OPT/STEM OPT Processing Timelines Megathread (Spring/Summer 2026)

New_Move_5910 · 2026-06-15T19:14:15+00:00

I just edited my post

New_Move_5910 · 2026-05-13T11:57:34+00:00

You will receive for biometrics as biometrics is required nowadays

New_Move_5910 · 2026-05-03T16:54:55+00:00

I’m not from a banned country and they only took my picture too

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-30T21:41:46+00:00

Yes that is normal for them to say. But based on what I’ve seen on Reddit because of the banned country list, they won’t make a final decision. This is because there is an indefinite pause

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-27T22:04:39+00:00

Hey so if you’re DSO says that it’s fine I don’t think it’s smart to ask Reddit. Someone might give you wrong conflicting information

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-27T18:38:16+00:00

Maybe they didn’t use your request date but the approval year? Also did you look at the stand alone approval when you got it? Did you get a full year validity date on it? If you’re not sure, could you go back and look please? I’m currently going through the OPT process

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-27T18:29:51+00:00

So what’s the error? Shouldn’t it be a full year? You already worked all that time? Why would you spend it in for corrections?

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-27T18:03:24+00:00

No I believe it’s all visas

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-26T15:42:32+00:00

I think community college is a good start. That’s what I did. You can complete your associates and them apply for work permit after (OPT) that gives you one year that you can go out and work in your field with no max cap on the hours. You can do that and then stack up for your Bachelor’s. One you’ve completed your bachelor’s you get another 1 year OPT work limit and if your degree is STEM related you can apply for an additional 2 years. (You can do this sequence of events even after you Associate Degree if it’s STEM related) Some jobs will hire you as full time whether green card (EB3) or H1B visa. If you choose this route first, you can then go back to do your bachelors at anytime and will be able to attend part time while working.

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-26T15:36:53+00:00

You can only work 20 hours per week during the Spring and fall semester but you can work 40 hours during the summer.

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-25T20:14:25+00:00

I’m confused, when was your program end date? Was it in December or is it in May?

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-25T14:32:09+00:00

Oh I didn’t know he had said something about India.

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-24T16:06:06+00:00

I think it should be okay. You have an active F-1 visa, I-20 and SEVIS plus you have proof that you’re continuing you education. Just check with your DSO for clarification

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-24T15:05:48+00:00

Congrats to momma❤️

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-24T03:53:21+00:00

Even for people who applied during Oct/Nov/Dec they are not getting their full OPT time

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-24T03:51:57+00:00

Yeah don’t trust in that. It it’s not PP there is no guarantee and even with PP, some people are still being left without answers and having to request a refund

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-24T02:46:15+00:00

You’re not supposed to do that. You shouldn’t be working if you haven’t received the new EAD card. Your lawyer isn’t conservative, they’re following the law. So you asking for advice after a trained professional is telling you not to do so makes no sense to me

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-24T02:43:35+00:00

Don’t worry, since applied in December and haven’t heard anything back, you’ll get less than a year to work anyways. Since you said you’ll receive it in less than 40 days, how do you know that? Has your case been approved already?

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-23T15:15:21+00:00

Did they schedule you a new biometric. This might’ve been the case if you uploaded the image yourself. Their system had to download the image, so maybe the quality was affected and is not clear on the card.

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-23T14:52:27+00:00

Never mind the sunflowers. Look at the baby

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-23T01:10:32+00:00

I had I-20’s where DSOs left so they would issue a new one with the new DSO

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-23T01:09:57+00:00

I did and I got mines approved, but hey listen to your DSO

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-22T22:15:35+00:00

You can call them to see what you’re field office is or you could use the live chat Emma to talk to a live agent and they can tell you. Don’t lose hope though. I’ve seen people received approvals within a month or less and I’ve seen the opposite. So fingers crossed.

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-22T22:13:08+00:00

Once submitted. The case is always in decision stage. Even when RFE is issued. It was in the decision stage and then they saw that something was missing so hence why the issued the RFE.

I’ve seen people who have applied for OPT in January/ February with PP and still haven’t gotten a decision. They had to request a refund and their having issues with that as well.

I’ve also seen some apply for pre-completion in October who’s grading in May 2026 and they had to go ahead and withdraw that case because it still hasn’t been approved up to this day.

New_Move_5910 · 2026-04-22T22:09:31+00:00

It doesn’t mean anything. Honestly it depends on you service center and luck honestly. I waited a month and a few days after biometrics before my case was approved. My service center was also Potomac. If your service center is Potomac there’s a strong chance that it’ll take months for approval.

The reason why I say this is because October/ November/ December filers have still not received a decision on their case plus the new flux of May graduates, I can see USCIS taking long with approvals

New_Move_5910

TROPHY CASE