OPT Student Reporting Requirements

F-1 regulations require that international students work with their DSO (ISSS advisor) to ensure information in SEVIS is accurate. SEVP provides an optional tool called the SEVP Portal to report changes to your address and employment, but ISSS is not notified when you update your personal and employment information via the SEVP Portal. 

Because ISSS is still your F-1 visa sponsor while you are on OPT, please report all personal and employment information using our OPT Update Form. 

90-Day Unemployment Rule

Once you receive your EAD card and your OPT starts, you are given a maximum of 90 days of unemployment, during which you are allowed to have no job, internship, or other training activity. It is up to you to keep track of your unemployment period. To stop the unemployment clock, report your OPT employment (see below). If you fail to report your OPT employment within 90 days, USCIS may automatically terminate your record, which will end your legal presence in the U.S. and forfeit your remaining OPT time.

OPT Update Form

You are required to report your first job/internship to ISSS within 90 days of your OPT start date. In addition, any change of job/internship or change of address must also be reported to ISSS within 10 days.

To report OPT employment, address and contact information and any changes, submit the OPT Update Form. After you log in with your DuckID, the OPT Update Form can be found under F-1 Student Services.