r/stemopt

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me understand my situation.

* My employment contract ended on **June 30, 2026**.
* I completed my **STEM OPT biometrics on July 1, 2026**.
* My **STEM OPT start date is July 10, 2026**.
* Since my contract ended on June 30, I'm currently unemployed.
* I spoke with my employer, and they told me they **cannot run payroll for July**, so they can't keep me employed during this period.

I'm really worried and have a few questions:

1. Will this gap in employment affect my STEM OPT status or cause any issues for future immigratio?
2. Should I apply for Premium Processing to get my STEM OPT approved faster, or would that not help in my situation?
3. Is there anything I should do right now to remain compliant with USCIS requirements?

If anyone has gone through something similar or knows how this works, I'd really appreciate your advice.

Thank you so much!

I applied for my STEM OPT extension on January 22, 2026, and completed my biometrics on February 14, 2026. Since then, I haven’t received any updates at all. My USCIS account still just says that my case is being actively processed by USCIS.
Is anyone else in the same situation? If you applied around the same time, have you received your approval yet, or are you still waiting?
I’m getting really stressed and would appreciate hearing about other people’s timelines or experiences. Thanks!

Hello everyone,
My F2 visa is valid and so is my husband F1 visa but he’s on OPT (he’s a PhD graduate and newly working on OPT).
Have anyone travelled internationally before on F2 visa while their spouse is working OPT? Have you faced any problems? What are the necessary documents to request? Thank you !!

Timeline update: I submitted my initial OPT EAD with Premium Processing on - May 5th
Biometrics- May 27th
Approval mail - July 5th
Portal Update - No status
Expecting card arrival in 7-10 days hopefully 🙏🏻.
Will post for updates. Thanks 🙏🏻

Hi everyone,

I applied for OPT early January 2026, did biometrics in February, and have not had any updates since then. My country was on the list of 39 countries that USCIS paused adjudication benefits for since Jan 1, 2026 and although it has been lifted on June 12th, the pressure from my 180 days automatic EAD extension is adding up.

I upgraded to Premium Processing on June 23rd. My 180 days ends August 1st and when I tried to contact my DSO to at least submit the 6 month validation report, she told me she will not be able to process it until I actually get approved and have the card.

And then the fact that this new rule to end Duration of Status MAY be implemented soon. I don't know what to do tbh. I am really confused on what to do tbh and really exhausted.

Could it be because I did volunteer/unpaid internship in my first year of OPT? I know the 30 business days is not up yet but 6 of my friends from school who applied AFTER me got approved even without PP. What am I doing wrong? In 2024, my OPT was approved in a month. I am always paranoid during this administration despite doing the right thing. Idk anymore

Applied in Normal Processing: April 21 2026
Biometric Appointment Notification: May 02 2026
Biometric Appointment: May 08 2026
Upgrade to Premium Processing: May 22 2026
API Soft Update: July 03 2026
Approval mail from Potomac: July 04 2026

No update on portal yet.
Not from banned countries.

Hope this helps!

Hi everyone,

I applied for Premium Processing on May 18, and USCIS started my premium processing clock on May 19.

Based on my calculation, the 30-business-day deadline ended on July 1, but I didn't receive the Approval Case Decision Rendered update until July 3.

https://preview.redd.it/wuhn7mv50abh1.png?width=920&format=png&auto=webp&s=6b5d695ef2f4a9162c45225b5a1116859bbdc2db

Does this make me eligible for an automatic Premium Processing fee refund. If I don't receive a refund automatically, how long should I wait before contacting USCIS to request one?

The 180-days extension means nothing if you're unable to drive or normally live in this country. How can I solve this ????

Hi guys! Just a quick question: does "ackedByAdjudicatorAndCms" being true mean anything? Does that mean it is closer to a decision?

Applied for stem opt on Jan 16th
Initial opt expired on Feb 16th
Biometrics Feb 19th
No response yet
No RFE
Confirmed w DSO my sevis is active
Kinda scared right now
Is anyone on same boat?

Hi everyone,

I'm posting because my fiancée and I are in a very stressful situation, and we're hoping someone here has experience with something similar or can offer guidance.

She graduated from Wilmington University (Delaware) on June 1, 2026. She applied for her post-completion OPT EAD around April 16, 2026, and her application is still pending. She also received a job offer from a company in Philadelphia and was scheduled to start work in August.

Unfortunately, during the first week of June, her father had a major heart surgery in India. His condition was critical, and she had no choice but to travel home to be with her family.

Before leaving, she:

• Requested expedited processing of her OPT EAD on June 10.
• Traveled to India on June 11.
• Informed her DSO about the family medical emergency immediately after arriving in India.

The DSO scheduled a meeting for today, and during the meeting they informed her that:

• They will not issue her another I-20.
• They plan to terminate her SEVIS record within the next two days.

We are devastated. We genuinely thought the university would work with her given that this was a documented family medical emergency. We were hoping they would either keep her SEVIS record active while her OPT application is pending or issue the necessary travel I-20, but they refused.

We have several urgent questions:

1. Is there anything we can do before the DSO terminates her SEVIS record?
2. Can we request the DSO to delay the termination or reconsider their decision?
3. If the SEVIS record is terminated, is reinstatement possible, and what does that process look like?
4. Will SEVIS termination affect her pending OPT EAD application or her ability to start the job if the EAD is approved?
5. Would hiring an immigration attorney at this stage help?
6. Is there any email, documentation, or request we should immediately send to the DSO that might help?

We understand that travel during a pending OPT application is generally risky, but this was an unavoidable family emergency involving her father's critical heart surgery.

If anyone has gone through something similar or knows the regulations around this situation, we would really appreciate your advice. We are also willing to hire an immigration attorney immediately if there's still a way to save her SEVIS record.

Thank you so much for reading.

hi guys !

so i received stem opt rfe under premium processing yesterday, it still does not show up under documents tab.

i am so stressed right now, i think it might relate to the self employment that i had in initial opt for 4 months, it was a small construction project for a client and the services were construction management since that was my degree. I have progress pictures for the duration of the 4 months and also weekly progress timesheets, i did not create an llc or ein since it was sole proprietor. i also consulted my professor regarding this project during the duration and he can provide a letter.
the only other job i have is my current one w2 which i applied stem opt for.

is my documentation good ? Anybody similarly received rfe for self empoyment ? Help a brother out !

My I-765 Premium Processing clock started May 20, 2026. Counting 30 business days (minus weekends and holidays), today, July 2nd, is Day 30.
Public Tracker: Stuck on "Case Changed to Premium Processing."
myUSCIS Documents Tab: Completely empty.
What I'm doing today:

1. Emailing: Sent an inquiry to the direct Service Center email with "DAY 30 REACHED" in the subject line.
2. Calling: Reaching out to USCIS at 8 AM to get a Tier 2 escalation.
3. DSO: Asking my advisor to check SEVIS for a backend approval.
   Has anyone else hit Day 30 on the dot and gotten a last-minute approval late at night? If they miss the deadline today, does the refund happen automatically?

Applied:4/9

Biometrics:5/19

Potomac email:7/1

Website:7/3

Nothing about card yet.Hope yall get your decisions soon.

I've been watching closely all the trackers available right now that are collecting data from voluntary submissions and subreddits. It seems like STEM OPT applications in particular are frozen for SEVERAL days in multiple occasions, with no updates, not a single approval and a complete silence for a long time. Regular OPTs, on the other hand, are going much faster, with extensive batches approved every day. I am in my 86th day of STEM OPT application and I have no hope that my case will move any faster.

Does anyone understand why STEM OPT applications are significantly slower? Of course I am excluding premium processing from this question because they enter a whole different type of timeline.

Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to decide whether I should pay for Premium Processing, and I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with a similar timeline.

My timeline:

• 2/17/2026 - Filed STEM OPT (Form I-765, IOE receipt)
• 2/18/2026 - Initial OPT EAD expired (working under the 180-day automatic extension)
• 6/5/2026 - USCIS issued an RFE
• 6/15/2026 - USCIS received my RFE response (my online account shows isRespondedTo = true and latestResponseDate = 6/15)
• No updates since then.

The case is being handled by Texas Service Center (although it’s an IOE receipt).

My automatic extension ends around August 17, so I’m starting to get nervous.

A few questions:

1. Has anyone else responded to a STEM OPT RFE around June 15 (especially Texas/IOE)?
   • If so, have you been approved yet?
   • How long did it take after USCIS received your RFE response?
2. If you upgraded to Premium Processing after responding to an RFE, how long did it take to get a decision?
3. I’m worried that if I file Premium Processing now, USCIS might simply wait until the end of the 30-business-day window before taking action.
   • Has anyone actually experienced that?
   • Or do they usually continue processing as soon as an officer reviews the case?

Any recent experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

https://preview.redd.it/u9mznsjc6oah1.png?width=1988&format=png&auto=webp&s=152b3b83919de2c01d08d0f1f9b018a981bc17bf

Hi everyone,

I'm really stressed and hoping someone has gone through something similar.

I'm currently on my STEM OPT extension and my 180-day automatic extension expires next month. I filed with premium processing, and USCIS recently issued an RFE.

The RFE says they want to establish a bona fide employer-employee relationship and asks for my signed Form I-983 and evidence of my entire post-completion employment history.

My post completion OPT was with an NGO (community dreams foundation) as unpaid volunteer.

Hi everyone,

For those who have already gone through the STEM OPT extension process, who handled your Form I-983 at your company?

My OPT is valid till October, and I was thinking if this is the right time to start the process..

Who completed and signed the training plan? Did your supervisor already know what to do, or did HR guide them through the process?

Also, how long did the whole process take from the time you brought it up until everything was ready?

Just trying to understand how it usually works before I start the process. Thanks!

F-1 Student Traveling During OPT vs Staying Enrolled – Need Advice (Brother’s Wedding + Property Issue)

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice from people who have been in a similar situation.
I’m currently on an F-1 visa and will be completing my MBA this fall. I need to travel to Pakistan in December for two important reasons:
My brother’s wedding.
A property matter that requires my physical presence.
I’m trying to decide between two options.

Option 1: Graduate this fall and travel while on OPT

Complete my remaining two courses this fall.
Apply for post-completion OPT immediately.
Use Premium Processing so I hopefully receive my EAD by the end of November before traveling.
I already have an OPT opportunity with my cousin’s company. It’s a single-member LLC that has been operating since 2023 and has generated over $100k in annual revenue. The position is directly related to my degree.

My questions are:
Has anyone successfully re-entered the U.S. on OPT after traveling abroad?
Would an offer letter from a legitimate single-member LLC be viewed negatively at the port of entry, or is that generally acceptable as long as the employment is real and related to my degree?

Assuming I have:

Valid passport
Valid F-1 visa
Signed I-20 with travel endorsement
Approved EAD card
Job offer/employment letter
Would that normally be sufficient for re-entry?
Is there any airport/Port of Entry that tends to be smoother for F-1 OPT re-entry, or is it mostly just luck depending on the CBP officer?
How long can I realistically stay outside the U.S. after graduation while on approved OPT? I know there are unemployment limits, but I’m trying to understand how much flexibility people have in practice.

Option 2: Delay graduation

Instead of graduating this fall, I could take an extra class in Spring 1, remain an active student, travel during the Christmas break, and return before classes resume. This seems like the lower-risk immigration option, but it would delay graduation and increase my tuition costs.
If you were in my position, which option would you choose?
I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has:
Traveled after OPT approval.
Returned with a job offer from a small business or family-owned company.
Recently entered through a U.S. airport while on OPT.

Thanks in advance for any advice or personal experiences!

I have not got a response yet , its crossed 30 business days from my premium processing. Can someone guide me what to do to get my decision. Kindly respond if you guys have some idea on what i can do next if if call them now they are saying my application has been converted to a normal one can some one guide me what can i do next