OPT Application Timeline: Key Dates from School Recommendation to EAD Card Approval

Understanding the OPT Application Timeline

For international students in the U.S., maintaining legal work authorization depends on meeting key deadlines during the Optional Practical Training (OPT) application process. The timeline runs from your school’s recommendation through the approval of your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card.

Key Steps and Dates

1. School Recommendation

  • Your designated school official (DSO) must recommend OPT in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
  • The recommendation date is critical because it sets the official start of your application window.

2. Filing the Application

  • You must file Form I-765 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within 30 days of the DSO’s recommendation.
  • Submitting after that window could invalidate your application, so timing is essential.

3. EAD Card Approval and Work Authorization

  • After USCIS receives your application, it will process your case and, if approved, issue an EAD card.
  • The EAD card specifies the exact dates you are authorized to work.
  • You may not begin employment until the start date listed on the card, and you must stop working once it expires.

Why Timing Matters

Meeting each deadline in the order above helps you avoid a gap in your legal work status. Since each step is tied to a specific date, planning ahead and tracking these milestones is the key to staying eligible for employment under OPT.

Timeline illustration showing OPT application steps from school recommendation to EAD card approval

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first critical date in the OPT process?

The DSO’s recommendation in SEVIS is the first key date, as it opens your application window.

How long after the school recommendation must I file Form I-765?

You must file within 30 days of the recommendation date.

When can I start working on OPT?

You can start working only on the start date listed on your approved EAD card.

What happens if I work beyond the EAD end date?

You must stop working on the end date specified on the EAD card to remain legal.