Safe to travel to Netherlands on STEM OPT? Work auth expires Sep 2026 – have all documents
Hi everyone! Looking for advice on international travel while on STEM OPT 🙏
My situation:
• Currently on STEM OPT (work authorization expires September 4, 2026)
• F-1 Visa expires June 2027
• Planning to travel to the Netherlands from June 1st for 15 days
• I have all my documents ready: employer letter, client letter, pay stubs, EAD card, I-20, passport
My questions:
1. Is it safe to travel internationally on STEM OPT with my work authorization expiring in September 2026?
2. What are the risks at re-entry into the US? Any red flags I should be aware of?
3. Are there any specific documents I should carry beyond what I already have?
4. Has anyone traveled to Schengen countries (Netherlands) while on STEM OPT and re-entered the US without issues?
5. Should I be worried about the current immigration climate affecting my re-entry?
Documents I have:
✅ Valid passport
✅ Valid F-1 visa (expires June 2027)
✅ EAD card
✅ Valid I-20 with travel signature
✅ Employer support letter
✅ Client letter
✅ Recent pay stubs
Any advice or personal experiences would be really helpful. I don’t want to risk my status but this trip is important. Thank you! 🙏