| Sajha.com Archives | |
| Username | Post |
| zero gravity | Posted
on 10-May-04 10:56 PM
I had a quick question and would appreciate any information. I am graduating and have my OPT (practical training) and also a job offer. I wanted to go to Nepal and then apply for a student visa with my OPT to come back to the US. Is this advisable? Are there complications I need to be aware of? I would appreciate your response. Thank you. ZG |
| scatterbrain | Posted
on 10-May-04 11:25 PM
0 g, whassa man? All in all, it seems like they are saying it's not a good idea to travel abroad until you have the OPT card secured. But the currency of info contained in those web documents is not something I know for sure. Maybe consult an immigration lawyer? Here're a few things I have found: --------------- from - http://www.upenn.edu/oip/iss/visa/f1/opt.html Can I travel abroad during post-completion OPT? Remember that you must apply for OPT before your academic program ends. You must be inside the US to apply and you must provide a US mailing address on the OPT application (on form I-765). After applying for OPT, OIP strongly recommends that a student not depart the US until OPT is approved by USCIS and the EAC is received by the student. Should unforeseen problems arise with your application materials, you will have great difficulty solving them from abroad. If you travel abroad while on post-completion OPT with the intention of reentering the US in F-1 status, you should be prepared to present the following documents upon reentry to the US: a valid passport, a valid F-1 visa stamp in your passport (except Canadian citizens), your SEVIS OPT I-20 endorsed for reentry by an OIP advisor within the last six months, your original currently valid practical training Employment Authorization Card issued by USCIS, and proof that you have a job in the US appropriate for practical training (such as a letter from your employer describing your job). If you do not have all of these documents you should not travel abroad without first consulting with and advisor at OIP. An expired F-1 visa poses a particular problem; it may be difficult or impossible to renew your F-1 visa while you are on practical training. OIP does not recommend travel abroad until you have received optional practical training approval from the USCIS (your Employment Authorization Card). --------------------- from - http://www.ufic.ufl.edu/iss/ISSnew/FAQ.htm Can I travel abroad and re-enter the U.S. without having received the Employment Authorization Document? Yes you can travel outside the U.S. and return while optional practical training is pending at INS before graduation. You can not travel after graduation while the application is pending with the INS. After graduation and upon receiving your EAD card, you may travel, but you will need to have all the necessary documents for re-entry, including: (1) a valid passport, (2) a valid F-1 visa stamp in your passport, (3) your original I-20 endorsed for re-entry by an ISS Immigration Advisor within the last six months, and (4) your EAD Card. Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirements and need carry only a valid and endorsed I-20 of visa. ---------------------- from - http://www.nd.edu/~isvfsa/opt_guidelines.shtml TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE U.S. AFTER COMPLETION OF STUDIES: BEFORE Practical Training Authorization/Employment--Students who complete their studies and leave the U.S. before obtaining authorization for OPT employment will not be able to return to the U.S. in F-1 status to apply for OPT. In addition, students may also be denied admission to the U.S. if they have obtained their EAD card, but are NOT employed, because the F-1 regulations state that you can be readmitted to the U.S. to “resume” employment. DURING Practical Training Employment--Students who travel outside the U.S. while employed for Practical Training can be readmitted if they have the following documents: a valid passport, a valid F-1 visa, a valid EAD card, the OPT I-20 endorsed for travel by the International Student Advisor within the past 6 months, and a “letter of employment” from their employer, which includes dates of employment and the salary. Time spent abroad is charged against the student’s practical training time. |
| rauniyar | Posted
on 11-May-04 08:17 AM
0 Gravity ji: like Scatterbrain's suggetion, I would not step out of the country until things are settled in terms of obtaining required papers in the form of OPT card. Tara, you understand that once you get your OPT card, you would not be able to travel anywhere outside of USA for one year period. So the question is essentially chicken and egg stuff. Yeah, take a trip to lawyer or call em up and get the expert opinion. It is always better to be on the safer side when it comes to visa and et all... Uhi Rajeev, CT, Amrika |