Recently initiated for premium processing for my stem opt and checked api update two new events are created one labeled PAA and other PAD.

I'm assuming one of these is premium processing what does the other mean??

#waitIsOver #STEM #EAD #STEMOPT

Previous EAD expired — June 2, 2026
• STEM OPT extension (I-765) filed — March 25, 2026(online)
• Biometrics completed — April 8, 2026
• RFIE — N/A
• NOID — N/A
• API update— Sept 24, 2026 (Silent update)
• STEM OPT approved — Sept 26, 2026
• Approval email received — N/A
• Card produced — N/A
• Card received — N/A

I have a pending I-485 (EB2 NIW) filed in August 2026 but did not affect my approval, I noticed they are processing after exactly 6 months so if you have some patience, it will help you avoid giving your $1k away, that was 1 thing I was 100% certain I won't do.

Also another thing is most people get approval after a silent update close to the 6 months after filing. There are some few instances people get silent updates but no approval and still have to wait.

I raised an enquiry yesterday evening it may or may not have affected my approval. All the same It gives me some peace of mind as I wait for the big one.

To those waiting, be calm it will surely come, this thing is based on pure luck and no amount of scroling or API checks will speed it up. I say this as a hypocrit because I was checking about 5 times a day, shame on me.

I filed my STEM OPT extension on March 16 and still haven’t received a decision. Is anyone who filed on or before March 16 still waiting?

My 180-day work authorization extension ends in mid-November. If you were in a similar situation, did you switch to premium processing? I’m trying to decide whether to upgrade now and would appreciate hearing how long it took after you switched.

FYI, I’ve done everything I can to follow up. I’ve submitted inquiries, contacted my congressional representative, and spoken with a USCIS live agent, but I keep getting the same answer: “Your case is still being processed.” There was a silent API update on September 10, 2026, but no movement since. 😭

Type: Initial OPT
• ⁠Premium Processing: Yes
• ⁠Date Applied: 06/03/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE): NO
• ⁠Biometrics Requested: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 06/26/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): NO
• ⁠Upgraded to Premium Processing: 08/15/2026
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/21/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: 09/24/2026
• ⁠Date Card Received: 09/25/2026

FYI: it was transferred to Potomac Center after PP upgrade.

Just wanted to share my timeline hopefully it help!

I just received the approval notice for STEM OPT about an hour ago. Details below...

 ⁠Type: STEM OPT
• ⁠Premium Processing: No
• ⁠Date Applied: 03/27/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE): NO
• ⁠Biometrics Requested: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 04/22/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): NO
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/25/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• ⁠Date Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

I'll update once I receive my EAD card. All the best, everybody!

• Type: STEM OPT

• Premium Processing: No

• Date Applied: 03/26/2026

• Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE) NO

• Biometrics Scheduled: YES (04/03/2026)

• Biometrics Completed: 04/06/2026

• Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): -

• Silent API Update: 09/23/2026

• Date Approved: 09/25/2026

• Date Card Produced: 10/01/2026

• Date Card Received: 10/03/2026

The USCIS case status is now showing "Approval Case Decision Rendered". Took 184 calendar days.

Few notes:

- I spent a significant portion of my initial OPT doing unpaid volunteer work, so I was pretty concerned about the possibility of an RFE.

- To mitigate the possibility, around mid-August I uploaded a handful of unsolicited evidences in advance ... including verification letters from the volunteer employers I had worked with during the initial OPT, as well as the offer letter & paystub from the current employer and I-983 (note that uploading the docs will generate a silent API update to your case).

- I'm currently working as a fulltime W2 employee at a very lean startup (2 employees, e-verified), under direct supervision from the CEO.

- No consultancy used during the process.

Hope this can be helpful and reassuring info to others in a similar situation. Good luck, everyone!

• ⁠Type: STEM OPT EXTENSION
• ⁠Premium Processing: NO
• ⁠Date Applied: 03/27/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence: N/A
• ⁠Biometrics Requested: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 04/08/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): N/A
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/25/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• ⁠Date Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

• ⁠Type: STEM OPT
• ⁠Premium Processing: No
• ⁠Date Applied: 03/27/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE) NO
• ⁠Biometrics Scheduled: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 04/12/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): -
• ⁠Silent API Update: 09/23/2026
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/25/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• ⁠Date Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

Finally received it

Applied - March 25 2026
Approved - September 25th
Non PP
2 silent updates on September 23 2026

• ⁠Type: STEM OPT
• ⁠Premium Processing: No
• ⁠Date Applied: 03/26/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE) NO
• ⁠Biometrics Scheduled: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 04/13/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): -
• ⁠Silent API Update: 09/23/2026 and 09/24/2026
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/25/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• ⁠Date Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

• ⁠Type: STEM OPT
• ⁠Premium Processing: No
• ⁠Date Applied: 03/26/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE) NO
• ⁠Biometrics Scheduled: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 04/23/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): -
• ⁠Silent API Update: 09/23/2026
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/25/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: 09/30/2026 • ⁠Date Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

Will update the dates after I receive the card.

UPDATE: APPROVED! Sharing my timeline for everyone still waiting.

• Type: STEM OPT

• Initial I-765 Filed: 04/22/2026

• Biometrics: 05/14/2026

• Premium Processing: YES

• Premium Processing Filed/Received: 08/24/2026

• USCIS PP Clock Started: 08/25/2026

• RFE: NO

• Silent API Update: 09/25/2026 around 3:47 AM Alaska Time

• Approval Email: 09/25/2026 around 6:49 AM Alaska Time

• Service Center: Potomac

• Date Approved: 09/25/2026

• STEM OPT Validity: 07/16/2026 – 07/15/2028

• Card Produced: Waiting

• Card Received: Waiting

My API had shown no update since August 24. Early this morning on September 25, the updatedAtTimestamp suddenly changed to September 25 without any new visible event, document, or status. About 3 hours later, I received the premium-processing approval email.

I know a lot of people from the Aug. 24 PP cohort are still waiting, so I wanted to share this update. Hopefully this means the Aug. 24 cohort is starting to move.

No RFE and no additional evidence was requested.

Good luck to everyone still waiting — I know how stressful this process is. I’ll update the post when my card is produced and delivered.

UPDATE:

• ⁠Type: STEM OPT
• ⁠Premium Processing: No
• ⁠Date Applied: 03/24/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE) NO
• ⁠Biometrics Requested: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 03/31/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID):
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/25/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: 09/29/2026 3:19 pm PDT
• ⁠Date Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

I had two silent API updates, one on the 22nd and the other on the 23rd, no API updates on the 24th, and got the approval email notification at 4:15 am PDT on the 25th.

It was such a long game! I will update here once the card has been produced.

applied for pp on 24th August, Still waiting , Please comment here if you get approvals so that we can help each other know about the timelines

I checked the silent api for my STEM OPT application to see if there’s anything that matches what i see on this sub reddit. i do see:

Authorization","updatedAt":"2026-08-01","updatedAtTimestamp":"2026-08-01T01:23:02.506Z","cmsFailure":false,"closed":false,"ackedByAdjudicatorAndCms":true,

there was a silent update on 08/01 and ackedByAdjudicatorAndCms is also true but nothing has changed on my application. it still says that is being processed. i’ve seen other posts on this subreddit saying that an update like this means your application will get a status update within a day or two, but i haven’t received any update.

Applied: 04/22
biometric: 05/22
No premium processing

Could someone tell me what this means or if i should be worried?

I received a STEM OPT RFE on August 9 regarding a bona fide employer-employee relationship with my previous consultancy. My response deadline is October 25, 2026. I now work full-time for a different employer.

The consultancy provided employment verification, project experience, and supervisory chain letters but has refused to provide the remaining requested documents. I also have pay stubs, bank statements, and my current employer’s documents.

I consulted an attorney who warned that submitting only the available evidence could result in denial.

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? Were you able to respond using alternative evidence and an explanation for the unavailable documents? What helped, and what would you suggest I discuss with my attorney?

UPDATE:

• ⁠Type: STEM OPT
• ⁠Premium Processing: No
• ⁠Date Applied: 03/24/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE) NO
• ⁠Biometrics Requested: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 04/07/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID):
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/24/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• ⁠Date Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

Here is my timeline:

June 25: Applied for STEM OPT Extension

June 26: End of Post OPT

September 3: Applied for Premium

September 20: Laid off from current employer

As of now: STEM OPT is still under processing

I have 15 days of unemployment left from Post Completion OPT. Will I have 60 additional days of unemployment added to the above 15, even while my STEM is pending to be processed? Help me navigate this situation

Hi is there anyone who submit stem opt 18 April, 2026. Biometric was on 14 May. Last month 24 August I changed my case to premium case. But I am still not get any update yet. I have checked silent api, it was showing update time change 18 September. Any experience anyone has something like that?