International Students Office (ISO) Division of Student Affairs Phone: (212) 772-­‐4864 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING APPLICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON F-­‐1 STATUS ISO’s Web site: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/is http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/is/repository/files/OptionalPracti calTraining.pdf E-­‐mail addresses: International Student Office: intlss@hunter.cuny.edu Iris Aroyewund Birchwood, Director: iaroyewu@hunter.cuny.edu Xavier Remigio, Assistant Director: xremigio@hunter.cuny.edu 695 Park Avenue, Room 1109 Hunter East Telephone: (212) 772-­‐4864 Fax: (212) 650-­‐3147 1
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OFFICE OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING APPLICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON F-­‐1 VISA Intlss@hunter.cuny.edu | Telephone (212) 772-­‐4864 | Fax (212) 650-­‐3147 WHAT IS OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING? It is paid employment directly related to your major area of study. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY? You must be in F-­‐1 Student Status, having been a Full-­‐Time Student and have maintained a lawful status for at least one academic year or 9 consecutive months. WHEN CAN I APPLY? Under the OPT filing rule; you may file up to 90 days (3 months) prior to the completion date (or final examination) of your course of study and up to 60 days after its completion. You must mail your application within 30days of processing it with an advisor, otherwise you will lose your F-­‐1 status. Please check the last day of instructional classes by going to www.hunter.cuny.edu click on Registrar’s Office tab then click on academic calendar to obtain the date for the last day of FINAL EXAMINATIONS for the current semester. Keep in mind that you will need to provide us with a
preference starting and ending date for your OPT. However, these dates are not guaranteed to be given
to you. It's justa request date.
DO I HAVE TO GIVE THE STAFF OF THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE A COPY OF MY EAD CARD? YES. In order to maintain your status while on OPT; it’s mandatory that you give us a copy of your EAD card, as soon as you receive it. HOW LONG CAN I ENGAGE IN PRACTICAL TRAINING? You can engage in OPT for a total of 12 months (one year) and on the Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) extension for 17months. IF I PURSUE MORE THAN ONE DEGREE WHILE I AM IN THE UNITED STATES CAN I BE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE THAN ONE TIME FOR PRACTICAL TRAINING? Yes. You are eligible to apply for OPT at completion of each higher level (Bachelor’s, Master’s) degrees. DO I NEED A JOB OFFER TO APPLY FOR PRACTICAL TRAINING? NO. You do not need a job offer. DO I PAY TAXES? Yes. You are required by United States law to file for income tax for each fiscal year. Please check the www.irs.gov website for updated information. WHILE ON OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (O.P.T.) DOES MY STATUS CHANGE? No. You are still under F-­‐1 status. O.P.T. is an extension of a year for F-­‐1 students. WHAT DO I NEED IF I TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES? q
A valid Passport Have your I-­‐20 endorsed for travel by the International Student Advisor q
The EAD (Employment Authorization Documentation) Card also known as the O.P.T. Card q
Carry your I-­‐797 (notice of action form) q
Letter from your employer q
Letter from International Students office q
Valid F-1 Visa for reentry into the United States
q
IF YOU ARE TRAVELING OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES while you are authorized for practical training, you must take your Employment Authorization Document (E.A.D.) Card with you and show it to the Immigration Inspector when you re-­‐enter the U.S. You must also have a travel endorsement (signature) on the back of your I-­‐20 Form from the International Student Advisor. The endorsement must not be more than three months old. 2
HOW CAN I APPLY FOR OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING? Make an appointment with our office via e-­‐mail: International Students Office Email:
intlss@hunter.cuny.edu Director, Iris Aroyewun-­‐Birchwood: iris.aroyewun@hunter.cuny.edu Assistant Director, Xavier Remigio: xremigio@hunter.cuny.edu International Students Office walk-­‐in hours http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/is/officecalendar 1. Complete Form G-­‐1145. Fill out the form online, and print it.
http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/g-­‐1145.pdf. <Please see the attached pg. 5>
2. Complete Form I-­‐765 ( http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-­‐765.pdf) fill out the form online
and print it. Must be signed with a BLUE INK PEN. <Please see the attached pg. 6>.
3.
Your valid Passport with the biographical information, passport expiration date and a
photocopy of the stamp F-­‐1, D/S or you can print out an I-­‐94 card at www.cbp.gov/i94
4. ALL previous I-­‐20s (from other colleges, if any), NOT just Hunter College I-­‐20s.
5. 2 photos (2X2 Passport style) see Photo Composition Che cklist page for proper
photo dimensions. <Please see the attached p gs. 10 and 11.
a. Write your Name, Date of Birth (month/day/ year) and I-­‐20 SEVIS number on the back.
6. There are two types of payment
a.
Money order and personal check
i. If paying by Money Order or Check make it payable to "U.S. Department of
Homeland Security" in the amount of $380.00.
b.
Electronically
i. If paying electronically follow the following link http://uscis.gov/ create a E-­‐File
login ID and follow the instructions https://efiling.uscis.dhs.gov/efile/
**NOTE: Fees for U.S.C.I.S. forms are subject to change at any time. Therefore, before you mail any documents to U.S.C.I.S. Please visit their website to obtain the fee for the respective form. 7. 2 letters Please see the attached SAMPLE LETTERS.
a. One letter from your Departmental advisor which states your expected date of
Completion of Studies and, <Please see the attached pg . 7>.
b. Another letter from the Graduation Audit in One Stop (217 North), stating that you
have applied to graduate. <Please see the attached pg. 8 >.
NOTE: These 2 letters are mandatory; DO NOT Mail these letters. They are for office purposes only. IMMIGRATION CURRENTLY REQUIRES 12 WEEKS TO PROCESS YOUR EAD. Students who are interested in pursuing Optional Practical Training are advised to check with the Office of International Students at least 4 months in advance of applying. Once you have applied you can check processing times at: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do EMPLOYMENT MAY NOT COMMENCE UNTIL YOU HAVE OBTAINED YOUR EAD (EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION DOCUMENT). 3
ATTENTION: **To check the status of your OPT Application visit https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/Dashboard.do
IMPORTANT REMINDERS IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN A VISA RENEWAL if you apply for a visa renewal while you are engaging in Optional Practical Training. There is no rule that says you cannot have a new visa, but it may be difficult to renew while on Optional Practical Training. YOUR WORK AUTHORIZATION automatically terminates even if your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) has not expired if you complete the transfer procedure to obtain a SEVIS I-­‐20 from the new school you are/will attend a new school. If your new International Student Advisor allows it, you may attend school on a part-­‐time basis while engaging in O.P.T. and your SEVIS I-­‐20 is not released from Hunter College to the school that you are currently/ will attend. AFTER YOUR OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING Card expires you will h ave 60 days to either transfer to another SEVIS-­‐approved school or leave the United States. If you are eligible for a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) extension, you will need to apply for such an extension before the initial 12 months OPT expires. UNEMPLOYMENT LIMIT Graduates are now limited to an aggregate of 90 days of unemployment during the 12-­‐month OPT. OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING VALIDATION FORM You must fill out the OPT validation form and send it to us via e mail or fax (212) 650-­‐3147 as soon as you are employed. The form can be found online at https://ww3.hunter.cuny.edu/is/view.php?id=1 . 4
Dear applicant: You MUST fill out the I-­‐765 form online. All you need is access to a computer and a printer to immediately print out a hard copy of the form. Please visit the website below and type in your information and once you are done, print the I-­‐765 form then sign it with a BLUE INK PEN. **Please pay attention to the circled areas in the sample attached** http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-­‐765.pdf Tips for filling out the I -­‐765 form I am applying for ¨ Permission to accept employment should be checked. Items #12 and 13 The answer can be found on your I-­‐94 card (the white card stapled inside your passport) or retrieved from www.cbp.gov/i94 if you entered the U.S. after April 2013. Item # 15 The answer for it should be student, if your last entry into the U.S. was with an F -­‐1 visa. Item # 16 (c) (3) (B) Post-­‐completion Optional Practical Training LOWER CASE c NUMBER 3 and UPPERCASE B (c) (3) (A) Pre-­‐Completion Optional Practical Training (c) (3) (C) STEM-­‐Science Technology Engineering Mathematics You must sign, enter your telephone number and date on the I-­‐765. Failure to do so will cause a delay in receiving your employment card. Any USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) form fees are subject to change at any time. So, for updated fees of a particular USCIS form or to download a form, please visit http://uscis.gov Photo standards: 2x2 ONLY For photo standards, please visit http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/ photos/photographers-­‐guide.html To locate a U.S. Embassy (Consulate) in your country, please visit http://travel.state.gov/ content/visas/english/general/find-­‐a-­‐u-­‐s-­‐-­‐embassy-­‐or-­‐consulate.html or http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html I-­‐94 replacement If you have lost your I-­‐94, you can apply for another by filing form I-­‐102 http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-­‐102.pdf, page 5 and 6. EAD (Employment Authorization Documentation) Card, once you receive the EAD card from USCIS, please provides a copy to the ISO staff. 5
S
A
M
P
L
E
Page 5 of
6
S
A
M
P
L
E
7
SAMPLE LETTER FROM DEPARTMENTAL ADVISOR POST-­‐
COMPLETION OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (Complete all course requirements including thesis or project) To Whom It May Concern: This is to certify that Mr. /Ms______________________ has been continuously enrolled as a Full-­‐Time Undergraduate ¨B.A. ¨B.S. ¨M.S. ¨ Ph.D. Student in the department of ______________since ______semester 20___. She/he has completed (or will complete) all course requirements for the ¨B.A. ¨B.S. ¨M.S. ¨ Ph.D. degree in _________________ on ________ (month, day, year). I would recommend, therefore, that Mr. /Ms ________________ be allowed to pursue his/her Optional Practical Training in the United States. Sincerely, Name: Title: 8
9
Sample passport
Sample I-94
10
Photo Composition Checklist 7 Steps to a Successful Photo 2x2 Frame subject with full face, front view, eyes open Make sure photo presents full head from top of hair to bottom of chin; height of head should measure 1 inch to 1-­‐3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm) Center head within frame (see below) Make sure eye height is between 1-­‐1/8 inches to 1-­‐3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from bottom of photo Photograph subject against a plain white or off-­‐white background Position subject and lighting so that there are no distracting shadows on the face or background Encourage subject to have a natural expression Well-­‐Composed Photos (frontal position photo) 11
Digital Image Head Size The head height or facial region size (measured from the top of the head, including the hair, to the bottom of the chin) must be between 50% and 69% of the image's total height. The eye height (measured from the bottom of the image to the level of the eyes) should be between 56% and 69% of the image's height. Image pixel dimensions must be in a square aspect ratio (meaning the height must be equal to the width). Minimum acceptable dimensions are 600 pixels (width) x 600 pixels (height). Maximum acceptable dimensions are 1200 pixels (width) x 1200 pixels (height). 12
OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING MAILING CHECKLIST

G-­‐1145 form Fill out a form online and print it. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/g-­‐1145.pdf Complete this form and clip it on top of the first page of your form(s 
I-­‐765 form Fill out the form online and print it. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-­‐765.pdf Sign form with a BLUE INK PEN. 
I-­‐20 form Photocopy of I-­‐20 form endorsed for Optional Practical Training (will be given on the day that you apply for OPT in our office) 
Previous I-­‐20s Photocopies of ALL previous I-­‐20s, not only Hunter College. Please make sure you copy all of the pages of your I-­‐20s except for the instruction sheet page. * If any I-­‐20s are MISSING, a letter must be written explaining the reason.
I-­‐94 form * As of April 30th 2013, the Department of Homeland Security has begun rolling out their
new electronic process, so the paper form will no longer be needed at entry, and instead all the information will be attached to a record online that the immigration officer will pull up when a student enters. However, if travelers require a copy of their I-­‐94 (record of admission) for any means necessary then it can be obtained from www.cbp.gov/I94. If you received an I-­‐94 prior to April 30th 2013: Photocopy your most recent I-­‐94 (front and back) An I-­‐94 is the white card stapled inside your passport. An I-­‐94 is also known as the Admission number. 




Passport Check or Money Order Photocopy of your VALID passport (picture & biographical information only). $380.00 payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Photocopies of previous EAD (Employment Authorization Documentation) card(s), if applicable. 2 Passport photos (2X2 style), on the back write your Name, Date of Birth (month, day, Photos year) and I-­‐20 SEVIS number, lightly using a pen. *You MUST keep photocopies of ALL documents for your own records BEFORE mailing to USCIS*
EAD Cards 13
Mail the documents to ONE of the following addresses: POSTAL U.S. POSTAL SERVICE SERVICE CERTIFIED MAIL ONLY U.S.C.I.S. Dallas Lockbox (EAD) P.O. Box 660867 Dallas, TX 75266 *FED EX PREFERRED*
U.S.C.I.S. Attn: AOS 2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business, Suite 400 Lewisville, TX 75067 PAID ELECTRONICALLY If your petition receipt number begins with “ E AC ” U.S.C.I.S Vermont Service Center Attn: E-­‐Filed I-­‐765 75 Lower Welden Street St. Albans, VT 05479-­‐0001 Or the address located on your confirmation receipt if different from this address **We strongly recommend using express service via Fed Ex for easier tracking** Post Office: If you would like to mail your OPT documents immediately, there is a post office near Hunter College East 70th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue (CERTIFIED MAIL ONLY) FedEx Office Print & Ship Center: 1200 Third Ave ., between East 69th and East 70th Streets Open Monday-­‐Friday: 7:30 am-­‐9:00 pm, Saturday: 10:00AM-­‐6:00 PM; Sunday:12:00-­‐6:00 pm Phone: (212) 452-­‐0142 Web site: www.Fedex/com/printonline 14