Applied for OPT...

[rangers_texas 2]

I have applied for my OPT and I got the receipt on the 7th of November saying it was received on the 5th of November. I will be graduating on December 15th and I am currently looking for a job. My question is when should I receive the OPT and can I start at a job before it gets here if I am not getting paid for it?

[canadian_wife 1,823]

OPT can take up to 3 months to get

Not sure if you can work without it, not sure who would allow that to happen.

good luck

[jaycali 415]

I have applied for my OPT and I got the receipt on the 7th of November saying it was received on the 5th of November. I will be graduating on December 15th and I am currently looking for a job. My question is when should I receive the OPT and can I start at a job before it gets here if I am not getting paid for it?

OPT usually takes around 3 months. Could be there in 2, could be there in 4. Count on 3 months.

You cannot start working before you have the EAD card in hand. You may apply for jobs and go to interviews before then, but you cannot begin working. Doing so before your EAD card arrives will be a violation of your student status and void the entire OPT altogether.

[rangers_texas 2]

Alright thanks for the help. The problem I have is that I will be graduating in a few weeks and my OPT will probably not be here yet. I am spending Christmas in Lubbock so hopefully my OPT will be here by the time I get back.

[jaycali 415]

You can still stay in the US until your OPT arrives, you just can't work until then. Spend the time between now and OPT approval looking for jobs and going to interviews. If they wonder when you can start working, you can estimate on or around February 7th.

[rangers_texas 2]

You can still stay in the US until your OPT arrives, you just can't work until then. Spend the time between now and OPT approval looking for jobs and going to interviews. If they wonder when you can start working, you can estimate on or around February 7th.

Yeah i will, it'll just be hard cos i'll probably need to live in a hotel until i find out where I will be working but i've applied for a few places and I can stay with my girlfriend until she goes back to school. But the problem I have is the OPT is coming to my school address so I might need to stay here until I get it.

[jaycali 415]

Yeah i will, it'll just be hard cos i'll probably need to live in a hotel until i find out where I will be working but i've applied for a few places and I can stay with my girlfriend until she goes back to school. But the problem I have is the OPT is coming to my school address so I might need to stay here until I get it.

I was in your shoes about 3 years ago. My lease contract was ending, had no idea where I'd be working and my gf (now wife) was moving out of state to Alaska.

I ended up listing the DSO and the international student office as my mailing address, and had the DSO contact me once they received my EAD card. Eventually I ended up renewing the lease, only to get my EAD a month later and moving to Alaska with my gf (now wife) for work while still paying rent on my apt in California.

There's only one guarantee in this, work before your EAD card arrives and your student status and subsequent OPT becomes void.

Best of luck to you.

[rangers_texas 2]

I was in your shoes about 3 years ago. My lease contract was ending, had no idea where I'd be working and my gf (now wife) was moving out of state to Alaska.

I ended up listing the DSO and the international student office as my mailing address, and had the DSO contact me once they received my EAD card. Eventually I ended up renewing the lease, only to get my EAD a month later and moving to Alaska with my gf (now wife) for work while still paying rent on my apt in California.

There's only one guarantee in this, work before your EAD card arrives and your student status and subsequent OPT becomes void.

Best of luck to you.

Yeah absolutely, there's no way I'm going to risk that. It'll be hard at first but once I get everything in order it'll be worth it.

Thanks for your info!