To learn more about the new features of the ISSS Portal, please visit its homepage.
While on your post-completion OPT and STEM OPT periods, you are required to make reports to the International Center as part of maintaining your F-1 status. It is important that you follow these reporting requirements to avoid falling out of status.
Please see below to understand how these requirements affect you.
For students currently on an initial 12-month OPT
- You are required to submit a copy of your Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You will submit an "OPT/STEM OPT EAD Card Submission" request to the International Center within the ISSS Portal.
- You are required to submit the following requests within 10 days of the change to the ISSS Portal:
for U.S. Home Address and Permanent Foreign Address.
for New Employment, Change of Employer and Unemployment.
for Legal Name Changes.
for Change in Immigration Status.
for Permanent Departure from the U.S.
Post-Completion OPT employer eligibility requirements:
- Employment must be related to field of study
- Must work at least 20 hours a week
- Employment can be paid or unpaid
For students currently on a 24-month STEM OPT extension
- You are required to submit a copy of your Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You will submit an "OPT/STEM OPT EAD Card Submission" request to the International Center within the ISSS Portal.
- You are required to submit the following requests within 10 days of the change to the ISSS Portal:
- for U.S. Home Address and Permanent Foreign Address.
- for Initial Employment, Change of employer and Unemployment.
- for Legal Name Changes
- for Change in Immigration Status
- for Permanent Departure from the U.S.
- You are required to submit "STEM OPT Validation Report" requests in the ISSS Portal every six months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period (even if no changes have occurred):
- Six-month validation (Six months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period)
- 12-month validation (12 months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period)
- 18-month validation (18 months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period)
- 24-month validation (24 months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period)
- You are required to submit the self-evaluations from Form I-983 every 12 months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period and at the end of any employment, in addition to the 12- and 24-month deadlines. Evaluations are submitted within the "STEM OPT Validation Report" requests to the ISSS Portal:
- Evaluation of Student Progress—Form I-983, Page 5 (12 months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period and at the end of any employment on STEM OPT)
- Final Evaluation of Student Progress—Form I-983, Page 5 (24 months after the beginning of your STEM OPT period)
- You are required to resubmit a new Form I-983 if there are any material changes to your training plan under your current employer or if you change employers. New Forms I-983 should be submitted within the "STEM OPT Validation Report" requests to the ISSS Portal.
STEM OPT employer eligibility requirements:
- Employment must be related to field of study
- Must work at least 20 hours a week
- Employer must be e-verified
- Employment must be paid
- A completed Form I-983 training plan must be completed
- Must be a bona fide employee of the employer completing the Form I-983 training plan