complete studies date before OPT start day

[marscraft]

Hi, all,

My friend may get trouble with her I-20. She already applied her opt and EAD began on 09/22/04. The problem is the "complete studies date" on her I-20 is 09/17/04. There is 5-day gap. And actually, she has not submitted her thesis yet. What will happen? What can she do now to keep everything OK?

Thank you very much.

 

[LucyMO]

If she is a graduate student, she can do her OPT before graduating. The 5-day gap is fine -- you are supposed to start your OPT within 60 days of the expiration date on your I-20. She needs to make sure that the International office makes an annotation on the third page of her I-20 about her OPT -- that extends her I-20 for another year. THey usually make that notation when she applies for OPT. SHe should finish her thesis and graduate before the expiration of her OPT EAD.

Or, if her school allows -- she should get a new I-20 with a new expiration date before her current extended I-20 expires (september of next year?). She needs to prove that she must have additional time to finish her thesis (usually done with a simple form letter from her advisor - her school may have different rules).

 

[marscraft]

Thanks a lot