Fall 2020 | Weekly updates for International Students @ UC San Diego
OPT Receipt Notice Delays 
OPT Receipt Notice Delays (Form I-765)

If you included a G-1145 with your I-765 application to USCIS, and do not receive the text message or email within a few days of USCIS receiving your application, it is most likely due to delays by USCIS. However, some questions to ask yourself to ensure your application was submitted correctly, regardless of whether you included a G-1145 or not, are: 

  • FORM: Did you send the most recent I-765 from the USCIS website? Did you sign in within the last 30 days? Was it issued within less than 30 days from when USCIS received your application?  

  • PAYMENT: Did you include the correct fee of $410 made payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security? If so did you confirm if the fee was deposited? Was the check or money order dated in the last 30 days? 

  • DELIVERY: Did you track the delivery of your application and did you send it to the correct address based on your I-765 mailing address and whether you sent via Fedex/UPS or USPS? See mailing information here. If you sent to the correct address, did you confirm it was delivered? 

If you are concerned about any of the above, email [email protected]. If you do not receive your receipt notice within 4 weeks of when USCIS received your application, contact USCIS.   
Take Action: Maintaining Status While on OPT/STEM OPT
Avoid Termination: Set Up Your SEVP Portal Account Now!

On August 28, 2020, SEVP sent a broadcast message to SEVP-certified schools notifying DSOs that SEVP will be mailing notices to OPT Students that do not have any employer information listed in SEVP Portal. Without this information, students could be viewed as having failed to obtain employment and potentially be considered out of status for exceeding permissible periods of unemployment while participating in OPT. The notice, which will be sent by U.S. mail to the student, informs students of their lack of employer/employment information and provides an opportunity for them to update their records either through their DSO or directly through the SEVP Portal. If the student’s SEVIS record is not updated, SEVP will set the record to “terminated” to reflect the lack of employer information and the potential that the student may have violated their status either by failing to timely report OPT employment or by exceeding the permissible period of unemployment while on OPT. 

If you received this notice or are approved for OPT and have NOT set up your SEVP Portal Account or have not reported your employment, your SEVIS record is at risk of immediate termination. Further, student records that are terminated are NOT eligible to continue employment. To avoid this, ensure your SEVP Portal Account is set up!  
Changes in employment due to COVID-19

Changes in employment such as changes in employer, work location, or hours may occur due to impacts of the pandemic. Learn more about maintaining your F-1 Status through OPT by visiting iUpdates.ucsd.edu. Stay up to date on immigration updates and travel restrictions that may impact you while on OPT.
Recently Approved for a Change of Status to H-1B?

If you have an approval for a change of status to H-1B, your SEVIS record should have been completed. Please submit the Termination/Completion of Status Reporting form in iPortal to verify. If you were on STEM OPT, you should also submit the F-1 STEM OPT Reporting Form in iPortal with your I-983 Final Evaluation. If the application for H-1B was filed based on consular processing, we may need to request a data fix to put your SEVIS record back to active. Please send an email to [email protected] and attach a copy of your H-1B approval notice showing consular approval. 
Actions to take at completion of OPT

If you are nearing the end of your authorized OPT or STEM OPT, learn about what options are available to you. F-1 students are eligible for a 60 day grace period only upon completion of their authorized OPT or STEM OPT Employment. Students who end their OPT employment early or exhaust their unemployment days are not eligible for a grace period and should take action as soon as possible. Visit opt.ucsd.edu or talk to an advisor to learn more!
Career Resources Available
Evaluating your Employment Experience - Are you at risk?

Can working for a questionable employer impact your immigration status while on OPT or STEM OPT? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently, in an undercover operation called, “Operation Optical Illusion” reviewed the F-1 OPT program for fraudulent employers and fraudulent use of the OPT program. In this operation, they uncovered international students working for fraudulent or fake employers. In exchange for money, international students would pay a hefty amount to the employers in order to maintain their OPT status without engaging in any employment. This 'paying to stay' scheme resulted in students' revoked EAD Cards and inadmissibility into the United States.

It's important to look out for warning signs associated with fraudulent employment that may have a negative impact on your immigration status. If you have questions about your current employment experience, feel uncomfortable or are unable to approach your employer, or have experienced threats to your immigration status, contact ISPO right away! Review the types of employment that may be reported for OPT purposes. If you are unpaid or volunteering, review information here for what qualifies as volunteering or unpaid. Contact [email protected] with any concerns or questions.    
Career Center Resources

Don't underestimate the value of connecting with the Career Center on campus! Contact Karen Doescher, Associate Director, Student & Employer Engagement who is dedicated to helping international students learn and understand how to prepare for employment opportunities during and after their programs at UC San Diego. You can reach Karen at [email protected] or through the Career Center website! 
Fall 2020 Group Advising

Getting ready to submit your OPT Application to USCIS, just received a receipt for your pending OPT Application with USCIS, waiting for your EAD card in the mail, OR currently on OPT and have questions about maintaining your status? Get all the answers to your questions by joining ISPO's Fall 2020 OPT Group Advising Sessions happening now! Join our online OPT Group Advising sessions during the times posted below to ask general questions about the 3 stages of F-1 OPT Work Authorization:

  • OPT Stage 1: Requesting OPT I-20 from ISPO
  • OPT Stage 2: Compiling and Mailing OPT Application to USCIS
  • OPT Stage 3: Maintaining F-1 Status while on OPT 

Come to these sessions after reviewing our opt.ucsd.edu website or after viewing our OPT Stage 1, 2, and 3 videos first. You don’t have to wait in line to ask your questions! An ISPO advisor will be answering your questions live!
Please take a couple minutes to answer 5 brief questions and share with us your experience with ISPO and as an iPortal user! We value and appreciate your feedback!
ISPO & Career Services Center collaborated recently on a podcast featuring international students! The topic covered informational interviews. Check it how to hear tips from fellow students on how to grow your network through informational interviews! Remember, your network is your net worth! 
OPT Reporting Requirements Reminders
STEM OPT Extension Reporting Requirements (Validation Reports)
 
  • For changes to your personal address or phone number, use the SEVP Portal. 

  • For changes to your employment information, use the Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request at iportal.ucsd.edu, and an ISPO advisor will update your record for you.   

  • To fulfill your validation report requirement that is due every 6 months while on STEM OPT, use the F-1 STEM OPT Reporting Form at iportal.ucsd.edu, and an ISPO advisor will validate your record for you. The F-1 STEM OPT Reporting form must be submitted within 10 days of the validation report due date.  

  • If you experience a change in your employment information at the same time that you have a validation report due, then you must submit BOTH the Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request and the F-1 STEM OPT Reporting Form on iPortal.  
Reporting Reminders for Students on Standard 12-Month OPT
 
Keep employment, personal address, and phone number up to date at all times using the  SEVP Portal . If you experience a change in any of these areas, log into the SEVP Portal to update your information within 10 calendar days of the change. You do not need to report these changes to ISPO, only to the SEVP Portal. If you are unable to report your employment to the SEVP Portal, submit the SEVP Portal Assistance Request at iportal.ucsd.edu.
 
If you are unable to add an employer within 10 calendar days of the start date, enter the next day as your employment start date in the SEVP Portal. Then submit the iPortal, “SEVP Portal Assistance Request”. ISPO will then be able to enter your correct employment start date in SEVIS and it will reflect in your SEVP Portal within 48 hours.

If you would like your I-20 to reflect your changes, request an updated I-20 from ISPO by submitting the Updated I-20/DS-2019 Request at iportal.ucsd.edu.
ISPO Office Hours: Virtual Advising

While ISPO's Office (Student Center B) is closed to the public for in-person service through Summer 2020, we continue to provide all advising services through virtual Zoom advising! Visit iContact.ucsd.edu for various ways to contact an ISPO Advisor!
International Students & Programs Office | iStudents.ucsd.edu
WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER? All international students studying at UC San Diego are automatically subscribed to the iStudents Newsletter to ensure they receive proper immigration updates from our office. The information sent in this Newsletter is available on ISPO's website, iStudents.ucsd.edu, or may direct students to other external resources. You have the right to unsubscribe from receiving updates from our office at anytime. You can do this by emailing [email protected] . Note, all international students at UC San Diego are responsible for staying up to date with immigration regulations that may affect them. To learn more, visit our website at iStudents.ucsd.edu