{"id":796,"date":"2024-05-08T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T13:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/?page_id=796"},"modified":"2025-05-20T13:22:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T17:22:38","slug":"cap-gap","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/","title":{"rendered":"Cap Gap Extension"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":656,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/one-column.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"class_list":["post-796","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"lead_in":"","display_title":"","subtitle":"","call_to_action":"","hero_image_placement":"no_image","hero_media":"images","hero_pattern_option":"","hero_video":"","hero_image_landing":"","hero_image_landing_two":"","hero_image_landing_three":"","content_modules_above":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"","css_class":"mt-0 pt-15","title":"","content":"If an employer intends to sponsor you for the H-1B Temporary Worker status, you may be eligible for an automatic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/working-in-the-united-states\/temporary-workers\/h-1b-specialty-occupations\/extension-of-post-completion-optional-practical-training-opt-and-f-1-status-for-eligible-students\">Cap Gap extension<\/a> of your F-1 status and OPT\/STEM work authorization.\r\n\r\nThe extension is intended to eliminate the gap in employment authorization and immigration status between when your F-1 OPT\/STEM OPT ends and when the H-1B status starts, provided certain conditions are met.\r\n<h2><strong>Eligibility<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nTo be eligible for the Cap Gap extension of both your status and work authorization, the following must be true:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Your employer files the H-1B petition with USCIS while your OPT\/STEM OPT authorization is active. Simply being selected in the lottery is not sufficient.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The H-1B petition is filed during the applicable H-1B filing period, which begins April 1.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Your employer requests a Change of Status from F-1 to H-1B in the H-1B petition. H-1B petitions filed under Consular Notification processing do not qualify.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Your employer is not a cap-exempt employer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","background_color":"#ffffff","width":"width-medium"}],"sidebar":"show__sidebar","sidebar_feed":"menu_select","menu":"36","page_links":null,"sub_menu":"","content_modules":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"","css_class":"","title":"<h2><strong>Request documentation<\/strong><\/h2>","content":"Once your circumstances meet all of the eligibility conditions, you may request documentation of the Cap Gap extension by submitting the <a href=\"https:\/\/urcompass.ur.rochester.edu\/istart\/controllers\/client\/clientEngine.cfm?serviceid=EFormRequestCapGapExtensionI201ServiceProvider\">Request Cap Gap Extension I-20<\/a> form in URcompass. Registration\/selection in the lottery on its own is NOT sufficient evidence for a Cap Gap extension - the H-1B petition must be filed with USCIS before the extension can be applied.\r\n\r\nYou will be required to provide evidence of the H-1B filing in your request: Either the H-1B Receipt Notice or the H-1B Approval Notice. Page 2 of the I-20 will reflect the Cap Gap extension of your work authorization to April 1 of the next calendar year. <span data-teams=\"true\">Please be advised, while you will see an extension of your work authorization to April 1 on the I-20 - your F-1 work authorization will actually end when your Change of Status to the H-1B takes effect. To know the start date of your H-1B status, please check your H-1B approval notice.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAll F-1 regulations, including <a href=\"\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/reporting\/\">reporting requirements<\/a>, remain in effect during the extension period.\r\n\r\nUSCIS will not issue a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) or other documentation to show that your OPT\/STEM OPT period has been extended. Instead, students may only obtain an updated I-20 showing that the OPT\/STEM OPT work authorization end date has been extended.","background_color":"#f4f4f4","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","anchor":"","css_class":"","title":"<h2><strong>Eligible extension period<\/strong><\/h2>","content":"The actual length of a Cap Gap extension will vary, depending on the amount of time between when your F-1 OPT\/STEM OPT authorization ends and when your H-1B starts. On the I-20, the cap gap will start from your OPT\/STEM OPT EAD end date and it will end on April 1 of the fiscal year for which the H-1B status is being requested.\r\n\r\nThe cap gap extension of status will automatically terminate if the H-1B petition is denied, withdrawn, revoked, rejected, or is not selected, or if the change of status request is denied or withdrawn even if the H-1B petition is approved for consular processing.\r\n\r\nThe Cap Gap extension is granted only for the active permissions that were authorized on the day the Change of Status H-1B petition is properly filed. If your OPT\/STEM OPT has already expired when the H-1B application is filed with USCIS, only your permission to stay in the United States during your F-1 grace period will be extended.\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that any changes to your H-1B application will determine the valid extension date, regardless of what the I-20 shows. F-1 students will need to communicate regularly with their employer to make sure they are aware of the status of their H-1B petition.","background_color":"#ffffff","width":"width-medium"},{"acf_fc_layout":"card_grid","anchor":"","css_class":"","title":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Related resources<\/strong><\/h2>","description":"","background_color":"#f4f4f4","width":"width-large","columns":"3","cards":[{"card_title":"<p class=\"u-card-title\">Request Cap Gap Extension I-20<\/p>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#FFFFFF","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"https:\/\/urcompass.ur.rochester.edu\/istart\/controllers\/client\/clientEngine.cfm?serviceid=EFormRequestCapGapExtensionI201ServiceProvider","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"hover_arrow","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"<p class=\"u-card-title\">H-1B employees<\/p>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#FFFFFF","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"H-1B Temporary Workers","url":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/scholars-employees\/h-1b\/","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"hover_arrow","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""},{"card_title":"<p class=\"u-card-title\">F-1 OPT reporting<\/p>","card_text":"","card_background_color":"#FFFFFF","card_hover_color":"#283faf","card_link":{"title":"","url":"\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/reporting\/","target":""},"card_hover_arrow":"hover_arrow","card_image":"","card_image_size":"","card_image_placement":"","card_image_hover_state":"hover_fade","card_image_link":""}]}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>F-1 OPT Cap Gap Extensions - International Services Office - 糖心传媒<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Only petitions that are filed for a Change of Status from F-1 to H-1B will be eligible for the Cap Gap Extension.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"F-1 OPT Cap Gap Extensions - International Services Office - 糖心传媒\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Only petitions that are filed for a Change of Status from F-1 to H-1B will be eligible for the Cap Gap Extension.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"International Services Office\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-20T17:22:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/working\\\/f-1-opt\\\/cap-gap\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/working\\\/f-1-opt\\\/cap-gap\\\/\",\"name\":\"F-1 OPT Cap Gap Extensions - International Services Office - 糖心传媒\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-08T13:00:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-20T17:22:38+00:00\",\"description\":\"Only petitions that are filed for a Change of Status from F-1 to H-1B will be eligible for the Cap Gap Extension.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/working\\\/f-1-opt\\\/cap-gap\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/working\\\/f-1-opt\\\/cap-gap\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/working\\\/f-1-opt\\\/cap-gap\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Current and Post-Completion Students\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"F-1\\\/J-1 Employment\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/working\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"F-1 Post-Completion Optional Practical Training\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/current-students\\\/working\\\/f-1-opt\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":5,\"name\":\"Cap Gap Extension\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/\",\"name\":\"International Services Office\",\"description\":\"糖心传媒\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/iso\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"F-1 OPT Cap Gap Extensions - International Services Office - 糖心传媒","description":"Only petitions that are filed for a Change of Status from F-1 to H-1B will be eligible for the Cap Gap Extension.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"F-1 OPT Cap Gap Extensions - International Services Office - 糖心传媒","og_description":"Only petitions that are filed for a Change of Status from F-1 to H-1B will be eligible for the Cap Gap Extension.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/","og_site_name":"International Services Office","article_modified_time":"2025-05-20T17:22:38+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/","name":"F-1 OPT Cap Gap Extensions - International Services Office - 糖心传媒","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-05-08T13:00:17+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-20T17:22:38+00:00","description":"Only petitions that are filed for a Change of Status from F-1 to H-1B will be eligible for the Cap Gap Extension.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/cap-gap\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Current and Post-Completion Students","item":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"F-1\/J-1 Employment","item":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"F-1 Post-Completion Optional Practical Training","item":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/current-students\/working\/f-1-opt\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Cap Gap Extension"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/","name":"International Services Office","description":"糖心传媒","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=796"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/796\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20082,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/796\/revisions\/20082"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/iso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}