http://www.oiss.yale.edu/visa/f1opta.htm

Part One

What is Optional Practical Training?
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment authorization that gives F-1 students an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to a practical work experience off campus. You may use some or all of the available 12 months of practical training during your course of study or save the full twelve months to use after you complete your studies . Authorization for optional practical training is granted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) – formerly known as the Immigration and Naturalization Service or INS - and can take at least 90 days and frequently up to 120 days to obtain. It is important that you apply for the authorization at the earliest possible date.

What are the Eligibility Requirements for F-1 Optional Practical Training?
To be eligible to apply for optional practical training, you must:

• have been in full time student status for at least one full academic year preceding the submission of your OPT application
  
• be maintaining valid F-1 status at the time of the application, and
  
• intend to work in a position directly related to your major field of study.

When should I apply?

• If you are a student completing the first academic year of study (or are in a one year program), the earliest you can submit the application is 90 days prior to the date you complete your first academic year.
  
• If you are beyond the first year of study, you may submit your application no earlier than 120 days prior to the start date you request for your OPT.
  
• If you are applying for OPT based on completion of all coursework and/or completion of your academic program, you must submit an application for optional practical training prior to your completion date. Applications received at USCIS after the completion date will be denied.
  
• Applications will be accepted by OISS at your pre scheduled OPT appointment (see below)

Dates of OPT Authorization. The OPT card is approved for a specific beginning and end date. You must identify those dates on the OPT Request Form. For OPT after completion of studies or graduation, the beginning date can be no later than 60 days after the date you complete your studies. If you have questions about your OPT dates, please discuss this with an OISS adviser.

How do I apply for OPT? OPT must be recommended by the OISS before submitting the application to USCIS. Your first step is to schedule an appointment with our office. To schedule, call the OISS office at 432-2305 or stop by the office to sign up. Time slots will be available Tuesday through Friday, from February 1st – March 31st . Appointments will be scheduled in small group format, with time for individual questions. The session will last no longer than one hour. Your OPT applications will be reviewed for completeness and accepted for processing at the close of the session.

You must bring the following documents to your OPT appointment

• the attached OPT Request Form, part II of which is to be signed by your dean, department chairperson or academic advisor.
  
• the completed I-765 form. (Make certain that the address you put in item #3 will be valid for the next 90 to 120 days as that is where your receipt and employment card will be sent). Mail from USCIS will not be forwarded by the US Postal Service
  
• A copy of your I-94 form (both sides) and a copy of the visa and identification pages from your passport
  
• Copies, front and back, of all previous I-20s
  
• Two recent photographs per the attached instructions from USCIS (see sample). Write your name and SEVIS number in pencil on the back of the photos. Do not cut to size or staple.
  
• A check for $175 payable to US Citizenship and Immigration Services
  

OISS will review your application and submit a recommendation for OPT by updating your record in SEVIS. The SEVIS system will produce a new I-20, a copy of which you will submit with your application for optional practical training. (Refer to page 3 for complete instructions on how to submit your OPT application to USCIS.) Please return to OISS three business days after submitting your application. At that time you will receive your new I-20 for inclusion with your OPT application.

Part Two
Submitting Your OPT Application

Once you have picked up your OPT application from OISS, you must send it to USCIS. The following documents must be included in your application for optional practical training:

1. A copy of pages 1, 2 and 3 of the SEVIS Form I-20 issued for OPT, signed and dated by an OISS adviser and signed by you at the bottom of page 1. (You keep the original.)
2. Copies of all previous I-20s including the endorsement page
3. A completed and signed Form I-765
4. A copy of your I-94 form (both sides) and a copy of the visa and identification pages from your passport
5. Two recent photographs per the attached instructions from USCIS. You can write your name and admission number in pencil on the back of the photos. Do not cut to size or staple.
6. A copy of your last Employment Authorization Document (EAD) if applicable
7. A check for $175 payable to US Citizenship and Immigration Services

After making copies of all the above documents, staple all the documents listed above and send by certified mail with a return receipt or a courier service to the USCIS Service Center that services the address listed on your I-765. Those with addresses in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, your application should be sent to USCIS Service Center, 75 Lower Welden Street, St. Albans, VT 05479-0001. If other, consult with OISS to learn where to send your application.

How will I know the USCIS has received my OPT application? The first sign that USCIS has received your application is the cashing of your check. If the check has not cleared your bank within six weeks please contact OISS. USCIS will then send you a notice (Form I-797) stating you need to wait for about 80-90 days to receive your EAD with the case # (EAC….) This is your receipt so take care not to lose it. With the receipt number, you can track the progress of your application at the USCIS website. If you have not received your EAD card within 90 days from the date of USCIS receipt, you may be able to get a temporary card from USCIS in Hartford. Contact OISS for more information.

How will I know if my OPT application has been approved? You will receive from the USCIS a small photo identification card, called an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). This card will state the type and length of the period of employment authorized. When you receive this card, you must check it to make certain all the information is correct. If there are errors, please consult with OISS immediately to determine whether the card needs to be returned for corrections.

Staying in Touch With OISS During the OPT Period

USCIS regulations now require Yale to report to the USCIS student tracking system, SEVIS, any change in your address during the optional practical training period. Students on OPT can notify OISS of change of address at http://www.oiss.yale.edu/sevis/addr.asp. In addition we are required to report the end of the OPT period if it ends prior to the authorized expiration date. You can report this by sending an email to [email protected].

Travel and Re-Entry While in OPT Status

Items Needed to Reenter the U.S. – please see the OPT FAQ for issues related to traveling while in OPT status. Or while your OPT application is pending.

1. Valid passport and valid F-1 entry visa
2. Valid I-20 form endorsed by an OISS adviser within the preceding six months
3. Valid EAD and letter from employer showing temporary employment in the authorized field of study.
   

Part Three
Frequently Asked Questions about F-1 OPT

Do I need to have a job to apply for optional practical training? No, but remember OPT only permits employment related to your field of study.

When May I eligible to apply for OPT?

• During vacation periods (no restrictions on hours per week)
• During the semester (limited to 20 hours/week) and student must maintain full time enrollment
• After completion of all course requirements, excluding a thesis or dissertation requirement
• After completion of a course of study (i.e. after graduation).

If I complete a degree program, take 12 months of practical training, and then begin a second course of study, am I eligible for an additional 12 months of practical training? As of January 1, 2003, an F-1 student may become eligible for another 12 months of optional practical training when he or she moves to a higher educational level. This benefits, for example, a student who has used 12 months of optional training after completing a bachelor’s degree and is now completing a masters or PhD program.

What are the guidelines for the dates I chose on the OPT request form? The OPT card is approved for specific beginning and end dates. For OPT after completion of studies or graduation, the beginning date can be no later than 60 days after the date you complete your studies.

Can I begin working before I receive the Employment Authorization Document? (EAD card) No. You may not begin employment before you receive your EAD from USCIS. Working before practical training has been authorized by the USCIS constitutes illegal employment and may jeopardize your legal status in the U.S.

Can I travel outside the US while my OPT application is pending at USCIS?
Before graduation, for example over Spring Recess, you may travel outside the US prior to USCIS approval of your application, if you return to the US prior to graduation.
After graduation, OISS does not recommend travel outside the US prior to receiving OPT approval from USCIS. If you must travel outside the U.S. after graduation, but before you have been approved for your practical training employment, it is advisable to speak with an OISS advisor about the timing of your application and the date you list as the beginning date of the proposed employment. The beginning date selected is important because it has an impact on how early you can apply, thus how early you will obtain approval.

What about traveling abroad after I have completed my studies and while I hold practical training status? If you have completed your course of study and have received your USCIS authorization for practical training (your EAD card), you may travel abroad and re-enter the U.S. in F-1 status. You will need the following documents for your re-entry: (1) a valid passport, (2) a valid F-1 visa stamp in your passport, (3) the new SEVIS I-20 recommending optional practical training (4) your original practical training Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by the USCIS and (5) proof that you have a job in the U.S. appropriate for practical training and that you are returning to the U.S. to resume or start this employment. If you do not have all of these documents you should NOT travel abroad without first consulting an OISS advisor. (An expired F-1 visa can pose a problem; it may be difficult to renew your F-1 visa while you are on practical training.)

Will I have to pay U.S. taxes for income earned while on practical training? In general, F-1 students who have been in the U.S. for fewer than six calendar years are exempt from social security (FICA) and Medicare taxes. You should be sure to bring this to the attention of your employer, as many employers are not familiar with this provision of the tax law. You will be subject to all other taxes that may apply: federal, state and local. You should check to see if your country is one of the few that has a tax treaty with the U.S. allowing students to exclude a limited amount of earned income from federal taxation.