SEVP Publishes Reminder About STEM OPT Reporting Requirements

On March 21, 2019, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) published a reminder about STEM OPT reporting requirements for F1 students on STEM OPT extensions [PDF version].

Every six months, for up to the full 24-month STEM OPT extension, STEM OPT students must confirm that their information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is accurate and up-to-date. They must ensure that SEVIS correctly identifies their legal name, residential or mailing address, employer name and address, and status of current employment. STEM OPT students who use the online Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal will receive reminders through the portal 30 days before their validation is due. It is important to remember that STEM OPT students “must report changes in this information, including loss of employment, within 10 days of the change.” This reporting requirement is distinct from the 6-month validation requirement.

Every 12 months, a STEM OPT student is required to submit a self-evaluation detailing the progress of his or her training experience in addition to validating his or her information in SEVIS. The first self-evaluation is due 12 months after the STEM OPT start date. The second self-evaluation is a final assessment recapping the STEM OPT training experience at the end of the 24-month STEM OPT period. A STEM OPT self-evaluation must be signed by the F1 student and his or her employer. After being signed, it must be submitted to the F1 student's designated school official (DSO).

To learn more about STEM OPT, including all of the reporting requirements, please see our website's comprehensive article on the subject [see article]. To learn about student visas generally, please see our website's growing category on the issue [see category].