F1 Renew on STEM OPT
Do people get denied when they try to renew F1 visa while on STEM OPT? My EAD is valid till 2019 but F1 expired this year.
There is always a risk of denial. The safest option is to not exit the country until you get an H1B
I would recommend traveling only after you get H1B. F1 renewal on OPT is very uncertain.
I got my extension everybody! Just a huge backlog this time of year probably. It took three weeks.
How did the interview go, how did you handle questions about future plans?
Hi Grafdan, I'm facing the same issue right now: F1 renewal on STEM OPT Extension. But when I came back home to renew it, I was given a reject. Am going to reappear for the visa interview again. Could you please give me some insight on what to expect and what are the do's and dont's . Please advice
Hi all! Not sure if this is the right thread but is it easy/possible to renew F1 visa on STEM OPT? My STEM expires in 2 years (june 2023); right now I want to travel back home but I don't want to get my visa denied and lose my job!
It’s risky because unlike H-1B, F-1 is strictly nonimmigrant. You should be able to justify your future plans post OPT; the burden of proof lies on you. Here’s a workaround: if your STEM OPT is from a bachelors’ degree, you can perhaps say you plan to go to grad school for an MS after your OPT expires. This is a more believable answer compared to “I plan to leave my $175K job and come back home to get paid less”.