After You Have Applied for Optional Practical Training (F-1 Students)

If for any reason you decide you do not want OPT, you must take immediate action to prevent your I-765 application from being adjudicated by USCIS (i.e. approved or denied).

Write (but do NOT send!) a letter to USCIS requesting your I-765 application be withdrawn:

Note “Re: I-765 Withdrawal” on the letter
Include biographical information to identify yourself, including name, date of birth, and SEVIS ID number
If you have received the Form I-797 (Receipt Notice) from USCIS, include the receipt number in your letter
Request that the Form I-765 application for Optional Practical Training be withdrawn and include a short statement of why you are withdrawing your request
Date and sign
Email [email protected] with your full name, UMID, and receipt number (if applicable). Indicate that you mailed your I-765 and want to withdraw your OPT application. Attach your letter to USCIS to the e-mail and a copy of your Form I-797 Receipt Notice (if available).

An International Center advisor will review the letter and provide instructions for you to submit a withdrawal request to USCIS. When the withdrawal is successfully processed, USCIS will send a withdrawal confirmation letter to the address you listed on the I-765. Keep this letter in your records.

If You Do Not Receive Receipt Notice within 30 Days (For Paper-Based Filing)

In the unlikely event that your paper OPT application delivery is delayed, returned as undeliverable, missing, etc., contact your courier service to first determine the problem and follow the recommended instructions. If you determine that your I-765 has not reached USCIS, contact an International Center advisor for advice.

If you filed your OPT application online, the receipt notice should be available immediately in your USCIS Online Account.

For paper-filed applications, in some cases, it may take USCIS up to 6 weeks to put a Receipt Notice in the mail after your application is received. However, if you have not received your receipt notice in the mail within 30 days after OPT filing, we recommend that you take the following steps:

Identify evidence of the application being properly filed, if you have not already done so.
- Examples include utilizing the courier service’s tracking number for your OPT application to verify delivery confirmation to USCIS, and if you paid by personal check, you should work with your bank to see if the check has been cashed. If you are able to locate an image of the cashed check, your USCIS receipt number may be printed on the cashed check.
- If neither apply, please contact an International Center advisor for assistance.
If you have confirmed evidence of filing, try to determine whether the receipt notice has already been delivered. Double check your stacks of mail and ask roommates, neighbors, the apartment complex manager, etc.
Call the USCIS Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283. Ask for your receipt number if you have not already received it by text or e-mail. If they are able to locate your case, have USCIS verify that they have the correct mailing address on file.
If you are able to obtain the receipt number, enter it on the USCIS.gov website under ‘Check your case status’ to obtain the latest information on your application.
Submit the online form to report that you ‘Did not receive notice by mail’ in order to have the receipt mailed out to you.
If your receipt number cannot be retrieved or USCIS case status does not give indication of the status of the receipt notice, email [email protected] to inquire about the status of your receipt notice. Include your name, date of birth, and date your I-765 was delivered to USCIS.

If you require additional assistance, contact an International Center advisor.

If You Receive Notice from USCIS Requiring Additional Action

If any of the following happen, contact an International Center advisor immediately for advice:

You receive a Request for Evidence (RFE) in the mail or see in Case Status Online that one was sent. In order to best advise you on the next steps, an advisor will request to see a copy of the RFE.
You receive your I-765 application back in the mail or see in Case Status Online that it was rejected and/or returned. The International Center may need to cancel and reissue your OPT I-20 in this situation if the OPT recommendation has expired.

Either of the above are an indication that additional action is required for your OPT application. No progress will be made on your application until USCIS receives the necessary documentation from you.

The allowable time period to respond to an RFE or rejected application is limited and will be indicated on the materials from USCIS. If you fail to respond by the deadline, your application will be denied.

If Your Application is Denied

If USCIS denies your application, they will mail you a notice of denial. This will document the reason for denial. To best assess your options, please contact an International Center advisor as soon as possible since the denial impacts your legal status in the U.S. An advisor will request to see a copy of the denial notice to best advise you on the next steps.

If Your EAD Does Not Arrive

USCIS will send the EAD using regular, first class USPS mail. From the time Case Status Online indicates your request was approved, you should expect to wait a week or more for delivery of the EAD.

If you suspect a problem in the delivery of your EAD:

First take any possible steps to determine whether the EAD has already been delivered to your address. Double check your stacks of mail and ask roommates, neighbors, the apartment complex manager, etc.
Check your Case Status Online to see if there is an update regarding the status of your EAD. If not, call the USCIS customer service number and ask if your EAD was “returned undeliverable,” meaning sent back to USCIS. Keep detailed records of your conversation with the customer service agent, including the date you called, any number the agent gave you, and the advice you were given.
Email [email protected] with a detailed account of the situation and steps you have already taken, including notes from your conversation with USCIS customer service. An advisor will respond with advice.

Please be aware there is usually little, if anything, the International Center can do to intervene in cases of an EAD not delivered. You may ultimately need to apply for a replacement of the lost card and pay the fee again.

If your EAD was returned undeliverable or lost in the mail, you can expect significant delay in obtaining the card. If you have a job offer, you may wish to speak with your employer regarding beginning employment with the receipt notice from a pending replacement EAD application with USCIS. Current I-9 employment verification policy allows individuals to begin employment with the receipt notice for the replacement application, noting that the original EAD must be presented to your employer within 90 days of presenting the receipt.

If There is a Mistake on Your EAD

If there is any problem on your EAD, email a scanned copy of the card with a description of the exact problem (name misspelled, wrong dates, etc.) to [email protected] . An advisor will respond with advice.

Remember, the dates on the card determine when you are authorized to work, even if they are not the dates for which you intended to apply.
If for any reason USCIS approves the I-765 for post-completion OPT after the start date you requested, the start date should be set as the date the application was approved.

Travel Outside the U.S. and Reentry

For important information on international travel after you've mailed the I-765, refer to Travel Advisory.