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International Student and Scholar Services

While Your Application is Pending

OPT Receipt Notice

Immediately after submitting your online I-765 application, you should see confirmation on the screen that your I-765 was successfully submitted.

  • Click on Go to my cases and navigate to the Documents tab to download your Receipt Notice and a PDF of your completed I-765 form.
  • Upload your OPT Receipt Notice to your ISSS Portal by submitting an OPT Receipt Notice Upload (found in your Control Center).
  • Within two weeks of submitting online, you should also receive a paper Receipt Notice (Form I-797) in the mail.

Driver's License Renewal While OPT Pending

You cannot renew your Illinois driver's license until you receive your OPT EAD card. However, you can apply at the Bloomington DMV for a 90-day Temporary Driver's License while your OPT is pending. Along with other documents, you must bring your I-765 Receipt Notice as proof that you have applied for OPT. This information may be subject to change, so please contact the Bloomington DMV at 309-827-3531 prior to making an appointment to confirm the procedure and documentation needed.

The Temporary Driver's License is issued on site at the DMV and will not contain your photo. The temporary license only permits you to drive and is not an official form of ID, so you should also carry your passport. 

If you live outside of the Bloomington-Normal area, you should contact your local DMV for further details.

USCIS Processing Time

USCIS, not ISSS, is reponsible for processing your I-765 application for OPT. Therefore, ISSS has no influence or control over USCIS processing times.

  • OPT processing times can vary. There is no guarantee USCIS will process your application within a specific time frame.
  • You can check your case status by logging in to your USCIS Account and navigating to the Case Status tab of your I-765 application. ISSS recommends you set your account notifications to receive both text messages and emails and log in to your account on a weekly basis to check for updates or action items.
  • While your I-765 application is pending with USCIS, you are permitted to stay in the U.S. awaiting adjudication of your case.
  • If your application is adjudicated on or before the OPT start date you requested, then your EAD card should reflect your chosen date. However, if your case is adjudicated after the OPT start date you requested, then your EAD card start date should be the same as the date your case was adjudicated by USCIS.
  • If your application has been pending more than 90 days, and you have not received your EAD card, you can call the USCIS Customer Service number listed on your Receipt Notice and ask that they open a service request. You can also submit a case inquiry for Outside Normal Processing Time online.

Premium Processing

Premium processing (Form I-907) provides expedited processing for certain USCIS forms for an additional fee. If properly filed, premium processing gurantees USCIS will take adudicative action on your I-765 within 30 calendar days. This means that within 30 calendar days USCIS will take one of the following actions on your case:

  • issue an approval notice
  • issue a denial notice
  • issue a notice of intent to deny
  • issue a request for evidence
  • open an investigation for fraud or misrepresentation

IMPORTANT: Premium processing does not guarantee your EAD card will be produced and arrive within the 30-day deadline.

  • The 30-calendar-day premium processing timeframe does not include the time it takes to produce your EAD.
  • After USCIS approves your Form I-765, your EAD should be produced within one to two weeks.
  • When your card arrives will vary depending on USPS delivery times.

Address Changes

While your OPT application is pending, you must report any changes in address to both ISSS and USCIS within ten days of moving to the new address. It is also important to update ISSS, USCIS, and USPS with any changes of address to ensure the proper delivery of your EAD card.

EAD Card

  • If you created a USCIS account and signed up for case status updates, you should automatically be notified via email when your application has been approved and your EAD card has been sent to production and shipped.
  • Your USCIS Account should provide the USPS tracking number for the envelope containing your EAD card. Generally, your card will arrive within 10 days from being shipped.
  • Once received, you should upload your EAD card to your ISSS Portal by submitting an OPT EAD Card Upload (found in your Control Center).
  • You may only begin working after you have received your EAD card and the start date on the card has been reached.
  • On or after your OPT EAD card start date, you will receive an email from do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov with a link to set up your SEVP Portal account. Please review our Reporting Requirements page for full details on how you should utilize the SEVP Portal to report information to ISSS.

EAD Card Errors

After you receive your EAD card, you should look it over and make sure everything is correct. If you find any errors on the card, the process of correcting them depends upon the cause of the error:

  • If the error was caused by USCIS, then the Notice of Action you received with your EAD card should have instructions on how to fix the error. You can also fill out the USCIS online typographical error form.
  • If the error was caused by you (the applicant), then you must refile an entirely new I-765 OPT application with USCIS, including submitting the full filing fee again.

EAD Card Not Received

Possible reasons for non-delivery:

  • The address you wrote on the original I-765 was illegible or incorrect. For example, if you live in an apartment and you did not include the apartment number on the I-765, then the envelope may not be delivered.
  • You requested USPS to forward your mail to a new address and did not update your new address with USCIS. EAD cards are mailed by USPS as "Return Service Requested". This means they will not be forwarded to a new address.
  • You updated your address with USCIS but did not change your address with USPS. EAD cards are mailed by USPS as "Return Service Requested". This means they will only be delivered if the individual named on the envelope is officially associated with the address on the envelope.

If USCIS notified you that your card has been produced but you have not yet received it within two weeks, you should take the following steps.

  • Check the status of your case in your My USCIS accountto see if your card was delivered. Take note of your USPS tracking number.
  • Make sure the address on file with USCIS is correct and update it in your My USCIS account if needed.
  • Try to locate your mail by following the instructions at USPS' Missing Mail and Lost Packages Form.
    • If it is determined that USPS lost your card, request a letter/email from the post office stating that USPS is responsible for the lost card. Make sure that the letter/email includes the contact information of the person who wrote it.
    • Once you have the letter/email, provide ISSS with a copy by submitting a Request Inquiry in your ISSS Portal.
    • ISSS will email the USCIS service center to alert them of this issue and request a replacement card be issued.
    • If approved, USCIS will then issue a new replacement EAD card at no additional cost.
  • If USPS confirms the mail was delivered and you live in a multi-unit building, you may wish to check with other tenants or the front desk/landlord to see if anyone has turned in your mail.
  • If USPS was not at fault, then submit a case inquiry online through USCIS for Non-Delivery of Card.
  • Follow up with USCIS in a few days by calling the USCIS Customer Service number listed on your Receipt Notice to check the status of your inquiry request.
  • If your card is ultimately not located, follow the EAD card replacement insturctions below.

EAD Card Replacement

If you lose your EAD card or if it never got to you in the mail and couldn't be located using the steps above, you can file for a replacement EAD card by following the steps below.

  1. Request a new I-20 from ISSS that shows your OPT has been approved. You can do so by submitting a Request Inquiry in your ISSS Portal. Indicate in the Request Inquiry that you are filing for a replacement EAD card. If your I-20 already states that your OPT has been approved, you can skip step 1 completely.
  2. File a new I-765 with USCIS and pay the application fee again. In addition to the required documents in the I-765 application, you need to upload a copy of the following documents.
    • Original I-797 OPT approval notice
    • I-20 showing your OPT approval
    • Old EAD card if you have it
    • Barcode sheet that came with your original EAD card if you have it
    • Letter of explanation as to why you are filing for a replacement card
  3. Once you file a new I-765, you will receive an I-797 receipt notice. Supply ISSS with a copy by submitting an OPT Receipt Notice Upload in your ISSS Portal. You can use this receipt notice to work for up to 90 days while waiting for your replacement EAD card. Please see USCIS' I-9 Central site for more information.
  4. Track the status of your application.
    • You can check your case status by logging in to your USCIS Account and navigating to the Case Status tab of your I-765 application. ISSS recommends you set your account notifications to receive both text messages and emails and log in to your account on a weekly basis to check for updates or action items.
    • If your application has been pending more than 90 days, and you have not received your new EAD card, you can call the USCIS Customer Service number listed on your Receipt Notice and ask that they open a service request. You can also submit a case inquiry for Outside Normal Processing Time online.
    • If you created a USCIS account and signed up for case status updates, you should automatically be notified via email when your application has been approved and your new EAD card has been sent to production and shipped.
    • Your USCIS Account should provide the USPS tracking number for the envelope containing your new EAD card. Generally, your card will arrive within 10 days from being shipped.
    • Once received, you should upload your new EAD card to your ISSS Portal by submitting an OPT EAD Card Upload .