As of April 8, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security requires students to report to their schools all periods of employment and unemployment while authorized for Optional Practical Training (OPT). This is in addition to the ongoing F-1 requirement of supplying changes of address. Updates must be reported within 10 days of any change. Please email the Office of International Student Services (ISS) as often as necessary to make sure that we have your most current information. Please direct any questions regarding OPT reporting via email as well. Remember, if you did not volunteer the change of information to ISS it will not be updated in your SEVIS record and as a result, you may lose your OPT benefit.
Maintaining Your Visa Status While on Optional Practical Training
Reports You Must Make
All F-1 Students on OPT– Within 10 days of each change, you are required to report the above, plus the following:
- Current U.S. address
- Change of your official name
- Start or end of employment
- Change of your employer’s address
- Change of your employer’s name
All Students with an OPT STEM Extension – You are required to report all the above, plus the following:
- Employment status, 6 months after your extension start date, even if your information has not changed.
- Employment status, 12 months after your extension start date, even if your information has not changed.
IMPORTANT!! STEM STUDENTS: USCIS has programmed the SEVIS system to automatically terminate your record if you do not file both the 6- and 12-month reports, even if the information has not changed! Send in your reports to OIS!
How to Report
To report a change of address or employment, please send ISS an email. ISS will report your changes to Homeland Security.
Email: internationalservices@ualr.edu.
