Hi Everyone,
Is there a minimum salary one should make on a STEM OPT? I'm afraid I'm going to get laid off soon and want to go back to my old job, but they have budget constraints and are willing to pay me around 1000 USD a month. Will that be an issue? Thanks
Hi need advice!
I submitted my stem opt on april 27th and had my bio appointment today. But when I arrived the building was closed due to water outage.
I don’t have an update regarding the automatic rescheduling but I’m concerned this would significantly delay my application process. I have books a flight back home in early September and worried i wouldn’t get the card in time.
Should I do premium or reschedule to the fastest day as possible?
Thanks!
Hi yall,
My OPT ends mid June, and I am thinking of doing premium processing for my STEM OPT, but I have seen in the last couple of months in this sub that a lot of people are not getting approvals in 2-4 weeks like last year with PP, so is it worth it to pay that much or should I do regular processing? Or is that a minority and people are getting approved quick?
For context: I am still in talks with an employer who is yet to give me an offer but I do not think 180 days wait time should be an issue, I just want to do PP for peace of mind. Also, I am Indian, if that makes a difference.
Thank you for your wisdom!
Edit: I have my offer and I-983 incoming, I didn’t originally say that because it’s just verbal right now
If anyone got their STEM OPT approved recently, would you please share the timeline ? And could someone get RFE after biometrics ? As far as I am concerned I dont have any issue with my application but still afraid.
My timeline
Applied on PP : April 21
Biometric Notice: May 1st
Biometric Provided: May 5th (Rescheduled)
Decision: pending
Hi y’all, I applied for my STEM OPT in early December and I my 180 day extension ends in June. I have been told by my comp immigration lawyer that I will need to leave the country after that even if I have not used up any of my unemployment days. My DSO is saying I can stay as long as I have my application in and I am not sure what to believe anymore and I am frantic cause it is so close. Is anyone going through the same thing?
After stem opt was denied, anybody have tried to reenter on new sevis? Please assist.
I am a F-1 student here, recently i got a STEM OPT NOID in Feb 2026 for the classic MBA concentration vs major issue. Filed a strong response before the April 02 deadline with OHE documentation, Dean's memo, PDSO letter, and personal statement. Case is currently pending but i am having doubt about if it will ever gets approved.
I have three questions and would really appreciate anyone who has been through this:
1. Has anyone actually gotten their STEM OPT APPROVED after filing a NOID response? Especially for MBA concentration/CIP code mismatch cases. Would love to hear real outcomes — approved, denied, how long it took.
2. If STEM OPT gets denied and your 60-day grace period from OPT expiry has already passed — does your SEVIS auto-complete on the denial date? And if so, to get a new I-20 from another school do you have to physically leave the US and re-enter or can you get reinstated from inside the country?
3. Is filing a Motion to Reopen/Reconsider or an AAO appeal worth it after a denial? Has anyone had success at that level for STEM OPT cases?
Any real experiences or advice appreciated. This has been one of the most stressful things I have ever gone through and just trying to understand all my options. 🙏
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice because I’m feeling pretty stressed about my situation and I want to understand what my best options are.
I am currently working under my regular OPT. My OPT expires on August, 2026, so I am now at the point where I need to prepare for my STEM OPT extension.
The problem is that my employer recently told me they will not help me with the STEM OPT extension. At first there was some uncertainty, and HR mentioned they were reviewing things, but I was finally told they would not be able to support it.
What makes this more frustrating is that I was told they would help me in the process, they would like me to stay but for some reason they do not want to be linked with anything regarding sponsorships or something close to it.
Now I’m trying to figure out what I should do next. Since my filing window is already open, I know time matters. I understand that I would need to find another employer that is willing and able to support STEM OPT requirements, but I am worried about whether I can realistically find a qualifying job in time.
I wanted to ask if any of y'all had a similar situation or if there is any advice someone could give me on what to do.
Thank you.
My case is assigned to Texas center. I applied 16 December, appointment was scheduled for 13 April. Still no update. Anyone from texas center getting approved from December?
Hi every one recently I had applied for my Stem extension but while I was submitting I forgot to upload the signed i20 instead I had uploaded the one which is not signed , after 2 working days I had realized it and re upload it in the additional documents section can any one guide me through this whether there is any chance of future RFE if in case so what all documents I need to collect from now just to be prepared for it
Applied : 30 January 2026
Biometrics : 18th March 2026
Approved : 17th May 2026 - Normal Processing
Hi Everyone,
I have a pending I-485, but my STEM OPT EAD is expiring soon. I'm trying to figure out the best way to continue working while waiting for the AOS EAD.
Has anyone enrolled in a Day 1 CPT program after filing I-485 just to maintain work authorization until the new EAD arrives? If yes, how was your experience? Any issues with SEVIS transfer or any issues later during the green card process? I will also like to know if it is risky to apply for a second masters program.
My employer allows Day 1 CPT, also, I have completed a Masters program before. I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have actually done this or have heard about someone else who did this.
Thanks in advance!
Hi, I have an upcoming USCIS biometrics appointment scheduled. The notice says that I must bring a valid government-issued photo identification. I have not renewed my driver’s license yet. Will my passport suffice?
Hi every one recently I had applied for my Stem extension but while I was submitting I forgot to upload the signed i20 instead I had uploaded the one which is not signed , after 2 working days I had realized it and re upload it in the additional documents section can any one guide me through this whether there is any chance of future RFE if in case so what all documents I need to collect from now just to be prepared for it
Hello everyone. Please if this applies to you or you are absolutely sure about the answer, please do not skip.
I am in the 180 days of my automatic extension after timely filing stem opt. My 180 day extension will end by June 28th. If USCIS does not adjudicate but June 28th, I am aware that I am supposed to stop working, that is not an issue at all. My biggest issue is for example let's say USCIS sees my case September 2026, does it now mean that I have accrued unemployment days?
I have 20 unemployment days from initial opt, so by June 28th am I now accruing unemployment days? Do I need to leave after June 28th? I am just curious if USCIS will count those 20 unemployment days from initial opt and then deny me.
The real question I am asking is,
AND (this AND is important pls)
Hello everyone,
I’ve been noticing a worrying trend of STEM OPT RFEs and outright denials lately—specifically hitting STEM MBAsand business programs. The common reason cited by USCIS seems to be that the underlying degree title (MBA) is not considered STEM-related, despite having a STEM-designated CIP code on the I-20.
Because this is causing a lot of anxiety for those of us waiting on decisions, I wanted to create a central thread where we can crowd-source data and see what's actually getting approved versus what's getting flagged.
If you have a STEM MBA or a specialized business master's, please share your experience using this quick format:
Hopefully, this can help those who are currently panicking while reading these scary posts, and give us a blueprint of what evidence USCIS is actually accepting right now.
Thank you, and good luck to everyone navigating this process!
Did anyone who did biometrics after April 24 get approved yet? If so, could you share the details?
Hello everyone. I need some suggestion. My STEM OPT application seems alright so far. I gave my biometric. Suddenly today i checked my sevp account and noticed that my DSO accidentally wrote my employer name on my job title. Everything else is good. I immediately sent the DSO an email requesting to fix that. Should it trigger an RFE ?
I would really appreciate some thoughts here on how i should proceed
My first year opt expired on 30th Jan 2026 and I applied for my stem opt extension (2years) during Jan last week
I recently received an RFE for my OPT extension saying my company's E-verify did not match their records
Upon confirmation with my employers we realized we were not e-verified in the first place, so we did not immediately
How does this affect my case? USCIS says that the employer must be e-verified at the time of application which we were not, but we got e-verified now
Would really appreciate any advice/suggestions
[Posted on behalf of a friend]
I would really appreciate some thoughts here on how i should proceed
My first year opt expired on 30th Jan 2026 and I applied for my stem opt extension (2years) during Jan last week
I recently received an RFE for my OPT extension saying my company's E-verify did not match their records
Upon confirmation with my employers we realized we were not e-verified in the first place, so we did not immediately
How does this affect my case? USCIS says that the employer must be e-verified at the time of application which we were not, but we got e-verified now
Would really appreciate any advice/suggestions
[Posted on behalf of a friend]