How to check OPT status & EAD address change onl

All about EAD card; EAD address change, late delivery

When USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) receives your OPT application, you will receive the Form I-797C Notice of Action. This form has the receipt number which you can enter to the Case Status Online to look up your OPT status. On the other hand, If USCIS finds any issues with your OPT application, you will be given the Request for evidence. In this case, you should follow the instruction to solve the issue and re-send the application to USCIS. What if you need to change the address for EAD delivery, correct typos, EAD delivery fail, or late delivery issues?

In this blog post, how to solve EAD related issues based on the official guidance from USCIS will be outlined. At the end of the blog, you will have a better understanding of what steps you need to take and you will be given each link to solve the issue.

Form I-797C, Notice of Action
Form I-797C, Notice of Action

Contents


How long does it take to receive the EAD card?

First, you can check the I-765 (EAD) processing time from Check Case Processing Times webpage by USCIS. From the webpage, you can select the I-765 Application for Employment Authorization and the Field Office or Service Center that you sent the application to. As of late September 2020, the webpage says the estimated time range for Form I-765 request by a qualified F-1 academic student [(c)(3)] is 1.5 Months to 5 Months.


How to check my OPT application status?

When USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) well receives your OPT application, Form I-797C will be mailed to you. On the form, you can find the receipt number which can be used to look up your OPT application status from Case Status Online. This is why OPT applicants whose OPT start date is near, get to refresh this page regularly. If the page says the EAD card is shipped, you can expect to receive the EAD card within a week.

SEVIS SAVVY tip: Once you receive the card, it is good practice to do things. First, double-check your personal information on the card. Second, make a copy of the front and back of the EAD card and keep it with you along with other important documents. By doing so, you have a backup in case you lost the card.

USCIS Case Status Online
USCIS Case Status Online

Related blog post: 7 Require documents for OPT Application


How to solve EAD-related issues like EAD address change?

If you encounter the following EAD- related issues, click each link and submit the required form.

If you don’t hear back from USCIS, there’s another way to solve the issue which is reaching out to the Ombudsman office. Details about the Ombudsman office and steps to take are well listed in the Related blog post1 below.

Additionally, if the OPT end date is near while you are waiting for the updated EAD card that reflects STEM OPT dates, the second Related blog post will be helpful.

Related blog post 1: I haven’t received my EAD; OPT EAD processing time
Related blog post 2: My STEM OPT is in pending and my EAD end date is near

In this blog, how to check OPT status online to estimate your EAD delivery time, and how to solve various EAD related issues are discussed. Hope this article helps you to take appropriate steps.

Be Savvies

Related Posts

Interview waiver
F-1 비자의 모든 것

미국 유학생 비자 인터뷰 면제 신청 불가한 경우

Home SEVIS SAVVY X ARGO VISA 미국 유학생 비자 인터뷰 면제 정책에 대한 모든 것 팬데믹이 시작된 후, 전세계 유학생들이 비자 인터뷰 신청에 어려움을 겪자 2020년에 미국무장관은 F-1 과 J-1 학생들을 포함한 특정 비이민 비자 소지자들에 한해 대면 인터뷰를 면제할 수 있는 정책을 발표했습니다. 해당 정책은 팬데믹 상황이 그 다음 해에도

Read More »
Interview waiver
All about F-1 visa

Eligibility to apply for international student visa interview waiver

Home SEVIS SAVVY X ARGO VISA Interview Waiver for International Students Since the pandemic hit, the Secretary of State laid out the in-person interview waiver policy for certain nonimmigrant visa holders including F-1 and J-1 students.   The policy was extended several times in 2021 and 2022 to accommodate the

Read More »

AI-Powered CPT/OPT/STEM OPT Eligibility Checker

Made for you!