How to extend stay in US post-graduation ?
The feelings about the graduation in college are mixed. Students are motivated by the success in the realization of their dreams but at the same time scared about the future uncertainty. Important questions that occur to international students after graduating from college are How long can international students stay in US after graduation? Do I remain in US or go away? How to work in America after completing the education? etc.
The international students are allowed to remain in US after graduation by a period of 60 days. Here are the choices when you are planning to stay longer and make the US to be your home.
Positive Practical Training
Optional practical training (OPT) enables F1 international students to apply the knowledge acquired at school in practice and get a small amount of work experience. The F1 student must study full time within an academic year before he/she can apply OPT. The student may not be eligible to receive OPT in case they have been on full-time CPT more than 12 months within the program. The total time granted of 12 months per degree at an academic level is given to each degree. The process of Getting Employment Authorization under OPT includes two steps The student will should request the DSO to OPT, the DSO will then recommend the student in SEVIS to OPT and then prints out new I-20 with OPT recommendation. Then, you are to request OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD) submitting the form I-765 to USCIS. Unless indicated otherwise (see restriction on the work permit), you cannot work on the OPT until after the EAD start date. The positive side of the OPT is the fact that it is not employer-specific, and one can apply to OPT without a job offer even. The assignment may range from OPT position as paid work or an unpaid volunteer Post Nonetheless, after granting of EAD OPT you can not afford to stay more than 90 days unemployed. In 10 days any changes to your employment should be reported to the DSO. To read more about the OPT, you may do it here.
OPT Extension
SEVIS extension OPT allows international students to extend their OPT Employment authorization an additional 24 months on the condition that the individual successfully graduated STEM technology program in a SEVP approved school. To qualify to apply STEM OPT you must be maintaining status on OPT and be employed by an E-Verify employer. The employer and the student must complete the formal training plan form I-983 and the DSO can only recommend STEM OPT Extension. After the DSO advises to seek STEM extension, the student should apply the Employer authorization to extend the STEM. The request of the EM extension must be made prior to 90 days before the end date of the OPT. During the time it is pending the STEM OPT EAD extension request, you may continue employment up to 180 days. The length of time that you are unemployed cannot be more than 60 days during the STEM OPT.
H1B Visa
H1B visa enables foreign students to work 3 years and it is renewed to 3 years. In contrast to OPT, H1B is to be filed by a US employer willing to sponsor H1B visa. H1B visa may only be filed by the applicants who work in speciality occupations. The Supply: USCIS has an absolute limit of 65000 H1B visas annually and another 20000 more visas are set aside to those who have graduate as Masters in institutions of US. H1B petitions are also received by USCIS on the 1 st April each year. As the number of H1B applicants exceed the number of H1B visas they allow under the cap, the use of lottery to select H1B candidates is employed by USCIS. There are more than 200, 000 H1B petitions compared to 85, 000 H1B visas available during the FY 2025 H1B season. OPT holders will typically have two goes in the H1B lottery and those who have the STEM OPT will have four chances before the OPT Employment Authorization drains.
Join a University where you can study another Degree
You have an opportunity to get enrolled to another degree program to graduate. In this manner you can extend your F1 status You can undertake the study at the same academic level or higher level. However, it is recommended to get involved in a programme of a higher degree level. As an example, upon completing Bachelors, and you can enroll in a Masters and upon completing the Masters you can enroll in a Ph.D. In the case that you complete a degree that is higher in level, you will be eligible to another 12 months of OPT as well as another 24 more months of STEM OPT extension. See our SEVIS Transfer blog article for more information. When in need to enrol to a university, Counsellors in Skoolville.com can assist in selecting the programs and in filling out the applications.
Marry an individual who is not unlawful
You may marry an individual having a valid immigration status such as H1B, Permanent resident or being a US Citizen. In case you get married to a person in a H1B category, then you can seek change of status form F1 to H4. Marriage based immigration is also available to your fiance provided he/she is a permanent resident or a US CItizen. It goes without saying that marriage is a bond and relation that needs to be based on love and not convenience and immigration privileges.