F-1 OPT Reporting
During your F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT), you must manage several reporting requirements as part of your F-1 status maintenance.
- Within 10 days of moving, report your new residential address/contact details.
- Within 10 days of starting work, report your training/employment details. Reported training must be related to your studies and at least 20 hours per week. You are limited to no more than 90 days of unemployment during your initial 12-month OPT authorization period. Failure to report employment information may result in a termination of your SEVIS record, based on OPT unemployment limits.
- Within 10 days of ending work, report the end date of your training/employment.
To manage this required reporting, you must activate your SEVP Portal account as soon as your OPT authorization begins. SEVP will send you an email with instructions for how to do this on or around the day your OPT authorization begins. Following activation of your portal account, is recommended that you regularly access it to ensure that your employment and address details remain current/accurate at all times.
If, at any time during your OPT, you depart the United States and determine that you no longer intend to use your F-1 OPT authorization to engage in training/employment in the US following the completion of your program, please email us at opt@rochester.edu to confirm you have: a. departed the United States, b. that you no longer intend to return to the United States to use this OPT authorization, and c. that you would like us to deactivate your SEVIS record (which will stop the accrual of unemployment days). Please note: it will not be possible to reactivate this SEVIS record following deactivation, and you will need a new SEVIS record created for you in the future if you will return to the United States to pursue a new endeavor that requires F-1 status.
If, at any time during your OPT, you change status to a different visa category – please use ISO's OPT/STEM Reporting Document Upload form to provide evidence of your new status so we can ensure your F-1 SEVIS record is appropriately completed.
Questions about your OPT reporting? Email opt@rochester.edu.
ISO's OPT Reporting Form
The OPT Reporting Form below allows you to report required address and employment information when it is not possible to manage this reporting via your SEVP Portal account. Upon receiving the completed form, the International Services Office (ISO) will update your SEVIS record on your behalf. However, if the information provided is incomplete or inaccurate, this will create delays for your required SEVIS reporting. Please be advised that ISO has a 21-day reporting window to report the information in SEVIS upon receipt of your completed form. You will receive an email confirmation when the information has been processed in SEVIS.
- If you are only reporting residential address information, please type N/A in all fields related to employment.
- To add new employment details or edit your current employment, please use the Report Employment section. You will need to include the employer name, address, start date, and time status. Please pick the best relationship category that matches your payments from this employer. You also need to include a detailed description of how this particular job or activity is related to the field of study (Major 1 and/or Major 2) listed on your I-20, which is a requirement of all F-1 OPT employment.
- To report the end date of previously reported employment, use the Report End of Employment section when you leave that position.
- If you are changing employers, please use both sections of the form to submit all relevant information at once.
Special Instructions for Eastman School of Music Students
If you are an Eastman School of Music student who is pursuing OPT, please visit F-1 OPT Reporting for Eastman Students.