Follow your OPT or STEM OPT work permit and know the moment it's approved and your card is mailed.
Use the receipt number from the I-797C notice for your I-765. Free, no sign-up.
Want automatic updates? Get alerts on WhatsApp after you check.
USCIS updates cases at random hours and the letter takes a week to arrive. We check your case every few hours and message you the moment it moves.
USCIS accepted your filing and sent a receipt notice (Form I-797C).
Next: Keep the receipt number. Biometrics, if needed, usually come next within a few weeks.
An officer is working on your case. It's a normal step, not a sign of a problem.
Next: This status can last weeks or months. The next update is often an approval, an interview or a Request for Evidence.
USCIS needs more documents before it can decide. The letter lists exactly what is missing.
Next: Respond by the deadline on the notice, usually 87 days. Many people have an immigration attorney review the response.
USCIS has your answer to the Request for Evidence and the case is back in line for review.
Next: The next update is usually the decision, though it can take a few weeks or longer.
USCIS approved your case. The approval notice is in the mail.
Next: If a card comes with this benefit, expect a 'Card Is Being Produced' and 'Card Was Mailed' update next.
Your case is approved and your card is being printed.
Next: The card usually ships within 1 to 2 weeks. You will see 'Card Was Mailed To Me' with a tracking number.
Your card is in the mail. USCIS often includes a USPS tracking number.
Next: Track it with USPS. If it doesn't arrive within 30 days, contact USCIS.
USPS has your card and is delivering it. The status detail usually includes a tracking number.
Next: Track it with USPS. Delivery usually takes a few days, then the status changes to 'Card Was Delivered To Me By The Post Office'.
USPS reports that it delivered your card to the mailing address on your case.
Next: Check the card for errors in your name, date of birth and other details. If USPS shows it delivered but you don't have it, check with USPS and your neighbors, then contact USCIS.
USCIS denied the application or petition. The notice explains why.
Next: Depending on the case you may be able to appeal, file a motion or refile. Talk to an immigration attorney quickly; deadlines are short.
F-1 students apply for Optional Practical Training with Form I-765 after their school's designated school official (DSO) recommends it in SEVIS. STEM OPT extensions use the same form. Most students file online, so receipt numbers often start with IOE.
After approval, the status moves to card production, then mailing, then delivery. The card is your Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Make sure USCIS has your current mailing address, because a returned card adds weeks.
For post-completion OPT you generally need the approved EAD in hand and to be within its validity dates before you start working. STEM OPT rules are different. Confirm your start date with your DSO.
Enter the I-765 receipt number above. You'll see the status, what it means and whether the card has been produced, mailed or delivered.
It varies through the year, and the spring graduation season is busy. Our processing times page shows how long I-765 applications are taking from real decided cases.
After 'Card Was Mailed To Me', the card usually arrives within a few days to two weeks. A USPS tracking number often appears in your USCIS account.
Read the notice and the deadline, and tell your DSO right away. Many OPT RFEs are about the recommendation, dates or documents and can be answered quickly.
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