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If you are a currently enrolled student traveling before your program end date with a pending or approved OPT application, you will need to have theÌýtravel documents outlined above.

After your program end date, traveling is generally permitted if you have a pending or approved OPT application.

Very important: your OPT application must be submitted and received by USCIS before you leave the U.S!ÌýAn OPT application must be submitted while physically in the United States, and traveling after your program end date without a pending OPT application (or any action that will extend your F-1 status, such as transferring your SEVIS record to a new program) will result in the loss of your F-1 status and the ability to apply for OPT.

Please be aware that if you travel after your program end date with a pending OPT application (or after your OPT end date with a pending STEM OPT application), and your application is denied by USCIS for any reason, you will not be eligible to return to the U.S. in F-1 status and re-apply.

For students applying for post-completion OPT:ÌýIt is recommended that you already have a job secured. Travel and reentry without employment is usually fine if you are returning before your OPT start date. If your OPT has already started, it is more important to have a job at the time of re-entry. Travel during your OPT unemployment time is higher risk and is not recommended.

If you are a currently enrolled student traveling before your program end date, you will need to have theÌýtravel documents outlined above.

If you are a J-1 student on Academic Training (AT), it is recommended you bring with you your AT authorization letter from ISO and job offer/verification letter from your employer.

Please refer to the section above for the list of required travel documents.ÌýNote that while in the period of post-completion work authorization, the travel signature onÌýyourÌýI-20/DS-2019 is valid for only 6 months.ÌýMake sure to check the endorsement date on your I-20/DS-2019. If your signature is expiring, please submit the in URcompass.

When traveling during post-completion OPT, you should be prepared to explain the ways that your employment in the U.S. provides practical training for the degree you received.

Lastly, there is no regulatory limit on the duration of your travel abroad while on post-completion work authorization. Nevertheless, you should understand that the longer you are abroad, the more questions you may be asked upon re-entry. You should be prepared to explain to the CBP officer your time abroad and how you are still maintaining your F-1/J-1 status, keeping in mind that your employment authorization was granted for the purposes of working in the U.S.

• YouÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™ll want to bringÌýemployment verification documentationÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½”either an employment letter or proof of employment.
• EAD card:ÌýYou should also bring an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card, if your work authorization is approved.
  • If not yet approved, have your I-797C receipt from the submission of your application with USCIS
• Keep in mind logistics surrounding your EAD card:
  • If your application is already approved, you are expected to have your EAD card with you upon reentry.
  • Students who are abroad when their application is approved might not be able to physically retrieve their EAD card when it is mailed to their U.S. address.
  • Many students have had their EAD card mailed to trusted friends/family who send a photocopy of the EAD card to them. They will also print out the approval notice so that they can explain the situation to the border official if asked. While many students have successfully reentered the U.S. in such cases, you should be aware that this is another layer of risk.