Documentation Required by USCIS

In order to properly file your OPT application with USCIS, you will need to prepare supporting documentation.

The application materials can be broadly categorized in three sections:

1. Online USCIS form: I-765 Links to an external site.
2. Application fee and passport photos (see these Photo Instructions Links to an external site. for detailed guidance on photo requirements)
3. Photocopies (not originals) of your immigration documents: this includes your new OPT I-20, previous I-20s from your current degree level, I-94, visa, passport, any previous EAD cards if they exist plus any corresponding previous OPT I-20s.

Additional documentation may be needed depending on the individual circumstances of the applicant.

A note on physical presence: you must be inside the US in F-1 status to apply for OPT. Do not attempt to apply for OPT while outside the US.

A note on the application fee: the fee amount required is subject to change. To confirm the current amount, visit the I-765 Links to an external site. page at uscis.gov and click “Filing Fee.”

A note on the passport photographs: you must submit two identical color passport-style photographs of yourself taken recently. Do not use passport photos that are more than 30 days old, or passport photos that you have previously used for your passport or visa. Use these Photo Instructions Links to an external site. to be sure the photos you use fit the required format.