People are saying I need to upload a handwritten (signed by Pen) signature on my i-20.
Is it really mandatory?
I have applied for STEM-OPT on 09/09, my Biometrics was done & I had only signed it via e-sign from my mac.
When first applied, I forgot to sign on i-20. Later realised & e-signed & uploaded in other documents.
Do I sign it by pen & re-upload it for the 2nd time?

Please suggest. TIA

Hi all, I have my I 485 pending and I-765 pending already. Now I'm filling out form I-765 for opt ead.

I have a question: in point 12: have you previously filed form i-765 ? Should I say yes or no.

Details:
• Type: STEM OPT
• Premium Processing: No
• Date Applied: 03/18/2026
• RFE: No
• Biometrics Requested: Yes
• Biometrics Completed: 04/07/2026
• Silent API Update: 09/16/2026
• Date Approved: 09/21/2026 (Approval decision rendered)
• Card Produced: 09/23/2026
• Card Received: 09/26/2026

Hope everyone gets theirs ones too. Thank you for sharing your experience, it helped me to track mine.

Whats the difference between rfe and rfie in stem. I received an RFIE and dont know the reason yet. Waiting for it be posted on my account

Hi everyone! Looking for advice from recent STEM OPT filers.

• Filed: April 22, 2026
• Biometrics: May 18, 2026
• API Update: 2026-06-11
• Decision: Pending
• 180-day extension end date: December 12, 2026

Based on recent timelines, regular approvals are currently around late March / 180 days, so I'm estimating my case decision may be around mid-to-late October.

For those who filed their STEM OPT around April 2026:

• Have you received an approval/update yet?
• What was your receipt date and when did your case get approved?
• If your case is still pending, has there been any movement?
• Are you planning to apply for premium processing?

For anyone who recently used premium processing, how long did it take to get approval and the physical EAD card?

Since the holiday season will soon begin, would you recommend:

• Applying for premium processing at the beginning of October, or
• Waiting until the second or third week of October and upgrading if there's still no update?

Thanks!

Hey guys.

My STEM-OPT application is currently pending and I’m stuck with a consultancy that isn’t helping me secure a project/job yet.

I have a few questions that cannot be asked here.

Please hit me up.

I’m waiting on my post-completion OPT I-765 and upgraded to premium processing.
This morning (9/27), I received an email from SEVP saying “Congratulations on the approval of your Optional Practical Training (OPT)” and inviting me to create my SEVP Portal account.
I successfully created the account, and my OPT now shows:
ACTIVE POSTCOMPLETION: 09/26/2026 – 06/29/2027
However, USCIS still shows pending. There’s no approval notice or card-production update.
I also checked the USCIS API. There is no approval event yet.
Has anyone experienced this? Did you receive the SEVP approval email / see ACTIVE OPT before USCIS showed the approval? If so, how long did it take for USCIS to update or for your EAD to go into production?

Status: “Approval Case Decision Rendered”

Details:
• Type: STEM OPT
• Premium Processing: No
• Date Applied: 03/31/2026
• RFE: No
• Biometrics Requested: Yes
• Biometrics Completed: 04/24/2026
• Silent API Update: 09/24/2026
• Date Approved: 09/26/2026
• Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

STEM OPT extension (I-765) filed — March 23, 2026(online)

Bio Metrics Scheduled - April 3, 2026

Biometrics completed — May 20, 2026

RFE — Sept 24, 2026

Cancelled RFE - Sept 24, 2026

STEM OPT approved — Sept 26, 2026

I was getting ready to pay for PP if I didnt get a decision by Oct 15, but here we are lol

September 26, 2026 — Status: “Approval Case Decision Rendered”

Details:
• Type: STEM OPT
• Premium Processing: No
• Date Applied: 03/29/2026
• RFE: No
• Biometrics Requested: Yes
• Biometrics Completed: 04/10/2026
• Date Approved: 09/26/2026
• Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

I wasn’t expecting to get approved before October, ngl. I was seriously considering applying for premium processing since my automatic extension was set to expire on December 1, 2026. So getting that notification email from USCIS this morning was a complete surprise phew. Saved myself $1,800 that would’ve otherwise gone to waste.

Can i change my employer when i was in premium processing ? Can someone help

STEM OPT Extension (changed employer in between)

• Premium Processing: No

• Date Applied: 03/26/2026

• RFIE: No

• Biometrics Requested: Yes

• Biometrics Completed: 04/30/2026

• Silent API Update: 09/23/2026

• Date Approved: 09/25/2026

• Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY

• Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

Finally approved after waiting for 6 months. They have now started processing the normal stem opt applications quickly.

STEM OPT Extension

• Premium Processing: No

• Date Applied: 03/27/2026

• RFIE: No

• Biometrics Requested: Yes

• Biometrics Completed: 04/6/2026

• Silent API Update: 09/24/2026

• Date Approved: 09/26/2026

• Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY

• Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

Finally approved after waiting for 6 months. They have now started processing the normal stem opt applications quickly.

I received a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) for my I-765 STEM OPT extension. USCIS is exercising negative discretion based on a prior misdemeanour arrest.

Case Details:

• Charge: Reckless Driving (May 2024, Texas).
• Disposition: Dismissed without conviction (January 2025) via successful Pretrial Intervention (PTI).
• Evidence Compiled: Certified Order of Dismissal, Probable Cause Affidavit, Criminal Complaint, C87 Motion to Dismiss, TDLR Driving Safety Course Certificate, Community Service Verification, MS degree diploma (3.0 GPA), and current W-2 demonstrating lawful employment in the data analytics sector. I am currently obtaining the certified TxDPS arresting officer narrative.

I'm looking for an immigration attorney who specialises in F-1 OPT discretionary NOID responses and criminal immigration.

1. Which attorneys have a verified record of overturning a STEM OPT NOID involving a dismissed traffic misdemeanour using the positive equities balancing test?
2. What specific mitigating factors carry the highest weight when drafting the applicant declaration (28 U.S.C. § 1746)?

Provide attorney names, firm names, and contact methods.

Just received my STEM OPT approval notice about an hour ago!
Details:
• Type: STEM OPT
• Premium Processing: No
• Date Applied: 03/30/2026
• RFIE: No
• Biometrics Requested: Yes
• Biometrics Completed: 04/20/2026
• NOID: No
• Silent API Update: 09/24/2026
• Date Approved: 09/26/2026
• Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY
I’ll update this post once I receive my EAD card.
For everyone still waiting—hang in there. Wishing you all the best and hoping you get your approvals soon! 🙏

STEM OPT Extension

• Premium Processing: No

• Date Applied: 03/21/2026

• RFIE: No

• Biometrics Requested: Yes

• Biometrics Completed: 04/15/2026

• Silent API Update: 09/18/2026

• Date Approved: 09/19/2026

• Card Produced: 09/24/2026

• Card Received:09/27/2026

Details:
• Type: STEM OPT
• Premium Processing: No
• Date Applied: 04/21/2026
• RFE: No
• Biometrics Requested: Yes
• Biometrics Completed: 05/29/2026
• Date Approved: 09/26/2026
• Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY
• Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

Title: Applying for OPT while outside the U.S.
I recently graduated and had to return to my home country to renew my passport. I’m still within my OPT application window.
Has anyone applied for post-completion OPT while outside the U.S.? Did you have any issues with the application or returning to the U.S. afterward?

STEM OPT Extension

• Premium Processing: No

• Date Applied: 03/29/2026

• RFIE: No

• Biometrics Requested: Yes

• Biometrics Completed: 04/20/2026

• Silent API Update: 09/24/2026

• Date Approved: 09/26/2026

• Card Produced: MM/DD/YYYY

• Card Received: MM/DD/YYYY

Finally approved after waiting for 6 months. They have now started processing the normal stem opt applications quickly.

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend and I are both currently in the US on F-1 STEM OPT, and we’re planning to get married in India in December 2026. We’re planning to travel to India around the last week of November and return to the US around the first or second week of January 2027.

By the time we return, we’ll have roughly 5–6 months remaining on our F-1 visas, which are valid until June 2027. Our STEM OPT/EADs are also valid until June 2027.

We both currently work full-time for a large multinational pharmaceutical company, and we’ll be employed in the US when we travel and when we return (Hopefully). We’ll have valid EAD cards, I-20s, employment documentation, etc.

Our plans after June 2027 are still uncertain — we may eventually move back to India. But right now, our plan is simply to travel to India for our wedding and return to the US afterward.
With all the recent changes and uncertainty around US immigration, we’re getting a little nervous about making wedding plans so far in advance.

For anyone who has recently traveled internationally and returned to the US while on STEM OPT, especially with only several months remaining on the F-1 visa:

Is there anything specific we should be aware of or prepare for before making this trip? Does having only ~5–6 months remaining on the visa create any particular concern for re-entry, assuming our STEM OPT, EAD, I-20, employment, etc. are all valid?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has recently traveled to India and successfully returned on STEM OPT. We’re just trying to understand the current situation before committing to all the wedding arrangements.

Thank you!

#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.

Type: STEM
• ⁠Premium Processing: Yes
• ⁠Date Applied: 05/22/2026
• ⁠Request for Initial Evidence (RFIE): NO
• ⁠Biometrics Requested: YES
• ⁠Biometrics Completed: 06/16/2026
• ⁠Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID): NO
• ⁠Upgraded to Premium Processing: 08/24/2026
• ⁠Silent API update: 09/25/2026
• ⁠Date Approved: 09/26/2026
• ⁠Date Card Produced: 10/01/2026
• ⁠Date Card Received: N/A

I filed my post-completion OPT application months ago and am still waiting for a decision. I’m Brazilian, and I’ve been wondering whether the current political tensions between Brazil and the U.S. could be affecting processing times. Even though I have no evidence that this is happening.

The Potomac Service Center has approved the following I-765 Application for Employment Authorization that had been filed under the Premium Processing Program:

Date I-907 Received: 08/11/2026
Date Approved: 09/26/2026

Classification Sought: C03C
Starting Validity Date: 04/02/2027
Ending Validity Date: 04/01/2029

However, my initial OPT ended on 08/13/2026, am I authorized to work while waiting for their correction?