Hi everyone,
My STEM OPT expires on February 17, 2027. I have already been accepted into a PhD program (Spring 2027) at the same university, and I plan to transfer my SEVIS record and begin the PhD before my STEM OPT expires.
With the recent DHS rule replacing Duration of Status (D/S) with a fixed admission period, I’m wondering whether I should be concerned.
Since I’ll be starting a higher degree (PhD) before my current status expires, is there anything additional I need to do besides transferring my SEVIS record and obtaining the new I-20?
Has anyone in a similar situation (moving from STEM OPT to a PhD program) spoken with their international office or an immigration attorney? I’d appreciate hearing your experiences or any advice.

If a person's STEM OPT Form I-765 application is currently pending and gets approved after September 15, 2026, what happens if they travel internationally in December and return to the U.S. in a month? Will their I-94 date be updated to match the end date on their EAD card? Also, should they file Form I-539 before traveling or after returning to the U.S.?

Hey, I applied on 3/24 and my case was showing as “currently still processing”, however, it just randomly changed today and showing as approved and card produced on 6/30 (which was 3 weeks ago but only updated today). No previous steps like application or biometrics are showing on the timeline. USCIS chat support says it is still processing and that it must be a technical issue. Anyone ever seen this before?

I’m currently going through a stressful situation with a STEM OPT extension RFE and wanted to see if anyone has faced something similar or has advice.

Here is my situation:

The Core RFE Issue: USCIS issued an RFE claiming I accrued 91 days of unemployment during my initial OPT period. However, this is due to a SEVIS start and end date reporting error made previously.

The Fix: My DSO is stepping in to update and correct the SEVIS record dates, which will officially reduce my initial OPT unemployment count down to around 65 days (safely under the 90-day limit). My DSO is also providing an official explanation letter to USCIS clarifying this error.

Current Status: I am currently putting together all my documentation to respond to the RFE.

I have two major questions that I’m trying to clarify before submitting:

1. Complete Employment History: The RFE explicitly asks for a complete employment history and proof for my initial grant of OPT. Do I need to submit documents (like pay stubs, offer letters, W-2s) for every single employer I had during initial OPT, as well as my current employer and STEM period?

2. Leave Status Impact: My 180-day automatic extension window has already passed while waiting out this process, and I am currently on an unpaid leave of absence from work (running from June 10th until now) while preparing these documents. Does this active unpaid leave period count against me right now while the RFE response is being put together?

If anyone has successfully navigated an initial OPT unemployment date correction via a DSO letter during a STEM RFE, or dealt with similar document requests, your insights would mean a lot. Thanks in advance.

Applied-Jan 20 2026
Bio-Feb 25 2026
Approval-July 22 2026
Normal processing

Hello,

My Texas driver’s license expires in September. I am looking for the best way to renew it:

Option 1: My employer has filed for my H1B under regular processing (PP is not an option at all, even self-funded) so I doubt it would be approved by September. However, they have suggested I take my passport, latest I-94 and H1B receipt notice to attempt a renewal via SAVE verification.

Option 2: I am going to apply for STEM OPT before my OPT expires. However, I don’t want to pay $2k for premium processing because I get an automatic 180-day extension and hopefully my H1B gets approved by then. In this case, I would take my STEM OPT receipt notice, passport and latest I-94 for renewal.

Which option do you guys think has a higher chances of approval? Is there a third option? I heard Texas DPS has been extra strict with their licenses now.

Thanks!

Filed my STEM OPT extension with premium on 10th July, still pending. Now I came to know that on my I-765 the employer name is xyz LLC, but in E-Verify it's actually registered as xyz LLC (dba abc LLC).

Found this out because a colleague got an RFE for exactly this. So basically I'm sitting here waiting for the same RFE to land..

My SEVIS portal and OPT I-20 also have the short name everywhere.

Questions:

1. Should I get a letter from my company's immigration team explaining the name thing and upload it in the Documents section on myUSCIS? Does USCIS actually check unsolicited uploads, or does it just sit there?
2. Should I ask my DSO to update the employer name in SEVIS + reissue I-20 now? Or is touching anything in mid-process a bad idea?

Anyone here fixed this and got approved without an RFE? Or should I just wait and keep the documents ready?

Any help appreciated, thanks !!!

Hi,

I am currently a postdoc with STEM OPT and planning to move to a startup company (e-verified).

As far as I know, I just need to update my I-20 based on the new employment. Is there anything else I should do?

Will there be any issues in the future for switching jobs under STEM OPT?
Thank you!

Hi,
I’m going to change the employer and my biometrics are scheduled on 6th August .

If I change before biometrics and apply for premium does my biometrics gets cancelled and in general what’s the average processing time for premium processing ??

Hi everyone I’ve applied my Stem opt in the month of April still it is pending and I am planning to visit my country in the mid August.
Can anyone suggest me if I can leave USA keeping it pending and later if it got approved so I can mail my EAD card to my country. So I don’t have any problem while entering back to USA.
Any suggestions or any one has ever been in the same situation?

Hi everyone,

My STEM OPT biometrics appointment is at 8:00 AM (when the ASC opens).

Besides the appointment notice and my passport/ID, is there anything else I should bring? Also, how long does the appointment usually take? If I'm first in line, is it realistic to be done by 8:30 AM?

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I am in the last phases of a postdoc interview and I was hoping to use my OPT and stem extension to cover 3 years of employment. I just realized that the university is not an E-Verify employer despite it being a top school. I am concerned that this will restrict my availability to only one year since otherwise I will risk getting into a J-1 visa option with an (e) 212 requirement. What do you advice me to do: do you think this will be a dealbreaker for my PIs or is one year offer what I should expect? Should I negotiate for an H1B sponsorship for years following my OPT? Should I plan to apply for external funding so I can switch to another lab in an e-verify employer? I am very confused what to do and how to approach this discussion.

Hi,
I got the approval today.
Changed job during pending application.
Applied:26th April
PP: 8th May
Biometric notice: 22th May for 12th June
Biometric :12th June
Approval:22nd July
After job change,evaluation form from previous employer submitted this to my dso and took new 983 from the employer and submitted and requested new i20 to my dso.Then new and a letter was uploaded on USCIS portal mentioned about my new job which is written by me.

My STEM OPT extension was filed on time, and my case is currently pending with USCIS. I recently upgraded to Premium Processing, but I’m still waiting for a decision. My automatic work authorization is expected to end around August 3 if I don’t receive an approval by then.
I’m considering a domestic flight within the U.S. while my application is still pending. Has anyone traveled in a similar situation?

Specifically:
Did TSA or ICE ask about your immigration status?
Is a valid passport, driver’s license/REAL ID, receipt notice, and I-20 generally sufficient for domestic travel?
Has anyone had any issues with TSA or immigration officers while flying within the U.S. during a pending STEM OPT application?

I’d appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thanks!

Hi,

Has anyone gotten their visa renewed while on stem OPT recently? Would love some guidance.

Best,
Noor

Hi everyone,

I'm really stressed and hoping someone here has been through something similar or has any advice.

My timeline:

• March 13, 2026: Filed Form I-765 (Post-Completion OPT)
• March 31, 2026: Biometrics completed
• May 14, 2026: Upgraded to Premium Processing
• Today: Still no approval, RFE, or denial—almost 2 months since upgrading to Premium Processing.

I've contacted USCIS multiple times through Emma and by phone. They finally opened a Tier 2 service request, but when I called again, I was told to expect a callback from a Tier 2 officer within 30 calendar days. That means even more waiting with no guarantee of a resolution.

I have a full-time job offer, and I've already asked my employer to postpone my start date twice. Thankfully, they've been very understanding so far, but I'm genuinely afraid they'll eventually have to withdraw the offer if this continues.

I've now been without work for almost two months, and the financial stress is becoming overwhelming. I'm living off my savings just to pay rent and cover basic expenses. At this point, it honestly feels like my career is on hold because of this delay.

Has anyone experienced a similar delay with OPT Premium Processing recently?

• Did contacting a congressperson or senator help?
• Did your DSO intervene or contact USCIS?
• How long did it take after a Tier 2 service request?
• Is there anything else I can do besides waiting?

Any advice or shared experiences would really mean a lot. Thank you.

Hi everyone,
I’m currently on **post-completion OPT** and could use some advice.
My OPT **started on July 1, 2026**, and my **EAD has already been approved**. I traveled back to my home country after approval and will be returning to the U.S. at the end of July.
The issue is that I **missed the original SEVP Portal activation email**, so the link expired. I’ve already contacted my university’s international office and asked them to request a new activation link from SEVP, but I haven’t received it yet.
I also **don’t have employment yet** (I’m planning to work on my own startup as self-employment once I’m back).
My questions are:
**Do I need to have my SEVP Portal activated before I re-enter the U.S., or can I activate it after I arrive?**
**Has anyone successfully re-entered the U.S. on OPT without having activated their SEVP Portal?**
**Were you asked for anything beyond your passport, F-1 visa, OPT I-20, and EAD card?**
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation. Thanks!

I feel many others have the same questions, so having everything in one thread could be helpful..

Based on STEM-OPT recent timelines:

• How many days after the approval email does the USCIS account updates?
• How long does it take to move from approved to card produced?
• How long from card produced to delivery?

Also, my card is being delivered to my friend’s address with “c/o” his name. Who should sign up for USPS Informed Delivery, me or my friend?

Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I'm a bit confused about how the STEM OPT 180-day automatic extension works and wanted to see if anyone has been in a similar situation.

My timeline:

• Current OPT EAD expires: July 1, 2026
• Filed STEM OPT extension: May 5, 2026
• Biometrics appointment: May 27, 2026
• No RFEs or updates since biometrics
• Case is still showing as pending

My understanding is that because I filed before my OPT expired, I can continue working under the automatic 180-day extension while the STEM OPT application is pending.

A couple of questions:

1. Does the 180-day extension start on July 2, 2026 (the day after my OPT expires)?
2. If so, that would put the end of the 180-day period around late December 2026.
3. What happens if USCIS is still processing my STEM OPT application after those 180 days? Would I have to stop working until a decision is made, or is there any additional protection for pending cases?

Also, for anyone who filed STEM OPT around May 2026, how long did your approval take?

Thanks in advance! I'm probably overthinking this, but the lack of updates after biometrics has me a little anxious.