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Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Tutorial

Filing Checklist

You have reached the section of the tutorial listing the items you must bring with you to your OPT filing appointment with the International Student Advisor. Failure to bring the required materials will result in the appointment being rescheduled.

1. Completed OPT Recommendation Form: The purpose of this form is for your academic advisor or college advising office to confirm completion of the coursework required for your degree program. If your department’s procedure is to send the completed form to our office by campus mail, please confirm we have received it before arriving for your appointment.

2. Completed Form I-765: This form MUST be typed and should be printed on 2 sheets of paper. DO NOT print double-sided. Please do not arrive for your appointment with a blank form. At this time, we do not recommend E-Filing. It does not shorten the processing time and will require that you appear in person for fingerprinting at a USCIS service center.

Follow these instructions for completing the form:

  • Where it states, “I am applying for,” mark the top box, “Permission to accept employment.”
  • Question #1 - Family name should be in CAPITAL letters, followed by your first name in standard capitalization. Failure to follow these instructions may result in errors on your EAD (OPT Card).
  • Question #3 – Enter IE’s address: c/o WSU 1845 Fairmount (For Apt Number, enter “Box 122”), Wichita, KS, 67260-0122.
  • Questions #9 - 13 refer to your Social Security Number (SSN)

If you've already been issued an SSN, answer as follows:

  • 9a: Yes
  • 9b: provide your SSN
  • 10: No
  • 11 - 13.b.: leave blank

If you have NOT already been issued an SSN, answer as follows:

  • 9a: No
  • 9b: leave blank
  • 10: Yes
  • 11: Yes
  • 12.a.-13.b.: provide the full names of your Father and Mother
  • Question #14 – Enter the 11-digit admission number from your most recent I-94 arrival record.
  • Question #20 – Enter exactly as shown: (c) (3) (B)
  • Questions #21, 22, and 23 should be left blank.

3. (2) Copies of Form G-1145 E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance Use this form to request a text message and/or email when USCIS accepts your form. This form is also located on the USCIS website under “Forms”.

4. OPT Start Date: At your appointment, you will need to inform the advisor of your requested OPT start date.

  • For undergraduate students and coursework-only graduate students: Your requested start date must be after your graduation. Remember, your OPT must be completed within the 14 months following graduation, meaning the latest start date you can request is 60 days after graduation.
  • For graduate students completing a project, thesis, or dissertation (“terminal activity”): If you choose, you may begin post-completion OPT while you are still working to complete your terminal activity. You are eligible to apply for OPT once you have completed the required coursework (excluding thesis/project/dissertation hours) or you can choose a start date up to 60 days after graduation.
  • The requested start date is never guaranteed.
  • If there is a gap between your program end date and your OPT start date, you are still in F-1 status and legally allowed to remain in the U.S. You may look for work, but cannot begin employment until you have received your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and the start date has passed.

5. Fee Payment: The application fee is $410.00 and should be made payable to the “U.S. Dept of Homeland Security.” The following forms of payment are accepted by USCIS:

  1. Money order (recommended)
  2. Personal check
  3. Form G-1450 Authorization for Credit Card Transactions

6. (2) Copies of Immigration Documents You are required to provide TWO clear copies of the following items. Copies should be on standard-size paper (8 ½ x 11). Do not cut copies down to a smaller size. Center item to be copied on the paper – avoid the margins and corners. Be sure to close the copier cover so the empty space around the item is white, not black.

  • Passport – Copy must include picture, name, and expiration date. Passport must be valid.
  • Visa – It is OK if your visa has expired.
  • I-94 Admission/Departure record. Beginning in April 2013, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began issuing electronic I-94s. If you have made an entry since April 2013, you may not have been issued the old-style paper I-94 card and will need to print your I-94 from the CBP website. If you have an I-94 card, you need to copy both the front and the back of the card on the same side of the paper.
  • Passport renewal stamp (only if your passport has been renewed).

7. (2) Passport-Style Photos: The photos should be identical and must have been taken within the last 30 days. The USCIS service center will reject photos more than 30 days old. Follow the guidelines described on the Department of State website. The WSU Post Office offers passport photo services (7am – 3pm), as do Walgreens and FedEx-Kinkos.

The following items will apply to only some applicants:

8. (2) Copies of previously-issued EADs: If you have been authorized for OPT or Severe Economic Hardship in the past, an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) would have been issued to you. You’ll need to provide two copies of the each EAD (front and back on same side of paper). Also, if you have participated in OPT at another degree level, please provide copies of those I-20s, if available.

9. (2) Copies of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) I-20s: If you received CPT authorization at another school, please provide two copies of each CPT I-20. If you have been authorized for CPT at WSU, you do not need to provide these copies – we can pull them from your file.

10. (2) Copies of Job Offer: While a job offer is not required to apply for the initial 12-month period of post-completion OPT, the applicant can submit evidence of the job offer if they choose. USCIS processes applications in the order in which they are received and we have not seen a significant decrease in processing time for applicants who submit evidence of a job offer.

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