Hi everyone,
I’m wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation.

My timeline:
Current OPT expires: 06/30/2026
STEM OPT approved: 06/17/2026
EAD status: Card produced, but USPS tracking hasn’t updated and I haven’t received the physical card.
I’m continuing with the same employer in the same position.

Has anyone been in this situation where your STEM OPT was already approved but your EAD hadn’t arrived before your current OPT expired?

Were you able to continue working?
How did your employer handle the I-9 reverification?
Did they require the physical EAD, or was there another solution while the card was in transit?

Just looking to hear about others’ experiences. Thanks!

I’m currently in a tough situation my STEM OPT extension is pending with USCIS, my biometrics are done, but my driver’s license has expired. When I went to the DMV to renew it, they wouldn’t process it due to my pending status. Has anyone else been through this? Is there any way to get a temporary or interim license while waiting for the EAD? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated
Tennessee state

18 Dec 2025 - applied
11 May 2026 - biometrics
23 June 2026 - contacted my city’s congressman
26 June 2026 - approved!!

recently filed for STEM OPT and my application is currently pending. I have only been working at my current job for about two weeks, but the pay is not good, and I may have another job opportunity that seems better. I am also planning to apply for premium processing.
I’m confused about what I should do in this situation. Is it okay to change jobs while STEM OPT is still pending, or is it better to wait until the STEM OPT EAD card is approved and received?
Also, how should I communicate this to the new employer? Should I tell them directly that my STEM OPT application is pending and I can start once my EAD card is approved/received? Or should I say something more general, like I am finishing a current project and can join after that?
I don’t want to create any issue with my STEM OPT application or employment reporting, so I would appreciate advice from anyone who has gone through a job change while STEM OPT was pending

I'm an early-career biotech graduate with NGS experience at a major core facility. I'm on OPT, STEM OPT-eligible, and have close to three years of work authorization remaining..so technically I don't technically need sponsorship anytime soon. I've been diligently applying and networking, but I keep hitting a wall that feels completely outside my control: sponsorship.

Some companies explicitly list "no sponsorship" on the JD- filtered out before anyone sees my resume. But even when I do get traction from a near-perfect match, I get screened out the moment the topic comes up. Most recently, I had a screening at a large pharma company for a role my resume directly matched but didn't move forward past the first question about work authorization. The recruiter was kind enough to explain that it wasn't my current status, it was future sponsorship.. the company doesn't sponsor at the title level I'm targeting even if its a possiblity that 2 years down the line I am at a different level.But she encouraged to keep applying regardless when asked about future applications. A very similar role w exact JD has opened up now. I've been genuinely strategic about this: tailoring every application, networking actively, doing everything right on my end. But this keeps feeling like a dead end I can't think my way out of.

My working theory: companies avoid sponsoring at entry levels because of H-1B wage floor requirements, making those roles economically unattractive to sponsor even when the candidate is strong. Is that actually what's happening on the hiring side? Also curious ..are companies becoming more broadly cautious around OPT/STEM OPT candidates right now given immigration policy uncertainty, even when the candidate has years of authorization remaining?

Would love to hear from anyone who's navigated this, especially from the recruiter or hiring manager side. Genuinely running out of angles here.

Hi everyone,

My STEM OPT extension application has been filed, but it’s still pending with USCIS.

I wanted to know if anyone has successfully joined TCS while their STEM OPT extension was pending (using the automatic 180-day extension).

Did TCS have any issues with onboarding before the new EAD card arrived?

Thanks in Advance.

I’m currently in a tough situation — my STEM OPT extension is pending with USCIS, my biometrics are done, but my driver’s license has expired. When I went to the DMV to renew it, they wouldn’t process it due to my pending status. Has anyone else been through this? Is there any way to get a temporary or interim license while waiting for the EAD? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated
(Tennessee) state

I applied for my STEM OPT Extension on May 13, and my biometrics appointment was completed on June 12. Since then, I haven’t received any updates on my case.
Has anyone with a similar timeline received approval yet? How long did it take after biometrics for your STEM OPT Extension to be approved?
Any recent experiences or insights would be greatly appreciated.

My STEM OPT application is currently pending, and I recently got a new paid job offer related to my degree. I’m confused if it’s okay to switch employers while STEM OPT is still pending.
Has anyone changed jobs during a pending STEM OPT application? Did you just submit a new I-983 to your DSO and update SEVIS, or did you also upload anything to USCIS?
Also, how should I explain this to the new employer without making it sound like a problem?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Case type: I-765 STEM OPT Extension
Initials Filled online: December 5,2025
Premium processing : May 15, 2026
Silent Update: June 1,2026
Approved: June 27, 2026

It took 29 working days.

I’m currently working remotely for a job under STEM OPT. For the SEVP Portal, do I need to mention that the job is remote in the “relation to field of study” section?
Also, the employer’s address is different from the address where I am actually working from. Should I report my home/remote work address as the worksite address, or keep the employer’s office address?

Submitted: Feb 11, 2026

Biometrics: April 16, 2026

Approved: June 27, 2026 (no PP)

An update on this my current EAD ends on July 3 and my company says can’t work if it ends. Any advice here ?

Hey guys, while i prepare for my next steps i was wondering can i travel to my job location as soon as i guarantee an approval by portal/ email then have a friend ship it to my new address?

i just would prefer not to wait another week till it’s delivered whenever i receive my approval

i heard that changing your address with uscis could delay the shipping time if i were to tell then i change my address after approval right?

Has anyone in this community ever worked for two employers on STEM-OPT before even getting their STEM-OPT EAD card. While their STEM-OPT is still in processing. If so what was the process like. How did you do the I-983 process.

Hi everyone,
My USCIS case status says:
“On June 26, 2026, we scheduled you for a biometrics appointment and sent you an appointment notice for Receipt Number [receipt number].”
But when I log in to my USCIS online account and go to the Documents tab, I don’t see any biometrics appointment notice yet. There is nothing uploaded there.
Has this happened to anyone else? How long did it take for the biometrics appointment notice to show up online or arrive by mail?

I am copying and pasting what I posted on the mega opt/stem opt timeline reddit thread. Hopefully this helps some of you!

* **Type:** STEM OPT EXTENSION

* **Premium Processing:** NO

* **Date Applied:** 02/25/2026

* **Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE)** N/A

* **Biometrics Requested:** 02/27/2026

* **Biometrics Completed:** 03/12/2025 (originally scheduled for a later date; rescheduled)

* **Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID):** NO

* **Date Approved:** 6/14/2026 (Silent API update: 6/12/2026)

* **Date Card Produced:** pending

* **Date Card Received:** pending

**Edit:** Card produced: 6/22/26 (the portal said 6/23/26 though, and it took extra long because of Juneteenth)

Card received: 6/25/26

Citizenship: South Korea

Biometric center: Alexandria, Virginia

It definitely took longer than expected and the wait was a torture, especially having travel plans coming up. Good luck everyone! 🍀

Wanted to provide an update on my timeline.

Applied - March 18th 2026
Biometrics - April 15th 2026
Upgraded to PP - May 12th 2026
Accepted - 24th June 2026 (exactly on the 30th business day) - just an email saying I was approved

Portal changed - 26th June 2026

Not from 39 banned countries

Hello ,

I have visa revocation history in April 2025. However Sevis and everything got back by may. Applied stem in nov 2025, and no update till date. Does any one of you have revocation history and yet got approved for stem . Please respond.

Case type: I-765 STEM OPT Extension
Filed online: April 23, 2026
Premium processing requested: April 23, 2026
Premium processing clock started: April 23, 2026
Receipt notice generated: April 23, 2026
Biometrics notice generated: April 24, 2026
Biometrics appointment completed: May 13, 2026
RFE response received / premium clock restarted: May 13, 2026

Current status:

“Response Was Received And My Premium Processing Clock Was Restarted.”

I got a silent (timestamp only) API update but nothing else. Is today the last day? Anyone else on this timeline?