F-1 Student Botches OPT: No Answers for 10 Months

An F-1 visa student is facing severe stress due to a nearly 10-month delay in their OPT application. The student had applied for Optional Practical Training in April 2025. Since then, there has been no meaningful update on the case.

After waiting several months, the student reviewed the application receipt and discovered a critical error. The wrong OPT category had been selected during filing. This mistake went unnoticed until the delay became unusually long.

The student had chosen C03A pre-completion OPT instead of C03B post-completion OPT. After realising the issue, they immediately contacted USCIS. A service request was raised to correct the category selection.

In November 2025, the case was upgraded to Premium Processing. This option guarantees a response within 30 business days. However, the Premium Processing timeline has long been exceeded without any decision.

Despite multiple service requests and even a congressional inquiry, USCIS has not provided any response. The prolonged silence has added to the student’s uncertainty. No clear explanation has been offered so far.

No Request for Evidence has been issued in this case. The student’s SEVIS record correctly reflects post-completion OPT. However, the I-765 OPT application continues to remain under review.

Immigration experts note that OPT category errors often cause significant delays. Such cases may require USCIS officials to manually override the system. This process can slow down decision-making considerably.

Missing the Premium Processing deadline qualifies the applicant for a full fee refund. The student is eligible to formally request this refund. However, a refund alone does not resolve the pending OPT approval.

The student has now been advised to approach the CIS Ombudsman. Filing a DHS Form 7001 is recommended to report the prolonged processing delay. This step may help bring attention to the stalled application.