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Getting Started

Basis of eligibility

  • Select “(c)(3)(B) Student Post-Completion OPT.”

Premium Processing

  • Premium Processing is optional. If you select "Yes", USCIS guarantees to process your application within 30 days of when they receive your complete and correct application. There is an additional fee of $1,685.

Reason for applying

  • Select “Initial permission to accept employment” and indicate whether you have previously filed Form I-765

Preparer and interpreter information

  • Select “No” unless a preparer assisted you with the form. Staff from the ISSS office are not considered preparers.

About You

Your Name

Given Name (first name): Provide your given name (first name) as listed on your passport.

Middle Name: Provide your middle name if applicable.

Family name (last name): Provide your family name (last name) as listed on your passport.

Have you used any other names since birth?

  • Answer Yes or No. If Yes, enter the other name(s) you’ve used. Generally, answering yes is appropriate if there are official documents in your other name. Casual nicknames do not need to be included.

Your contact information

How may we contact you?

  • If you have a U.S. phone number, enter it as a Daytime telephone number
  • If you used your cell phone number as your Daytime number, mark the box next to “This is the same as my daytime telephone number.”
  • Enter the email address where you want USCIS to contact you

What is your current U.S. mailing address?

This is the address to which your 12 Month OPT Authorization will be sent. The address that you use should be valid for up to four months so that you are able to receive your documents without issues. You may use your own address or the ISSS Address. If you use the ISSS address, please enter:

  • In care of name: ISSS, Miami University
  • Address line 1: 531 E.Spring St.
  • Address line 2: 214 MacMillan Hall
  • City or town: Oxford
  • State: Ohio
  • ZIP Code: 45056

Note: If you choose to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) as part of your OPT application, you are not able to use the ISSS address.

Is your current mailing address the same as your physical address?

  • Choose the applicable answer.

Where in the United States do you live? (This question will appear only if your mailing address and physical address are not the same.)

  • Provide your U.S. physical address if different than your mailing address.

Describe yourself

What is your gender?

  • Indicate your gender.

What is your marital status?

  • Indicate your marital status.

When and where you were born

What is your city and province/state of birth?

  • Provide information about your place of birth.

What is your date of birth?

  • Enter your date of birth in month, date, year format.

Your immigration information

What is your country of citizenship or nationality?

  • Indicate any countries where you are currently a citizen or national. Use the “Add Country” button if you need to enter more than one country.

What is your Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Number (if any)?

  • Indicate the 11-digit number from your most recent I-94 record.

When did you last arrive in the United States?

  • Date of arrival: Refer to the date on your I-94 record to confirm when you last entered the U.S.
  • Place of arrival: Select the city (listed in alphabetical order) where you went through U.S. Customs. Refer to your Travel History to confirm.
  • Status at last arrival: Generally your status at your last entry to the U.S. should be “F-1 Student.” If that has changed or your I-94 reflects different information, please consult with ISSS.

What is the passport number of your most recently issued passport?

  • Enter your passport number

What is your travel document number (if any)?

  • Provide your travel document number if applicable. If you already indicated your passport number, you can generally leave this field blank.

What is the expiration date of your passport or travel document?

  • Enter the expiration date of your passport or travel document in month, date, year format.

What country issued your passport or travel document?

  • List the country that issued your passport or travel document (Note - it may differ from the country you were in when you got your passport if you applied from a consulate or embassy outside your home country.)

What is your current immigration status or category?

  • Your current immigration status should be F-1 Student.

What is your Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Number (if any)?

  • Provide your SEVIS number from your most recently-issued I-20, which is located on the top left corner of your I-20.

Other Information

What is your A-Number? 

  • Mark the box next to “I do not have or know my A-Number” unless applicable. If you previously received an employment authorization document from USCIS, this may be listed as the USCIS# on the front of the card.

What is your USCIS Online Account Number?

  • Mark the box next to “I do not have or know my USCIS Online Account Number” unless applicable.

Has the Social Security Administration (SSA) ever officially issued a Social Security card to you?

  • Check ‘yes’ if you have been issued a Social Security card. You will be asked to enter your Social Security Number.
  • Check ‘no’ if you have not been issued a Social Security card.

Do you want the SSA to issue you a Social Security card?

  • If you have a Social Security card already, select ‘No’.
  • If you do not have one, you have the option to apply for one in conjunction with your application (in which case you would select ‘Yes’) or on your own after you receive your OPT authorization (in which case you would select ‘No’).

Evidence

This section asks you to upload documents into your online application. Please follow the guidance below:

  • 2 x 2 photo of you: U.S.-style passport photos should be taken within the last 30 days and must meet very specific requirements. The Department of State lists these requirements and offers a tool for cropping your own photos. Photos used for obtaining a non-U.S. passport or visa are generally not acceptable as they may not be the correct size and rarely were taken within the last 30 days.
    • In Oxford, you may have a U.S.-style passport photo taken at the Global Initiatives office in MacMillan Hall" (call 513-529-8600 to schedule an appointment), CVS or Walgreens.
  • Form I-94: Visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website to retrieve your electronic I-94 card number.
  • Employment Authorization Document: Copy of your passport including the name and photo page as well as expiration date. Copy of any previous Employment Authorization Documents (front and back), if applicable. If the EAD was for OPT, please also include a copy of the I-20 for that authorization when uploading.
  • DO NOT upload anything for the “Previous Authorized CPT or OPT” nor “Form I-20” sub-categories at this time. You will discuss these sections and receive documents to upload when you meet with an ISSS advisor.
  • Make sure all supporting documents are clear and legible and be sure to follow USCIS requirements for file upload size and format.

Additional Information

USCIS indicates this part of the form should be used to provide additional evidence such as "all previously used SEVIS numbers and evidence of any previously authorized CPT or OPT and the academic level at which it was authorized". If you upload documents, be sure to include your full name and indicate which question(s) you're referencing.


Review and Submit

  • You must wait until after you meet with an ISSS advisor and receive your I-20 with OPT recommended on page 2 before paying and submitting your application. It is not possible to edit or change a submitted online application and failure to submit a complete application could result in Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or even the denial of your application by USCIS.
  • Download a copy of your online application (I-765) for Step 3 of the OPT Application Process. Click on the “Review and Submit” menu item on the left, selecting “Your application summary” then clicking on “View draft snapshot”. Your form should say “Electronic Form Only” on it as a watermark. Save and upload to InterLink.

International Students and Scholars

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Use the link below to sign up to receive emails from ISSS. Please note that if you are currently enrolled in Miami University courses as an international student or scholar, you will automatically be added to this list.

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