The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently declared that F-1 students can now submit their I-765 Form (Application for Employment Authorization) online for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT application online filing is available for the following categories:
Pre-Completion OPT (c)(3)(A)
Post-Completion OPT (c)(3)(B)
24-Month Extension of OPT for STEM students (c)(3)(C)
OPT provides temporary employment directly connected to an F-1 student's primary field of study. Students who qualify can get up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization either before their studies conclude (pre-completion) or after they finish (post-completion).In addition, F-1 students who graduate with a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree are eligible to apply for an extension of their post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) by 24 months.
OPT application onlineis intended to make the process more convenient for students and more efficient for adjudicators.
However, I-765 online filing is only available for F-1 students requesting OPT. If an applicant who qualifies for a different category of employment authorization submits Form I-765 online after April 15, 2021, the USCIS will refuse the request and keep the payment.
OPT application online enables applicants to submit forms electronically, keep track of their case status at anytime from anywhere, and receive USCIS notifications online rather than waiting for them in the mail. USCIS plans to further extend online filing for the I-765 form to other categories as it progresses towards paperless operations.
USCIS currently offers 11 different forms that can be submitted online. These forms are listed on the "Forms Available to File Online" page. To submit an online form, individuals must first create an account at myaccount.uscis.gov. This free account allows users to submit forms, pay fees, monitor their case status, securely communicate with USCIS, and respond to Requests for Evidence.
USCIS will continue to accept the latest paper versions of these forms by mail.
For more details on USCIS and its programs, you can visit the USCIS website or follow them on various social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
You can also seek the guidance of education consultants that specialize in helping international students fully leverage OPT provisions. CPTDog can assist you.