How to reset the password for the SEVP OPT portal

As you may already know, updating the employment information in the SEVP OPT portal is important for all OPT-approved students. In the past, some international students were arrested due to false OPT reporting.

Related blog post 1: 15 students are arrested; OPT reporting requirement
Related blog post 2: Important STEM OPT reporting requirements

Furthermore, keeping the OPT portal up-to-date is a crucial part to prevent from accruing more than 90 days of unemployment days. To learn more about updating the SEVP OPT portal and checking the unemployment counter, click the following blog post.

Related blog post: How to update the SEVP portal & OPT unemployment counter

Now, what should you do when you have a hard time accessing the portal? As you can see in my related blog posts, DSOs (International Student Advisors) can help OPT participants by clicking the “Reset Password” button in SEVIS. However, some students still struggle to reset the password as they are not sure what to do next.

Here, I will break down step by step to reset the SEVP OPT portal password following the SEVIS Help Desk’s guidance. If you are wondering how to reset the password for the SEVP OPT portal after you receive emails to reset the password, this blog post will give you answers.

To find all the helpful and important resources for OPT/ STEM OPT like this blog post, click OPT and STEM OPT page respectively. You would not want to miss any important updates or news!

Disclaimer: SEVIS SAVVY delivers information based on the visa/immigration regulations and this is no legal advice by any means. Since institutional policies may vary, getting confirmation from your international student advisor will be helpful to ensure that you comply with institutional policies and processes.

Contents

• Case study scenario
• The answer based on the SEVIS Help Desk

Case study scenario

Q: I need to update the SEVP portal to stop my unemployment clock. I had to change the email address in SEVIS and my DSO had helped me to reset the password for the SEVP OPT portal by clicking the “Reset Password” button. I tried to reset the password but the portal asks for the old password to log in. I do not know what to do.

The answer based on the SEVIS Help Desk

Firstly, the student can reach out to the SEVIS Help Desk at 1-800-892-4829. If the student fails to hold off the SEVP OPT portal representative, then they can reach out to DSOs (International Student Advisors) and seek further assistance.

It is worth noting that once the account is activated- after the student resets the password- the “Reset Password” button disappears in SEVIS. This means DSO cannot help international students further to set up the new password. This is why students or DSOs should reach out to the SEVIS Help Desk after the student attempts to reset the password.

When I reached out to SEVIS/ SEVP OPT Portal Help Desk, I was told to advise the student to follow the steps below:

To request a password reset:

1. Go to the SEVP Portal log in page and click the “Reset Password” link that is located under the email and password fields.
2. The portal will prompt the student to enter their email address and SEVIS ID.
3. The portal will send the student a password reset email. This email contains a unique link the student can use to change their password.
4. The e-mail will contain a temporary password.
5. The temporary password should be used for the student to login with their e-mail.
6. After logging in, student will be prompted to enter in their current password, which is now the temporary password.
7. Student should create a new password.

By following these steps, my students were able to reset the password successfully and update the SEVP OPT portal with their current employment information. If you have been struggling with the same issue, hope this information is helpful for you to fix the issue. Don’t forget to check out other OPT/STEM OPT information.