I-765 Application for Employment Authorization
Prepare your OPT EAD with 11 checks before you file
Choose pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, STEM OPT, international organization employment, or severe economic hardship. We save the category, fill Form I-765, and show the applicable checks before payment.
No account, no card. Money-back guarantee.
- 11 filing checks
- Five F-1 categories
- Money-back guarantee
Last updated
- $99Preparation price
- 11Pre-filing checks
- 5F-1 categories
- 100%Money-back guarantee
CURRENT RULE
Post-completion OPT keeps the 60-day filing window. As of September 28, 2026, USCIS instructions still state the ordinary filing window as 90 days before through 60 days after program completion, with a separate 30-day DSO recommendation limit.
Five categories
Choose the F-1 work authorization path that fits
The category determines the school, timing, employer, and evidence rules we check.
- 01
Pre-completion OPT
Practical training related to your major before your program ends.
BEFORE COMPLETIONPre-completion OPT - 02
Post-completion OPT
Up to 12 months of practical training after completing an eligible program.
AFTER COMPLETIONCheck this category - 03
24-month STEM OPT extension
An extension based on a qualifying STEM degree, employer, and training plan.
STEM EXTENSIONSTEM OPT extension - 04
International organization employment
Employment sponsored by a qualifying international organization while you study.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONCheck this category - 05
Severe economic hardship employment
Off-campus employment after unexpected circumstances create severe financial hardship.
ECONOMIC HARDSHIPCheck this category
What you get
One Form I-765 built for your F-1 category
Your category controls the questions, checks, and document list.
- PRE-FILING AUDIT
11 checks before you file
We check category and status matching, prior training history, the five category rule sets when applicable, the right category for this application, required fields, and field content before you pay.
Your category saved once
Choose the category at the start. It carries into Form I-765 so you do not answer the same question again.
Dates checked against the right rule
Program end, EAD expiry, and DSO recommendation dates are handled according to the selected category.
A document list for your path
The checklist reflects the school, degree, employer, training-plan, or hardship evidence your category needs.
How it works
Prepare your OPT EAD in four steps
Your answers save as you go.
Check the category
Answer a few questions about F-1 status, timing, school, and employment. No account is needed.
Complete Form I-765
Work through the form in plain English. Your selected category is already attached.
Read the report
See the applicable checks, every flag, and the next step before payment.
File with USCIS
Download the finished packet and follow the filing instructions for your category.
PRE-FILING AUDIT
Checked while you fill it in, and before you pay
We check your answers as you type, then again in a report you read before you pay.
While you fill it in
Checked as you type
Dates, names, ID numbers and addresses each get their own format check as you type.
Only your questions
Questions that do not apply to you never show up.
Typed once
An answer you already gave is filled in everywhere it is needed later.
When you finish
Reviewed against USCIS rules
Your answers are checked against the USCIS instructions for OPT work permits, and against each other.
A report before you pay
See every result and what to fix. You pay only after you read it.
Then we help you file
Your personal checklist
The documents you need, every place to sign, and the mailing address.
Always current USCIS details
Filing addresses, fees and form editions are checked against uscis.gov every day.
Packed in USCIS page order
The order of your pages, and what goes in the envelope.
MONEY BACK
Money back if USCIS rejects your form because of a preparation error we made.
You read the full report before you pay, so you know what you are filing.
Chat with a real person
Once you start your form, someone on our team answers your questions in live chat whenever you get stuck.
Pre-filing audit
See the checks before you file
The report covers one category match check, prior training history, five category rule sets when applicable, a right-category check, an I-94 number check, and two form-integrity checks.
Status and category
- F-1 status and selected I-765 category match
- No category left over from another work permit
- Prior OPT and practical training history
Category rules
- Pre-completion OPT requirements
- Post-completion OPT requirements
- STEM OPT extension requirements
- International organization requirements
- Severe economic hardship requirements
- I-94 number format
Form integrity
- Required fields complete
- Field content validation
Compare your options
Three ways to prepare Form I-765
Compare the form, category guidance, checks, and price.
Swipe to compare all three
| Feature | Do it yourself | Immiva | Traditional immigration attorney |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay to prepare it | Free | $99 | Varies by firm |
| Form I-765 | YesThe blank USCIS form | YesFilled from your answers | YesPrepared for you |
| F-1 category | NoYou select and enter it yourself | YesSaved from the category check | YesSelected for you |
| Error checking | NoUSCIS does not check your answers before you file | YesChecked as you type, and reviewed again before you pay | YesA person reviews it |
| USCIS changes | NoYou check uscis.gov yourself | YesAddress, fee and form edition checked every day | PartlyDepends on the attorney |
| Document list | NoA generic checklist | YesBuilt for your selected category | YesTailored to your filing |
| Preparation price | YesFree | Yes$99 after you see the report | Varies by firm |
Your OPT EAD application
Form I-765, the applicable pre-filing checks, your document list, and filing instructions.
$99The USCIS filing fee is separate and paid to the government.
Covered by a money-back guarantee. Read the guarantee terms
Common questions
OPT EAD questions, answered
Category, timing, work, and filing questions.
Immiva checks your OPT EAD in layers. Your answers are checked as you type, so a badly formatted date or number is flagged right away. You only see the questions that apply to you, and you type each fact once: earlier answers fill every later spot. Before you pay, your answers are reviewed against the USCIS rules for your OPT EAD, and you get a report that lists every check and what to fix. You also get a personal checklist of documents, where to sign and where to mail. We check filing addresses, fees and form editions against uscis.gov every day.
Immiva supports pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, the 24-month STEM OPT extension, international organization employment, and severe economic hardship employment.
The ordinary window is 90 days before through 60 days after the program end date. USCIS must also receive the filing within 30 days after the DSO enters the recommendation in SEVIS.
No. A STEM extension may be filed within 90 days before the current OPT EAD expires and within 60 days after the DSO recommendation.
A job offer is not a general prerequisite for pre-completion or post-completion OPT. Work performed under OPT must relate directly to your major. STEM OPT and international organization employment have employer requirements.
The eligibility check names the fact that needs review. Ask your DSO for the school record. Speak with a qualified immigration attorney about a legal-status issue.
No. USCIS makes the decision. Immiva prepares and checks the application from the information you provide.
Immiva's preparation fee is $99, paid after you see the report. The USCIS filing fee is separate and varies by filing method.
Ask your DSO for an OPT recommendation in SEVIS and an updated Form I-20. Then file Form I-765 with USCIS, with the fee, your Form I-20, and photos, inside your filing window. Immiva prepares the form and checks your dates before you file.
First your DSO recommends OPT in SEVIS. Second, you file Form I-765 inside the window for your category. Third, USCIS decides and sends the EAD card. You may not start work until you hold the approved card and its start date has arrived.
For post-completion OPT, you may file from 90 days before through 60 days after your program end date. USCIS must also receive the filing within 30 days after your DSO enters the recommendation. Pre-completion OPT and the STEM extension use different dates. See pre-completion OPT dates
USCIS publishes current processing times and they change, so we do not quote a number. Your own wait also includes the time your DSO needs to enter the recommendation, so ask your school how long that takes before you plan a start date. USCIS processing times
Two costs apply. The USCIS filing fee for Form I-765 is paid to the government and depends on how you file. Immiva's preparation fee is $99, paid after you see your report. Check the current USCIS amount before you file. USCIS fee schedule
OPT guides
Read this before filing
Timing, the STEM extension, costs, and what to do if you miss a filing window.
- OPT processing time in 2026How long you wait after filing Form I-765, from the DSO recommendation to the card arriving.Processing time
- Form I-765 OPT application guideThe form, category, school step, evidence, and filing process.Complete guide
- STEM OPT extension guideHow the 24-month extension works, including Form I-983, E-Verify employers, and when to file.STEM extension
- STEM OPT eligible degreesHow to check whether the CIP code on your I-20 qualifies you for the STEM extension.STEM degrees
- Form I-765 document checklist for OPTWhat USCIS expects with your application: your I-20, photos, the fee, and proof of your category.Checklist
- I-765 OPT filing fee in 2026What USCIS charges now, what premium processing costs on top, and which older fee figures to ignore.Cost
- OPT filing deadlinesThe 60-day window after graduation, and the 30-day limit tied to your DSO recommendation.Filing window
- Why OPT applications get deniedThe usual reasons, and what you can do in the 30 days after a denial.Denials
Related work permits
Other Form I-765 paths
These work permits use Form I-765 under different immigration statuses.