F1-OPT travel

S

Sbandyopadhyay

Registered Users (C)
Hi everybody:
I am alsmost finishing my graduate study and about to start my post-doc. I have been told by the interntional student office of my school that, once get my OPT approved and start my post-doc job (which by the way, will be a half-time job), it is not a problem to travel to India and come back to US. But some friends are concerned whether it is Ok to travel while you are on OPT.
Anybody had similar experience? OR atrvelled under sililar situation?
Thanks
 
OPT Travel

Hello ..

I have not only traveled on OPT, but also got married and got F2 for my wife without any problem..

I dont know whether there are any issues due to the recent security concerns...

good luck..

D
 
Thanks.
After I convert from F1 to OPT, hold a job and travel to India, because of my status change, do I have to go to the US embassy again? In other words, there is still some risk in such travelling that I may not get the visa approved by the embassy and thus get stuck.
Please communicate.
Thanks.
 
You need to go to the consulate only if your F1 visa stamped on your passport has expired. OPT is not a new "status". Your status would still be F1. If your F1 visa stamp has expired, then you need to apply for a new visa at the consulate, and this could be an issue especially if the I-20 has also expired.
 
OPT Travel

Hey Guys,

I am a masters of science student and am submitting my thesis next week. I got my OPT card and have a job offer letter. My job starts from the 5th of May. I was wondering, if it's possible for me to travel outside US(to ireland), when I am done with my thesis submission, and before i join the job.

Regards
 
Hi,
I have completed course work for my Masters Degree. I am thinking of applying for EAD (OPT) soon. I like to know if I can travel outside US (to India and come back after 2 or 3 moths) after applying for OPT. Are there any risks involved? At this point, I do not have a job offer.

On a side note: I have enrolled for Fall semester in a course just to keep my F-1 status active. If I get a job offer before completing the semester (but after receiving OPT/EAD), can I discontinue the semester before it is over?

Thanks,
Sri
 
Amit: If your F1 visa stamp on the passport is valid and the I-20 is recently signed, then yes.

Grandhipal: Check with your school's international students advisor. THere are many categories for applying for OPT - pre-completion of studies during school, pre-completion during summer, post completion etc. Generally it is not advisable to apply for OPT and then leave; most people say that the OPT applicaiton abandoned by travel, but things are different if you apply for OPT pre-completion of studies. Does your MS program have a thesis component or is it purely coursework?
 
Thanks for the reply Raj! I was considering Post completion OPT only becasue I want to be able to work full time (even after Summer).
Actually my I-20 is expiring on May 20 but I was almost certain that it will be extended becasue I have a project pending but our Intnl students advisor did not allow for the extension at all (eve though my academic advisor did not have any problem). As a result traveling to India is not an option any more. I was told the smae thing too - cannot travel outside US after applying for OPT and also the OPT has to start immediately after the program is over (or I 20 expies).
In addition, I was told that there a few important changes in INS rules. We need to get a new I-20 (what they call as SEVIS I 20) each time we apply for program/I 20 extension or apply for OPT.

Thx!
 
Grandhipal: You should be able to travel once you receive your OPT based EAD card (if your F1 visa stamp is also valid), or at least that was what it used to be in the pre-SEVIS era.
 
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