Fill out Form I-765 for OPT
Form I-765 is the application for your Employment Authorization Document — the EAD card that actually lets you work. For post-completion OPT you file it under category (c)(3)(B), and it goes to USCIS.
This tool isn’t ready yet.
Everything on this page is accurate and worth reading now. The I-983 is the form we’ve built first, and it’s the one most people need.
F-1 students applying for post-completion OPT after graduating. Pre-completion OPT uses the same form under category (c)(3)(A). You do not need a Form I-983 for regular OPT — that one is only for the STEM extension.
- Your updated Form I-20 showing your DSO’s OPT recommendation
- Your passport biographic page and most recent Form I-94
- Any previous EAD cards, front and back
- Passport-style photos meeting the USCIS specification
- Your SEVIS ID, and your A-Number or USCIS online account number if you have one
About Form I-765
What has to happen before I file this?
Your DSO enters the OPT recommendation in SEVIS and issues you an updated I-20. Only then can you file, and there is a limited window after that recommendation. Ask your DSO first — filling this in beforehand will waste your time.
When can I file?
The window for post-completion OPT opens roughly 90 days before your program end date and closes roughly 60 days after it. Your exact dates depend on your I-20, so confirm them with your DSO.
How much is the filing fee?
Fees change, and they differ between filing online and by mail. We deliberately do not quote a number — check the current fee on uscis.gov before you send anything, because getting it wrong means a rejected package.
Do you file it for me?
No. We produce a completed, printable form and an evidence checklist. You file it with USCIS yourself, online or by mail. If you file online, our PDF still works as the worksheet you type from.