Immigration News October 2022
October 11, 2022
Time Sensitive Reminders for F-1 Students
F-1 Optional Practical Training
If you plan to graduate in the fall 2022 semester, you are now within the valid period to apply for Post Completion OPT. Please keep in mind that prior to requesting your OPT I-20, you must do the following:
- Attend the OPT workshop
- Apply for graduation
For more information, attend an OPT workshop on iComet, attend an in-person OPT workshop, or visit the ISSO Optional Practical Training webpage.
I-20 Program Extensions
F-1 students are required to complete their academic programs within the time listed on their I-20s. If your I-20 will expire this year, and you are not able to complete your program within this period of time, you may apply for a program extension. You may apply for your extension during the semester that your I-20 is set to expire.
Report Your OPT Employment
All students on OPT must report changes in employment within 10 days. Exceeding the limits on unemployment can result in DHS terminating your F-1 record. You may not be eligible for reinstatement for a termination during OPT or STEM OPT. Students on Post-Completion OPT may accrue up to 90 days of unemployment, and students on the 24-month STEM OPT extension can accrue an additional 60 days of unemployment, for a total of 150 days. Although you can update some information in the SEVP Portal, you are still required to report directly to the ISSO through the iComet Portal.
The ISSO strongly recommends reviewing your reporting requirements for Post-Completion OPT and STEM OPT online to ensure you know how to maintain your F-1 status.
Cap Gap Extension Expired September 30
For F-1 students who received cap gap extensions of their OPT authorization, the cap gap employment authorization lasted only through September 30, 2022. If you have not received approval for your H-1B petition yet, you should not work past September 30, 2022 without some type of valid work authorization. If you have received your H-1B approval, you should submit a final OPT reporting form and a copy of your approval notice to the ISSO. If you have questions about your H-1B petition, please refer to your company or immigration attorney for more information.
Journey to H-1B Webinar
The ISSO will be co-presenting a seminar with immigration attorney David Swaim to talk about transitioning from F-1 to H-1B status, the H-1B application process, and beyond. This event will be hosted virtually through Teams on October 26, 5 p.m. central time.
To register for the event, please click the link below. Once you register, you will be sent a confirmation email with a link to join the Teams event. Please note that registration is limited to 1000 attendees.
Journey to H-1B Webinar: Fall 2022
University Career Center October Events
You can register for UCC events in Handshake. You can search for the events in the Handshake search bar, or find them under the Schedule – Events tab on the left side of the page.
- Job and Internship Search Seminar – 10/11/2022
- Launch Your Future Series: The Ins and Outs of Academic Interviews – 10/13/2022
- Building Mentorships with Professors and Networking – 10/18/2022
- Launch Your Future Series: Mastering the Postdoc Interview – 10/20/2022
Reach out to the University Career Center if you have questions about these events.
In-Person CPT and OPT Workshops
The ISSO is offering in-person fall CPT and OPT workshops for fall 2022. Registration is required. Please see the Comet Calendar for event details:
In-person attendance is not required for these workshops. If you prefer to attend the workshops virtually, the online CPT and OPT workshops can be found in iComet under the Workshops section. November in-person workshop sessions will be posted later this month.
New I-983 Edition
Students on STEM OPT should be aware that there is a new version of the I-983 available (expiration date of 05/31/2025). The ISSO will continue to accept older versions of I-983s that were completed in the past. However, going forward, alumni should use the new version of the form whenever you need to report an update to your STEM OPT employment or I-983 information.
New I-765 Edition (by mail application)
While many students choose to submit I-765 applications online for OPT and other work authorizations, there may be various reasons one may choose to instead submit a paper application by mail. A new paper version of the I-765 is now available. Starting Nov. 7, 2022 , USCIS will only accept the 07/26/22 edition of the I-765 by mail. Until then, you can also use the 05/31/22 and 08/25/20 editions. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
Update Addresses in Orion
F and J students are required to update their current local address in Orion within 10 days of the change. Your home address must be local. Remember to check your current local address in Orion and update it every time it changes.
Tornado Season
While tornados are rare, the International Center would like you to be prepared. Review the Tornadoes and Watch vs. Warning information on the UT Dallas Emergency Preparedness Information webpage, under the “Know Your Hazards” section. In the event that International Center staff are unavailable due to an emergency, call the UT Dallas Police Department at 972-883-2222. If the UT Dallas Police are unavailable, and you need critical immigration assistance or evacuation, contact the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) at SEVP@ice.dhs.gov, or call 703-603-34
Beware of Scams
International students are often targeted by scammers, who may pretend to be government officials or threaten legal action in order to get money from scam victims. Watch out for scams! Government officials will not call you and demand payment or information over the phone, and no legitimate organization will ask for payment in the form of gift cards. Learn more about scams from the UT Dallas Information Security Office and UT Dallas Police Department.
Submit Processing Requests to ISSO Early
ISSO receives a high volume of student and alumni requests. Don’t wait until the last minute! Submit requests to ISSO 3-4 weeks in advance of when you need them.
ISSO is here for you
There are many ways to contact the ISSO. You can reach out through your iComet Portal, join us for a Live Chat online, or schedule an appointment. You can also check us out on Facebook. We offer virtual workshops for OPT and CPT in iComet, and we are making plans to resume some in-person workshops on-campus this spring. Watch the Comet Calendar for upcoming events!
