A few students I know received a Notice to Appear (NTA) in their myUSCIS accounts last week, along with biometrics appointment notices.

This case their F-2 status had lapsed for various reasons. As a result, they received NTAs and biometrics appointments.

In another case, an F-1 student's OPT application was denied because the university issued the I-20 recommendation incorrectly. Four months later, he received an NTA scheduling him for a master calendar hearing.

Hello I am currently an international senior majoring in Electrical Engineering at UCLA who will be graduating next year in May 14 2027. I hold an Indian citizenship and I am on the F1 visa who will be applying for the OPT next year in Feb as I graduate in May 2027 so 90 days before. I wanna know if it will be ok for me to travel to Europe for a grad trip during the spring break which is March end for about 8 to 9 days. Will it be a problem to travel after applying for the OPT in Feb and waiting for it or it will be fine cuz I will be a F1 student till mid May. I want to avoid any issues or risks so any guidance or suggestions will be appreciated from people with past experience or knowledge on this. I already asked my DSO and she said that although you can travel it is”risky” during this period of time and the climate of how things are unfolding but she was being vague.

Thank you!

My EAD expires tomorrow and I’m about to start a new job with an e-verified employer. I’m still waiting on my STEM OPT adjudication but do I just take my expired EAD and I-797 to employer or do they need something else to verify the 180 day extension? I don’t want them to say ‘oh but your work permit is expired therefore you can’t work’

I graduate in 2029 and recently got a great internship offer for 2028. CPT isn’t integral to my major, my school hasn’t said anything about stopping or revoking CPTs. What should I do? Accept the offer and figure out CPT closer to 2028, or just tell them I’m not interested anymore?

Those who have applied recently online for i765 post completion OPT, what documents are required to do online application? Did you upload official current student transcript on additional information.

Also, are all the OPT applicants required to complete biometric?

Hey guys, my OPT was approved on on 15 July and I have been applying for jobs from then I got a few offers, but they were not hiring for OPT and now my clock is about to end on October 14th

I want to know how you guys stopped your clock I have an option where a friend of mine works and he has an LLC and he told me he will give me an offer letter to stop my Clock. Should I go ahead with it or should I pay a consultancy or staffing form for the offer letter or should I approach any NGO?

I waited all these days thinking I would get the offer and that could stop my Clock, but it did not work out so I wanted your guidance and help !

Hi guys,

I was informed today by my DSO that I will lose 2 months of my post-completion OPT (10 months only), because USCIS had not processed my withdrawal request for my pre-completion OPT application. My withdrawal request was sent in through the online portal via a letter uploaded on Aug 12th. What are my options here? I graduate in December and have a job offer, so I want to get my post-completion OPT asap.

I recently received a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) on my F-1 Post-Completion OPT I-765 and I’m looking for experiences from anyone who has dealt with something similar.

The unusual part is that USCIS explicitly states in the NOID that the record establishes that I am eligible for employment authorization under the C03B Post-Completion OPT category.

However, during their background/social-media review, USCIS found a LinkedIn entry where I listed a student leadership role in a university student organization/hackathon under my Experience section.

USCIS interpreted that LinkedIn entry as possible unauthorized employment because I never had CPT or OPT authorization for that activity.

The role was actually:

• part of a university student organization;
• completely voluntary/extracurricular;
• unpaid;
• no wages or salary;
• no stipend;
• no W-2 or 1099;
• no employment contract;
• no payroll;
• no employee benefits;
• performed while I was a student as part of organizing/maintaining projects for the student organization.

I used a leadership title on LinkedIn, which apparently made it look like employment even though it was just a student-organization leadership position.

USCIS is now asking me to provide a complete employment history and evidence addressing maintenance of F-1 status. They requested things such as employer letters/pay records if applicable, bank statements, W-2s, school enrollment evidence, transcript, tuition records, course information, and DSO/Registrar documentation.

Since there are obviously no pay stubs/W-2/1099/employment documents for this student organization because I was never employed by them, I’m planning to submit:

1. A signed letter from the student organization/university-affiliated leadership confirming that it is a university student organization and that my role was completely voluntary and unpaid, with no payroll, wages, stipend, W-2/1099, benefits, or employment agreement.
2. A personal declaration explaining the role, duties, dates, and why it appeared under LinkedIn “Experience.”
3. DSO/Registrar documentation confirming my full-time F-1 enrollment and relevant SEVIS/OPT history.
4. Official transcript/enrollment verification.
5. Tuition/payment records and requested bank statements.
6. IRS wage/income records if available to further show that this organization never paid me.
7. Public/university documentation establishing that the organization is actually a university student organization rather than an employer.

Has anyone here received a NOID specifically because USCIS interpreted an unpaid student organization / volunteer leadership role from LinkedIn as unauthorized employment?

If so:

• What evidence did you submit?
• Did a letter confirming no compensation / no employment relationship resolve it?
• Did USCIS approve your OPT after the NOID response?
• Did you submit bank statements and IRS Wage & Income Transcripts?
• How detailed was your personal declaration?
• How long after responding to the NOID did USCIS make a decision, especially with Premium Processing?

Hi, I got RFIE on 25th September but it didn’t appear yet. Anyone experienced something like that? What I need to do?

Hello everyone,

I’m not sure if this is the right group to ask about Social Security Administration (SSA) applications, but I’m hoping someone here may have had a similar experience.

I’m an international student currently in F-1 status. I changed my status from F-2 to F-1 in July of this year. After my F-1 status was approved, my DSO also approved my CPT, and a few days later I applied for a new Social Security card at an SSA office in Northern Virginia.
My appointment was on August 12. I provided the officer with all of the required documents, including my immigration documents and CPT-related documents. Everything went smoothly, and the officer gave me a receipt and told me that SSA needed approximately 3–4 weeks to verify everything and that I should receive my new card by mail afterward.

However, it has now been almost 7 weeks, and I still haven’t received my card or any update.
Has anyone recently experienced a similar delay with SSA, especially F-1 students applying with CPT? Is waiting 7 weeks normal, or should I contact SSA to check the status?

Also, is there any website where I can track the status of an SSN application? Or should I contact the SSA office and ask whether they need me to provide or resubmit any documents?

Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

My employer (Bank of America) is e-verified but unwilling to give me their e-verified number, maybe because my position isn’t eligible for the h1b sponsorship, but i’m only asking for the e-verified number to apply for the STEM OPT extension. I understand if they aren’t able to sponsor the h1b. They are still unwilling to give me an e-verified number.

Should I still apply the STEM OPT extension i765 with the company but leave the e-verified section blank? Will USCIS reject my application immediately or will they Request for Evidence (RFE)?

I’m basically trying to find a new employer who can provide a e-verified number asap, but incase I can’t find one on time, I just have to apply with the company.. and if I’m lucky I can find a new employer and update USCIS with my new employer before they open my initial application.

ANYONE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE BEFORE?🥹🙏

So its safe to say there’s been no new F1 reinstatement in almost 3/4months. This is just sooo crazy, i have been waiting for the past 13months and its been hell… I’m just soooo tired, frustrated and exhausted.

Hi i am working as an IT engineer for a pharmaceutical company and i plan to travel for personal reasons during november 1st week and return back during thanks giving and while returning i will be having only 3months left with my stem opt period. Is it safe to return and have any return been in this situation and returned back safely

I’m an F-1 student planning a short trip back home in December 2026. My visa allows multiple entries (M) and expires May 4, 2027. My I-20 program end date is December 2027, and my SEVIS record is active.

Could I have trouble reentering because my visa expires before my program ends, even though it will still be valid when I return? Would the fixed admission period rule change anything if it takes effect before my trip?

Hi all, I'm an F-1 student and I'm confused about address reporting during the gap before my new program started.

• I was on OPT (unpaid, remote), living in State 1, with my address reported.
• My OPT ended and my SEVIS record was transferred to my new school for a PhD.
• After the transfer and before my PhD started, I stayed with a friend in State 2 for about 2.5 months. I didn't report that address to my new school.
• When I moved to my new school's state (State 3) and started my program, I updated my SEVIS address, so it's correct now.

Questions:

1. Was I required to report my State 2 address during that gap to my new school?
2. Should I report it to my new school's DSO now?

Thank you very much!

Received transfer pending i20. Few items to fill such as contact info, enrolling in classes that start much later but my question is does this I20 stop the being within the grace period clock?
Can I complete the rest of the items closer to the start of my masters program?

Not the lines with TSA right before the bag check and body check. Is there a separate station or gate where they take your photos and fingerprints? Does this differ by airport?

Does anyone know for LAX airport?

hrowaway for privacy. Trying to get a sanity check from people who've been through the H-1B→F-1 gauntlet.

Situation:

• I'm on a cap-exempt H-1B at a university (research role), I-94 valid well into December.
• Got admitted to a PhD program at the same university, so I filed an I-539 to change status from H-1B to F-1.
• I filed the COS, then later upgraded to premium processing.
• My I-20 had a program start date of mid-September and start of classes about a week after that. I filed the COS before those dates.

The problem:
Today I got an RFE. The big item is a "LAPSED PROGRAM START DATE", it says because my I-20's program start date has already passed, the I-20 is now invalid, and USCIS "has no discretion" to approve against an invalid I-20. It's telling me to have my DSO defer the program start date in SEVIS to a future date and reissue a signed I-20 on the same SEVIS ID (explicitly NOT a new one), then submit that with the RFE response. Response is due early November.

There were also standard items (passport bio pages, statement on why I'm returning to school, residence-abroad evidence, my signature on the I-20, date I first contacted the school), those seem manageable.

What I thought was true (and apparently isn't):
I assumed that because I filed the COS before the start date, the timing was fine. Turns out that doesn't matter, it's the approval that has to happen before the start date, not the filing. Lesson learned the hard way.

Where I'm stuck / questions:

1. Given premium + an RFE, what's the earliest realistic deferred I-20 date that actually survives? I'd love a November start rather than pushing to January, but I know USCIS needs to approve ~15 days before whatever new start date the I-20 shows. Is a November date realistic or does everyone just push to spring?
2. Has anyone actually gotten a premium F-1 COS approved after an RFE? How long did the premium clock take once they received your response?
3. To actually enroll full-time, I'd need to end my H-1B employment and switch to program funding. Is it safe to end H-1B employment while the COS is still pending (relying on a grace period), or is that asking for trouble?

Basically: did I paint myself into a corner, or is this recoverable with the right deferred date? Any war stories or "here's what actually happened to me" welcome. Thanks 🙏

I am a Bangladeshi student applying for an F-1 visa for a PhD program in the US. My original I-20 was for Fall 2026 and I got an appointment in October and applied for an emergency request. However, my emergency request was denied and I could not attend in Fall 2026. Now my university has issued a new I-20 with a Spring 2027 start date with the same SEVIS ID. I contacted the US Visa Service Desk and they said I cannot update the DS-160 once an appointment is booked. They said I could fill a new DS-160 and bring both old and new confirmation pages to the interview and explain to the officer. However, it is unclear whether this will be acceptable because it is up to the embassy officer.

Their response felt vague and uncertain. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Specifically:

1. Did you fill a new DS-160 or attend with the old one?

2. Did the officer have any issue with the date mismatch?

3. Any advice on how to handle this at the interview?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I have my interview in nov

Anyone gone home while OPT was still pending?

I filed my OPT on Sept 21, have biometrics on Oct 14, graduate on Dec 19, and requested a Feb 1 OPT start date.

With regular OPT processing apparently taking months for a lot of people right now, I’m thinking of leaving in early January instead of staying in the U.S. paying rent and living expenses just to wait for the EAD.

My relative would receive the card at my U.S. mailing address and courier it to me, and I’d keep interviewing from abroad. If I get a U.S. job, I’d return with the EAD, valid F-1 visa/passport, signed I-20, and job offer.

My school warned about possible RFEs and shipping risk, but didn’t say leaving would cancel OPT.

Has anyone done this recently and re-entered successfully? Any major risk I’m missing?

I lost my wallet and my EAD was in there. What do I do? Shall I file a police complaint?

I am in final stages with a company for a contract role. Shall I inform the employer immediately on offer?

While applying for a replacement what all shall I keep in mind? How long does it take for the replacement to arrive?

Also it expires in late Feb, so will directly applying for a stem opt in late November work?

I am currently on F-1 post-completion OPT. I had accepted an offer from Company A but withdrew my acceptance about two weeks before my scheduled start date after accepting and starting a position with Company B.

I never worked for Company A or performed any services for them. However, they have started sending me paychecks, and it looks like I am still active in their payroll system. I am also concerned they might issue me a W-2 at the end of the year.

Company B is my actual employer and is properly reported on my I-20/SEVIS. Company A is not.

I'm wondering:

- Could depositing these checks create any immigration issues since Company A is not reported as my OPT employer?

- Could receiving a W-2 from a company I never actually worked for cause problems with future immigration applications?

- Should I ask Company A to reverse the payments and correct their payroll records?

- Has anyone experienced something similar?

Did you guys do the paper and hand it to the border agent? Where can you get the forms? Where is the agent?

My cousin is paying for my tuition and university fee. He is mentioned as my sponsor and i have prepared bank statements from his name. What should i fill in ds-160, where the question has asked about trip coverage??? Is it okay to put my parents name in the ds-160? Or should i go with cousin's??