18 Sep 2024

I applied for my 24-month STEM OPT extension and it currently is pending. My first-year OPT EAD expired two weeks ago. I just received news that I must travel back to my home country for a couple of weeks to attend to a sick relative. Will I be able to return to resume my STEM OPT?

Answer Your EAD and F-1 status are automatically extended for 180 days while your STEM OPT is pending. If you travel during this time, you should be able to come back with an expired EAD and the STEM OPT receipt notice. You should also be able...

29 Jul 2024

How Project 2025 Could Impact Immigration Policy for Employers & Employees

A policy proposal from the Heritage Foundation named the 2025 Presidential Transition Project – or Project 2025, as it is widely referred to in the press – presents a comprehensive set of conservative reforms aimed at restructuring federal government policies, including U.S. immigration policy. Former...

24 Jul 2024

I applied for the 24-month STEM OPT extension and it is still pending. However, I recently was laid off from my employment and received a new job offer from another company. Can I inform USCIS that I changed employers? Am I still eligible for STEM OPT approval?

Answer As long as your new employer is registered with E-Verify and the new job offer is for at least 20 hours per week, you should have a new Form I-983 completed with your new employer and provide it to your DSO. This should enable the...