How to Fill Out Form I-765 for OPT

Line-by-line instructions for every part of Form I-765, with the OPT and STEM OPT category codes, current fees, the document checklist, and what arrives after you file.

18 min read•Last updated July 15, 2026

What Form I-765 Is

Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, is the form F-1 students file with USCIS to request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The EAD card, officially called Form I-766, is the physical proof of work authorization you need in hand before you can start working on OPT.

You file an I-765 for pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, and the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Your DSO recommends OPT in SEVIS, but only USCIS grants work authorization, and it does that by approving your I-765 and mailing you the EAD card. For the full application sequence from the DSO request to card delivery, see our step-by-step OPT application guide.

This guide follows the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765, the only edition USCIS accepts as of July 2026. If you file on paper, download the form fresh from USCIS.gov: older editions and applications with mixed edition pages are rejected.

Source: Form I-765 Instructions (USCIS)

Before You Start: Get Your OPT I-20 First

Do not start your I-765, and never pay the fee, until your DSO has recommended OPT in SEVIS and issued you a new I-20 with that recommendation on page 2. USCIS checks the recommendation date on every OPT application.

Filing windows by category

•Pre-completion OPT ((c)(3)(A)): file up to 90 days before you complete one full academic year, as long as the work will not begin until you have completed that year.
•Post-completion OPT ((c)(3)(B)): USCIS must receive your application no earlier than 90 days before your program end date, no later than 60 days after it, and within 30 days of the date your DSO entered the recommendation in SEVIS.
•STEM OPT extension ((c)(3)(C)): file up to 90 days before your current OPT EAD expires, and within 60 days of your DSO's SEVIS recommendation. If USCIS receives it before the EAD expires, you can keep working for up to 180 days on an automatic extension while the case is pending.

Three different clocks

The 30-day recommendation rule causes real denials: an application received more than 30 days after the DSO recommendation is denied even when it is inside the 90-to-60-day window. Separately, a myUSCIS online draft is erased 30 days after you start it. And online submissions are timestamped in UTC, several hours ahead of US time zones, which matters if you file on the last day.

You must be physically inside the United States when you file. If you are close to a deadline and abroad, talk to your DSO before doing anything else.

Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10) - OPT Application Filing Requirements

OPT Category Codes for Form I-765

Part 2, Item 27 is the field USCIS labels "Eligibility Category." It takes a three-part code that tells USCIS which type of OPT you are requesting, and everything else about how your case is handled follows from it:

→(c)(3)(A): pre-completion OPT, for work while you are still enrolled in your program.
→(c)(3)(B): post-completion OPT, for work after your program end date. This is the code most graduating students need.
→(c)(3)(C): the 24-month STEM OPT extension. This code unlocks three extra fields, Items 28.a to 28.c, covering your degree and your employer's E-Verify registration.

The most common category error is filing a STEM OPT extension under (c)(3)(B) instead of (c)(3)(C). A wrong code can send your case down the wrong processing path or get it rejected outright. Confirm the code with your DSO before you submit.

Source: 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(3) - OPT Employment Authorization Categories

How to Fill Out Each Part of Form I-765

The current form runs seven pages and six parts, but most OPT applicants complete only Parts 1 through 3, plus Part 6 if they have prior CPT or OPT history. The online version asks the same questions in a different order, so the guidance below applies to both.

Part 1: Reason for Applying

Check 1.a, initial permission to accept employment, for pre-completion or post-completion OPT. Check 1.b, renewal, for a STEM OPT extension. Check 1.c, replacement, only when replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged card, never for a new period of OPT.

Part 2: Information About You

→Items 1 to 4: enter your legal name exactly as it appears on your passport biographical page and your I-20. Spelling differences across documents are a known trigger for Requests for Evidence. List any other names you have used, including maiden names.
→Items 5 to 7: use a mailing address that will reliably receive mail for the next five to six months. USCIS sends the receipt notice, approval notice, and EAD card there, and USPS cannot forward EAD envelopes. A trusted friend or relative's address with an In Care Of Name works. Put your name on the mailbox and sign up for free USPS Informed Delivery so you can see what is arriving.
→Item 12 asks whether you have ever filed an I-765 before. Answer yes even if that application was rejected, denied, or withdrawn, and give the details in Part 6.
→Your A-Number is the USCIS number printed on any EAD card you have been issued. Include it if you have one. First-time applicants select "I do not have or know my A-Number."
→Item 13 asks for your Social Security number if you already have one. Since the 08/21/25 edition, the I-765 can no longer request a new SSN for you. If you do not have one, apply at a Social Security office after your EAD arrives.
→Item 17: your I-94 number. Download the current I-94 entry record, not the travel history, from i94.cbp.dhs.gov. Items 18 to 21 cover your passport number, issuing country, and expiration date; leave the travel document number blank unless you actually travel on one.
→Items 22 to 25: your most recent arrival date and place, your status when you last entered, and your current status. For an OPT application, both status answers are F-1 student.
→Item 26: your SEVIS number, the N number printed at the top left of your I-20. SEVIS numbers from earlier programs belong in Part 6, not here.
→Items 28.a to 28.c, STEM OPT only. 28.a is the degree the extension is based on, written the way it appears under Major on page 1 of your I-20, including the CIP code. 28.b is your employer's name exactly as it is listed in E-Verify. 28.c is the employer's E-Verify Company Identification Number or Client Company Identification Number. This is not the EIN from your tax forms; ask your HR contact for the E-Verify number specifically.

Part 3: Your Signature

Sign by hand in black ink on paper, or electronically in the online flow. USCIS rejects unsigned forms, and a typed or stamped signature does not count. Parts 4 and 5 are only for interpreters and preparers; leave them blank if you completed the form yourself.

Part 6: Prior CPT and OPT History

USCIS uses Part 6 to add up the OPT and CPT time you have already used at each degree level. Add one entry per previous authorization with the SEVIS number, full time or part time, the degree level, and the start and end dates. A line like this works: "Under SEVIS number N0012345678, I was authorized for full-time CPT at the master's level from 06/01/2025 to 08/15/2025." In the online version, the same information goes in the Additional Information section.

Source: Form I-765 Instructions (USCIS)

I-765 Filing Fee and How to Pay

Under the USCIS fee schedule in effect since May 2026 (Form G-1055), the I-765 fee for OPT categories is $470 for online filing and $520 for paper filing. There is no separate biometric services fee. Fees change periodically, so confirm the current amount on the USCIS fee schedule during the week you file.

Online, you pay through Pay.gov with a US credit or debit card or a direct bank withdrawal (have your account and routing numbers ready). Submitting the payment is what files the application: the fee is not refundable and nothing can be edited afterward. On paper, pay by check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or by credit card using Form G-1450.

Premium processing

Premium processing is available for all three OPT categories. You file Form I-907 with a $1,780 fee and USCIS commits to an adjudicative action within 30 business days. You can file the I-907 together with your I-765 or upgrade a case that is already pending. If you file both forms on paper, pay each fee separately; one combined payment gets both forms rejected. If your situation is urgent but the fee is out of reach, a free expedite request is sometimes possible; our EAD expedite guide explains the criteria.

Source: USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055)

Filing Online vs Filing by Mail

All three OPT categories can be filed online through a USCIS online account, and for most students that is the better path:

•The fee is $50 lower online ($470 vs $520).
•The online system blocks the most common rejection mistakes: it will not let you submit an unsigned application or an outdated form edition.
•You get an electronic receipt with your case number within about a day, instead of waiting weeks for a paper notice.
•Requests for Evidence, case messages, and address updates are all handled inside your account instead of by mail.

Paper still makes sense if you cannot pay electronically or prefer assembling a physical package. Paper applications go to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox, and the exact box depends on whether you ship by USPS or by courier and whether an I-907 is attached, so copy the address from the USCIS direct filing addresses page on the day you mail it.

USCIS states that online cases are not adjudicated faster than paper ones, but online filers get their receipt immediately and skip mail time at every later step. Applicant-reported data in 2026 puts most online OPT cases at roughly 2 to 3 months and paper cases at 3 to 5 months, with May to July graduation filings running slower.

Source: USCIS Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-765

Form I-765 Document Checklist for OPT

Every OPT filing needs the items below. Clear photocopies or scans are fine, in black and white or color; never send originals. Documents in another language need a certified English translation.

•Your I-20 with the OPT or STEM OPT recommendation on page 2, signed in ink by your DSO and by you in the student attestation section. The recommendation must be under 30 days old (60 for STEM) when USCIS receives the application.
•Your passport biographical page. If the passport expires within the next six months, talk to your DSO before filing.
•Your most recent I-94 entry record from i94.cbp.dhs.gov, or the passport admission stamp if you entered by land, or the I-797 approval notice if you changed status inside the United States.
•Every EAD card you have ever been issued, front and back. If you have never had one, a government photo ID such as your passport covers the identity requirement.
•I-20s from any previous CPT or OPT authorizations, most recent first.
•Photos: for paper filing, two identical 2 by 2 inch passport-style color photos taken within the last 30 days, unmounted and unretouched, with your name (and A-Number if you have one) written lightly in pencil on the back. For online filing, one digital photo meeting the same standards.

For a STEM OPT extension, add:

•A copy of your diploma showing the degree name and award date, plus an official transcript if you have one.
•Your current post-completion OPT EAD, front and back.
•If the extension is based on a previously earned STEM degree, evidence that the school that awarded it is accredited by the Department of Education and certified by SEVP.

Your completed Form I-983 training plan goes to your DSO, who uses it to issue the STEM I-20. It is not uploaded to USCIS. Our I-983 guide covers how to complete it with your employer.

Do not reuse a photo from your visa application, your passport, or an earlier EAD filing. USCIS checks whether photos are recent, and a reused photo is one of the most common reasons an OPT case gets a Request for Evidence or a surprise biometrics appointment.

Online uploads must be JPG, JPEG, PDF, TIF, or TIFF files, under 6 MB each, unencrypted and readable.

Current USCIS Processing Times

Loading current processing times...

Want the bigger picture? See how the OPT processing time has moved across recent USCIS updates.

What does "Case Was Being Actively Reviewed" mean?

This status appears when an officer has your case open for review. It does not indicate a problem with your application. It typically precedes an approval or an RFE notice, and is a normal part of adjudication.

Source: USCIS Processing Times (Official)

What Arrives When After You File

Here is the sequence after USCIS receives an OPT application, and roughly when each piece arrives:

1
Receipt notice. Online filers see an electronic receipt with an IOE case number within about 24 hours, and the paper I-797C notice follows by mail. Paper filers usually wait 2 to 4 weeks for it. The receipt number is what you use to track the case.
2
Biometrics, usually skipped. Most F-1 OPT applicants are never called for a biometrics appointment. If USCIS schedules one, often over a photo problem, attend it: missing the appointment is treated as abandoning the application.
3
A decision, or a Request for Evidence. If something is missing or unclear, USCIS sends an RFE and the case pauses until you respond. Online filers respond by upload; paper filers respond by mail. A complete, accurate initial filing is the best protection against months of added wait.
4
Approval and card delivery. After approval, USCIS says the card should be produced within about two weeks. It ships by USPS Priority Mail, and Case Status Online shows the tracking number. Wait 30 days from approval before opening an inquiry about a card that has not arrived.

If you move while the case is pending, update your address with USCIS within 10 days and file a separate change of address with USPS. A missed EAD envelope usually means paying the full fee again for a replacement card.

Before you start work

You need the physical EAD card in hand and a start date that has arrived before you begin working. The one exception is a STEM OPT extension filed before your current EAD expired, which lets you keep working up to 180 days while the case is pending.

Common Mistakes and RFE Triggers

These are the errors that most often get OPT applications rejected, delayed, or denied:

•Filing outside the window, or more than 30 days (60 for STEM) after the DSO recommendation. These end in denials, and the fee is not returned.
•A reused, retouched, or mounted photo. The photo must be from the last 30 days, and USCIS compares it against your earlier filings.
•The wrong category code in Item 27, most often (c)(3)(B) on a STEM extension that needs (c)(3)(C).
•Name spellings that do not match across the passport, the I-20, and the form.
•Missing signatures, on the form itself or in the I-20 student attestation.
•Leaving prior CPT or OPT history out of Part 6, which USCIS needs to calculate your remaining OPT time.
•Entering the employer's EIN instead of the E-Verify Company Identification Number in Item 28.c on STEM extensions.
•Omitting your A-Number when you have had an EAD before.
•On paper: an outdated form edition, missing pages, or one combined check for an I-765 filed together with an I-907. Each of these is an automatic rejection.

A rejected application comes back unprocessed with the fee, and you can fix the problem and refile, but your filing windows keep running while the package is in the mail. A denial keeps the fee. If a deadline is close, filing online removes the most common rejection causes.

Common Questions

What is the difference between Form I-765 and Form I-766?

Form I-765 is the application you file. Form I-766 is the official name of the EAD card you receive if it is approved. When an employer or benefits office asks for your I-766, they mean the card itself.

How long does I-765 processing take for OPT?

USCIS publishes current times by service center, shown earlier on this page. As a rough guide, applicant-reported data in 2026 puts online OPT filings at about 2 to 3 months and paper filings at 3 to 5 months, longer during the May to July graduation surge. Premium processing guarantees action within 30 business days.

Can I file Form I-765 online for OPT?

Yes. All three OPT categories, (c)(3)(A), (c)(3)(B), and (c)(3)(C), can be filed through a USCIS online account, and the online fee is $50 lower than the paper fee.

How much does the I-765 cost for OPT in 2026?

$470 online and $520 by mail, under the fee schedule in effect since May 2026. Premium processing is an optional $1,780 on top. Confirm the amounts on Form G-1055 before paying, because USCIS adjusts fees periodically.

Can I expedite my I-765?

There are two paths. Premium processing (Form I-907, $1,780) buys a commitment to act within 30 business days and can be added at filing or while the case is pending. A free expedite request exists for severe financial loss, emergencies, and similar situations, but it is granted case by case and never guaranteed.

Can I travel while my I-765 is pending?

It is risky. If the case is approved while you are away, the EAD card cannot be delivered or forwarded, and re-entry requires a valid F-1 visa, a travel-endorsed I-20, and your receipt notice. Most advisors suggest staying in the country between filing and card delivery.

What happens if my I-765 is rejected or denied?

A rejection means USCIS never accepted the case. The package and fee come back, and you can fix the problem and refile if your window is still open. A denial comes after review: the fee is kept and the notice explains the reason. Deadlines keep running either way, so involve your DSO immediately, and an immigration attorney if the denial reason is unclear.

Can I get a Social Security number through my I-765?

Not anymore. The option to request an SSN through the I-765 was removed with the 08/21/25 form edition. Once your EAD card arrives, apply at a Social Security Administration office and bring the card, your passport, and your I-20.

This guide is for informational purposes only. Immigration regulations can change. Always verify current requirements with your DSO or an immigration attorney before applying.