[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961)]I graduated with a BS in Psychology on May 2013 and an MS in Counseling Psychology on May 2015 in MA. I then started working full time since October 2015 as a pre-licensed mental health counselor in MA on OPT with an F1 visa. My OPT expires on September 30, 2016 but my stamped visa is dated as still valid later.
My employers sent my H1 petition overnight on March 30, 2016 so that it arrives by April 1, 2016. As per the Dept of Labor, I checked that my application is certified. It is now mid June and we have not heard anything at all from the govt not even whether or not I got into the lottery. I was told by HR that I will get a final answer by end of June. She suggested I call my int'l student office.
I called my int'l student office for suggestions on alternatives. Unfortunately my field is not eligible for STEM extension (I checked the updated list w/ codes and compared them w/ my major's code in my I20). My school however also suggested a cap gap extension and didn't give me much information except to look at their website.
I filled a questionnaire on my school's website that is asked before filling the cap gap extension application online to see if I am eligible for it. Here's the message I got:
"Your cap-gap extension of your OPT authorization to September 30 will not be available in SEVIS until your application has been accepted and receipted by USCIS. Please refill out this form when you receive a receipt from USCIS. "
I am confused by whether this means September of this year, which is when my OPT expires, or the next year? I got even more confused when I looked into the USCIS website. I am not understanding whether cap gap extension in my case is the the time between the end of my OPT until the beginning of the new or the current fiscal year.
I got even more confused when I checked in USCIS website about the 60-day grace period after rejection of H1. Does this mean that if I hear a rejection this month that I can only stay in US until August 2016, not September 2016? [/COLOR]
My employers sent my H1 petition overnight on March 30, 2016 so that it arrives by April 1, 2016. As per the Dept of Labor, I checked that my application is certified. It is now mid June and we have not heard anything at all from the govt not even whether or not I got into the lottery. I was told by HR that I will get a final answer by end of June. She suggested I call my int'l student office.
I called my int'l student office for suggestions on alternatives. Unfortunately my field is not eligible for STEM extension (I checked the updated list w/ codes and compared them w/ my major's code in my I20). My school however also suggested a cap gap extension and didn't give me much information except to look at their website.
I filled a questionnaire on my school's website that is asked before filling the cap gap extension application online to see if I am eligible for it. Here's the message I got:
"Your cap-gap extension of your OPT authorization to September 30 will not be available in SEVIS until your application has been accepted and receipted by USCIS. Please refill out this form when you receive a receipt from USCIS. "
I am confused by whether this means September of this year, which is when my OPT expires, or the next year? I got even more confused when I looked into the USCIS website. I am not understanding whether cap gap extension in my case is the the time between the end of my OPT until the beginning of the new or the current fiscal year.
I got even more confused when I checked in USCIS website about the 60-day grace period after rejection of H1. Does this mean that if I hear a rejection this month that I can only stay in US until August 2016, not September 2016? [/COLOR]