You must report any new residential address within 10 days of moving. Please remember that you must report your physical address, you cannot report a Post Office (P.O) Box. To report the new address to SEVIS, you must go to your MyOhio Student Center and update the “SEVIS US” address.
Former F-1 Students OPT Reporting
While pursuing OPT, you remain on the F-1 visa record from Ohio University. There are several reporting requirements built into the F-1 regulations that you must follow.
Reporting Requirements
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Change of Phone Number
You must report a new personal phone number within 10 days of the change. To report the new phone number to SEVIS, you must go to your MyOhio Student Center and update the “SEVIS US” phone number.
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Change in Employment
You must report any change in employment within 10 days of the change. This includes starting a new job, ending a current job, moving to a new location for your job, etc. You can report these changes using the OPT Employment Update e-form in iCats. If you currently hold the OPT STEM extension, please see additional requirements below.
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Change of Status
If you successfully obtain an H-1B (or any other) visa status during your OPT, please report it to ISSS by using the Report New Immigration Status e-form in iCats.
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Travel Outside the U.S.
If you will travel and return to continue your OPT employment, you will need to request a travel signature. You may request this via iCats. You will also need a valid F-1 visa stamp in your passport when you return to the U.S.
If you will depart the US and intend to forfeit the rest of your OPT, please send an email to isss@ohio.edu to notify us of your departure date, and to ask that we terminate your SEVIS record. This will prevent you from accruing too many days of unemployment on OPT.
OPT STEM Extension Reporting Requirements
To find instructions on applying for an extension, please review the STEM OPT Extension Application Instructions page. Additional reporting requirements apply to this extension.
Failure to complete any of these steps may result in the termination of your F-1 status and OPT.
- Within 10 Days of a Change: If you change employers, or if there are substantial changes to the I-983 training plan that was submitted earlier, you must submit an updated I-983 to isss@ohio.edu within 10 days of the change.
- Every 6 Months: ISSS will email you regarding your STEM OPT verification. You must respond to this email even if there have been no changes to the details of your employment or address. A response to ISSS is required by the OPT regulations.
- Before the 12 and 24 Month Marks: You must complete an official self-evaluation before the 12 and 24 month marks of the STEM extension and submit these to ISSS via isss@ohio.edu. These should be completed on page 5 of the I-983 form that is on file with your employer.
Important Reminders
- During the first year of post-completion OPT, you are limited to 90 days of unemployment. If you pursue the OPT STEM Extension, you are limited to a total of 150 days over the entire 3-year period.
- Self-employment is allowed during the first year of post-completion OPT. Self-employment is NOT allowed during the OPT STEM Extension.
- Unpaid employment can be considered employment during the first year of post-completion OPT. Unpaid employment CANNOT be considered employment during the OPT STEM Extension. Read more about what constitutes unpaid employment here.
- You must work more than 20 hours per week.
- All work must be related to your degree.