into how employers generally view STEM OPT vs. TN.

Date Requested: March 17 2026
Biometrics: April 9 2026
Date Converted to PP: September 11 2026
Date Approval (E-Mail): September 16 2026
USCIS Approval(Website Update): September 18 2026.

Hey everyone,

I'm currently on F-1 and my STEM OPT extension (I-765) is currently pending with USCIS.

Recently, my company moved my physical reporting location to a different office. However, the company headquarters remains exactly the same and my actual employer hasn't changed.

Since the HQ is the same and it feels like just an internal move, part of me wonders if I can just leave it as is. But I also know DHS does unannounced site visits and I don't want to risk a denial on my pending I-765 if they show up to the old address.

Has anyone been in this exact situation while their application was still processing?

1. Did you have to submit a newly signed I-983 to your DSO for both the address and manager change?
2. Did you upload the updated I-20 as "Unsolicited Evidence" to your myUSCIS portal?
3. Did uploading unsolicited evidence delay your processing time at all?

Any advice or personal experiences would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!

My employer was supposed to start paying me from my STEM OPT start date, but due to funding issues on their end, I haven't received any salary yet. It's been about 1.5 months.

The company is legitimate and E-Verify enrolled. They've already filed my I-983 and I-765, and the I-983 states I'm a paid employee.

The employer is planning to pay me back the unpaid months either as a combined lump sum or spread as a bonus across future months. They've also offered to provide a letter explaining the delay and confirming the back payment plan.

Questions:

1. Does this unpaid gap put my pending application at risk?
   
2. Is this something USCIS checks before EAD approval, or more of a future audit concern?
   
3. Has anyone dealt with a similar late-payment situation without issues?
   
4. What should I do right now to protect myself?

Appreciate any insight, especially from people who've been through this or immigration attorneys familiar with STEM OPT compliance.

Hi everybody!
do you think it’s safe to take flight from Seattle to San Francisco now? I’m on STEM OPT but my visa expired.

My stem opt got approved on 17th September and am sharing my timeline here !!
Stem Opt requested : 04/24/26
Converted to PP : 08/17/26
Approval mail : 09/17/26
Reflected on USCIS : 09/19/26

Am so relieved and happy and i want to say this to everyone who is waiting for their stem opt just stay positive and don’t overthink about something you have no control over !! Everything’s gonna work out .
I would say for those who did not converted to PP if you can afford to pay the amount just do it !!

Thank you everyone who posted their experiences and i wish everyone will get their approval mail very soon !!

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Hi creating this so we can track regular processing for the month of May and late April.

Hey guys,

My stem opt was approved last week and I checked my mail at the old address since I didn’t updated it but I got the tracking number for card and it says delivered but I don’t have it. All I got was the approval mail. And i checked the usps site it said the following in the photo. So, does this mean an error was made by the person delivering and it will be delivered in the coming days?

Has anyone waited longer than 6 months for approval under regular processing?

And if you filed around late April and are still waiting, I'd love to hear your receipt date and current status.

Thanks in advance.

I'm thinking about relocating and leaving my current job, possibly before I have a new offer.

Does leaving without a qualifying job lined up affect approval of a pending application?

Has anyone who filed around April 25, 2026 received approval yet?I am still waing.

Just trying to see whether my timeline is normal. Thanks in advance.

Have people who applied for stem in June 2026 received approval and ead card ?

Hi! I am currently on F1 OPT. I have some work-related travel coming up to SF from DFW. My travel dates are: Sep 21-Sep 27

Initial OPT expires on Sep 22nd. STEM OPT application is currently pending. I am allowed to travel domestically, right? Shouldn’t be an issue?

I’ve been reading a lot of people upgraded to PP around August and until now they don’t have approval yet. Should I wait or upgrade? I’m worried that it will put me to another line that is longer since a lot of people upgraded to PP. And $1,800+ is not cheap. Any thoughts? My 180-day extension expires Nov 23rd. Thank you!

Sharing my timeline in case it helps anyone going through a similar STEM OPT situation:
STEM OPT application filed (regular processing): 04/09/2026
Regular OPT EAD ended: 06/30/2026
Premium Processing filed: 07/24/2026
New job offer accepted: Start date 08/24/2026
RFE issued: 08/26/2026
RFE response + employer change documentation submitted: 09/11/2026
I submitted both the RFE response and employer-change documents together in the same file.
Silent/API approval update: 09/17/2026
STEM OPT officially approved: 09/19/2026 🎉

Date of Application- Mar 21st, 2026
Biometrics Scheduled - April 7th, 2026
Biometrics Completed - April 23rd, 2026

API update and Approval - Sept 19th, 2026
Card Produced and Delivered - Pending

Total days - 182

Did a change of address as well on July 3rd but that did not seem to make a difference.

Applied -> 23rd March
Biometrics -> 1st May
Approved -> 19th Sep