OPT Panic: USCIS Delay Forcing Indian Students Out?

OPT delays are turning into a nightmare for Indian students in the US.

A Reddit post highlights this growing anxiety as an F-1 student says they’ve been waiting 96 days for OPT approval. That’s over 3 months, well beyond the standard 60-day grace period after graduation, and yet, there’s still no sign of their work permit.

This isn’t an isolated case. Dozens of students have flooded the comments with similar complaints. Their biggest fear is falling out of legal status while simply waiting for USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) to do its job.

Technically, students are allowed to stay in the US if they’ve filed the I-765 form and are just waiting for a decision. But the emotional toll is real.

With no job, no income, and no clear timeline, many are stuck in limbo, unsure if they’ll be forced to leave.

What’s worse, there’s little they can do. USCIS says expedited requests aren’t valid unless there’s a documented emergency, and even then, it’s a long shot.

After spending lakhs on tuition and living expenses, the students are left waiting endlessly for a basic work permit, just to stay afloat.