You can choose a start date as early as the day after graduation/your I-20 program end date, or as late as 60 days after graduation/your I-20 program end date. 

• Example: My I-20 end date is on May 21. The latest start date you can enter is July 20 (May 21 + 60 days). 

Once you choose a date and submit the I-765, you will not be able to change the requested start date date. 

Choosing an earlier start date is better so that you have a better chance of being able to accept a job offer and starting work quickly. However, choosing a later start date would give you more time to find a job. It would delay when you would start accruing unemployment.

Keep in mind that whatever start date you request, you cannot start work until your OPT application has been approved, and the start date on your EAD work permit card has been reached.

The latest start date you can request for post-completion OPT start is 60 days after the I-20 program end date (usually the same as Commencement). Once your EAD is approved, you then have an additional 90 days of unemployment time. 

NOTE: You cannot begin work until you have received your OPT EAD card, and have reached the start date listed on the card. If USCIS processing time takes beyond your OPT requested start date to process your EAD card, you could end up with a later OPT start date than what you requested.

Keep in mind that if you use all 90 days of your unemployment time, you must have valid OPT employment for the remainder of your OPT period. No additional unemployment would be allowed. If you exceed your allotted number of unemployment days, your OPT status ends.

Use a U.S. mailing address where you can reliably receive mail for the next 3 months. If needed, you can change your mailing address on the USCIS website after submitting your I-765.

If you have a reliable and trustworthy relative or friend, you may be able to use their address as a “care of” mailing address. The following is an example. Always be sure to confirm with them that they would be willing to accept your mail before using their address.

Example:

John Student
c/o Mary Friend
123 Main Street, Apt 1
Providence, RI 02912

To withdraw a pending OPT application, write a brief letter (one or two sentences is fine) explaining that you would like your application to be withdrawn and upload it to the "unsolicited evidence" section of your USCIS portal. The letter should contain your full name, receipt number, your signature (sign by hand, not electronically) and the date. It may take USCIS several weeks to withdraw the application, but eventually you will receive confirmation of the withdrawal by mail.

Please talk with your ISSS advisor about the immigration implications of withdrawing your application. Note: OPT application fees are non-refundable.

Yes, but take into account these considerations. 

• After you have attended the required biometrics appointment, you can leave the U.S. while your OPT application is pending. However, you will need the EAD with you when you return to the U.S. post-graduation. If you haven't received the card before departing the U.S., you would need a friend to check your mail and forward the card to you via FedEx/DHL so you have it in hand at the port of entry. Read more about travel requirements while on OPT.
• If you receive an RFE (Request for more evidence) from USCIS, which may either be mailed to you, or listed in your USCIS account, you need to be able to have someone who can access your mail to notify you of the RFE, and you need to be able to respond to the RFE for your OPT application to proceed.
• If your application is denied for any reason while you are outside the U.S., you will not be eligible to apply again, as you can only apply for OPT from inside the U.S.

For these reasons, consider postponing international travel until your OPT application has been approved.

No, you can return before or after your OPT start date. If you enter the U.S. after your OPT begins, we recommend that you have evidence of your employment with you.

No, do not enter the U.S. in tourist status or using ESTA at any time if you plan to use OPT. You must continue to travel in F-1 status, even after graduation. Entering the U.S. even briefly in a different status will mean that your OPT will no longer be considered valid.

Yes, OPT is a part of the F-1 visa program, so you need a valid travel signature when entering the U.S. Travel signatures are valid for only 6 months while on post-completion OPT. You can submit a travel signature request while on OPT through your ISSS Gateway portal, just as you did while you were an enrolled student.

For a complete list of document requirements, refer to our information about travel requirements while on OPT.

We recommend that you have the OPT approval and EAD at the time of the visa appointment. If the OPT has not been approved, it may not be clear to the visa officer why you should receive a new F-1 visa. In general, it's not enough to show that you've applied for the benefit, it must also be approved.

During your post-completion OPT/STEM OPT periods, you need the following documents to travel internationally during OPT and during STEM OPT and are returning to the U.S. before your OPT/STEM extension ends. If your OPT has been approved and you are traveling after your visa expires, you will need to renew your F-1 visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate before returning to the U.S. 

Unfortunately, you cannot renew your visa from within the U.S., but you can stay in the U.S. with an expired visa. Your visa only needs to be valid when you are trying to enter the U.S., so if you are not traveling, it's ok to let it expire and then apply to renew it next time you travel home.

While an expiring passport should not directly affect your OPT application, you should always have an unexpired passport valid at least six months into the future at all times while in the U.S. Holding an unexpired passport is one of the general requirements for all non-immigrants while they are physically present in the U.S.

Yes, you are supposed to report your job details within 10 days of starting or changing your employment. This requirement also applies to any changes to your U.S. living address.

See the OPT/+STEM reporting requirements page on the ISSS website.

You can report your employment through the ISSS Gateway portal using the "OPT Employment Update" request, or you can wait until your OPT is approved and you've reached the start date of the OPT when you will gain access to the SEVP portal and can report your employment there. You should not report the same employment in both portals. The required fields in the ISSS Gateway request and the SEVP portal are the same. More information about what is required for employment reporting can be found on the SEVP Study in the States website.

Your employer does not need to formally confirm your employment details with SEVP or Brown, but it is a good idea to save your offer letter, and keep records of your employment (e.g., pay stubs). You may be asked to provide evidence in the future about your activity while you were on OPT. Also, it may be helpful to carry this information if you travel while on OPT.

No, employment on OPT does not need to be paid. Report unpaid employment as you would paid employment. Just keep in mind that any OPT activity must be related to your field of study, and it's your responsibility to connect the two. Employment that's not related to your field of study is not permitted while on OPT.

With the permission of your employer, you can work abroad temporarily while on OPT. There is not a specific limit from SEVP on the number of days you can do so, but you must report a U.S. address for your employer as well as for yourself. 

Keep in mind that the purpose of OPT is to provide you with the chance to engage in U.S.-based practical training in your field. You may get questions from a port of entry official if you work on OPT from abroad for extended periods of time.

You can apply for the STEM extension of OPT no more than 90 days before your current EAD expires and no later than the EAD expiration.

Keep in mind that before applying for the extension, you must request a new, updated STEM Extension I-20 from ISSS. This may require up to fifteen days to process, so plan ahead.

Yes. Employment during your STEM OPT employment period needs to be paid employment, that is directly related to your degree field, more than 20 hours of work per week, with an E-Verified employer.

Please use the "OPT Employment Update" request in your Brown ISSS Gateway portal to submit a new I-983 (pages 1-4) which you complete with your new employer and also a self-evaluation (p. 5 of the I-983) signed by your current employer. ISSS will issue an updated I-20 for you with the new employer information which you should then add to the Unsolicited Evidence section of your I-765 if your STEM Extension application it is still pending.

Please read this guidance from USCIS: "An employer must have sufficient resources and trained or supervisory personnel available to provide appropriate training in connection with the specified training opportunity at the location(s) where the student’s practical training experience will take place, as specified in the Form I-983. The “personnel” who may provide and supervise the training experience may be either employees of the employer, or contractors who the employer has directly retained to provide services to the employer; they may not, however, be employees or contractors of the employer’s clients or customers. Additionally, under no circumstances would another F-1 student with OPT or a STEM OPT extension (who is undergoing training in their own right) be qualified to train another F-1 student with a STEM OPT extension."

USCIS is very sensitive to STEM Extension job opportunities that are not bona fide, i.e., “real” opportunities that involve supervised training in an employment setting. F-1 students should not be in a role of supervising other students in training related activities and positions.