Optional Practical Training (OPT) Update Form

ONLY for F-1 students who have been approved for OPT.
All other students must update their address in Blackboard (http://campus.fsu.edu). For instructions, go to: Change of Address page.

SECTION 1:  PERSONAL INFORMATION
* = Required Field
Today's Date: (ex. mm/dd/yyyy)
Have you changed your legal name?: No     Yes
If yes, please provide your previous:    Last Name:
First Name:
Note: Enter your last name and first name as it appears on your I-20
Last Name: *
First Name: *
Web-based (non-FSU) E-mail Address (e.g., gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc.): *
Date of Birth: * (ex. mm/dd/yyyy)
I have changed my visa status to:

(NOTE: You MUST send a copy of your approval notice to the International Center by:
E-mail: IC_Advising@admin.fsu.edu
Fax: 850-644-9951

SUBJECT LINE for fax or e-mail:
Change of Status from F-1)
Specify visa type (eg. H-1, J-1, etc.) or enter LPR if you are a Legal Permanent Resident.


Effective Date for visa status change (ex. mm/dd/yyyy)
SECTION 2:  PERSONAL ADDRESS INFORMATION
IMPORTANT:
U.S. ADDRESS: This must be your PHYSICAL STREET ADDRESS (i.e. where you reside). This CANNOT be a P.O. Box or office address.
Street Address: *
City: *
State: *
Zip/Postal Code: *
Phone Number:
SECTION 3:  EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
Are you currently employed?: Yes
No, but I have accepted an offer of employment that starts in the future.  NOTE: Complete the employment information below and indicate the future start date.
No, but I am working as a volunteer or intern (in a job that is not normally a paid position).  NOTE: Complete the employment information below.
No
Go to SECTION 4 (Unemployment)
Please provide the following information:
Employer Name (Company):
If self-employed (in your own business or as a consultant), write business name or "self-employed"
Supervisor's Last Name:
Supervisor's First Name:
Position/Title:
If self-employed, enter "self-employed (Insert Occupation )"
Employer Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip/Postal Code:
Employment Start Date at current employer: From: (ex. mm/dd/yyyy)
Employment End Date at current employer: To:
(Enter date in mm/dd/yyyy format if applicable or enter "to the present". Your end date should not be past your OPT end date.)
If you have more than one employer, complete section below:
Employer Name (Company):
If self-employed, write business name or "self-employed"
Supervisor's Last Name:
Supervisor's First Name:
Position/Title:
If self-employed, enter "self-employed (Insert Occupation )"
Employer Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip/Postal Code:
Employment Start Date at current employer: From: (ex. mm/dd/yyyy)
Employment End Date at current employer: To:
(Enter date in mm/dd/yyyy format if applicable or enter "to the present". Your end date should not be past your OPT end date.)
SECTION 4:  UNEMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
If you are NOT currently employed, please provide the following information:
Have you ever been employed using your Optional Practical Training EAD?: Yes     No
Employer Name:
Employer Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip/Postal Code:
Employment Start Date at most recent employer: From: (mm/dd/yyyy)
Employment End Date at most recent employer: To:
(Enter date in mm/dd/yyyy format if applicable.)
Check all that currently apply:

(NOTE: If you are not employed but have accepted a job that starts in the future, or are working as a volunteer or intern, go to section 3.) 		I am actively seeking employment.

I plan to leave the U.S. on (ex. mm/dd/yyyy) and will not return to resume my OPT.

I am outside of the U.S. and will not return to resume my OPT.
Date of Departure: (ex. mm/dd/yyyy)

N/A
UNEMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
New federal regulations has a NEW section on unemployment. Please read the following and complete the section below:

Effect of periods of unemployment while on OPT. The new rule states that "during post-completion OPT, F-1 status is dependent upon employment. During any initial 12-month period of post-completion OPT, no student (including STEM students) may be unemployed for an aggregate of more than 90 days. If a STEM student receives a 17-month extension, the limit on unemployment is raised to an aggregate of no more than 120 days, applied to the entire 29-month period on which the student is on post-completion OPT."
  • SEVP confirmed that the unemployment provisions of the regulation do not apply to any periods of unemployment before the effective date April 8, 2008. The 90 day "clock" starts on April 8, 2008.
  • Students should be advised that more than 90 days of unemployment after April 8, 2008 may affect eligibility for future benefits. If the student applies for a benefit and has more than 90 days of unemployment AFTER April 8, 2008, the benefit may be denied because of that unemployment. A student may provide documentation for the adjudicator to consider any extenuating circumstances.
    • Note: SEVP stated that it is not looking to systematically put students out of status who were already on OPT prior to the effective date of April 8, 2008.
  • Unemployment provisions do NOT apply to students on pre-completion OPT who are maintaining full-time enrollment and are still pursuing their studies.
  • SEVP indicated that days of unemployment will be counted from either the start date requested (no later than 60 days after program end date) or the date the employment authorization is adjudicated, whichever is later.
    • SEVP further indicated that ICE may consider tolling the days for those students whose EAD was approved but not received (e.g. lost in the mail). For example, if a student has to re-apply for a duplicate EAD because the first was lost in the mail, ICE may take into account the date the duplicate EAD was issued.
  • Regarding unpaid employment, SEVP said:
    • For regular post-completion OPT, the employment does NOT have to paid employment. Therefore, a student who is self-employed (including performance majors with regular "gigs"), interning or volunteering in a position directly related to the academic field (but not a normally paid position) would be considered "employed" for the purposes of OPT employment.
    • For the 17-month STEM extension, employment must be traditional paid employment.
    • SEVP also noted that periods of up to 10 days between the end of one job and the beginning of the next job will not be considered time unemployed.
By submitting this form, I certify that all information contained in this form and submitted to the International Center is accurate. I understand that I will get a confirmation email (to the non-FSU email address reported in this form) with an interaction number to track my submission.

     

NOTE:  You MUST keep your own documentation of the dates of your employment(s), performances, internships, and volunteer work.