DIRECTIONS FOR OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (EAD Card) APPLICATION:

Follow all three steps. Read these instructions carefully to ensure smooth processing of your OPT application. If you have questions, contact the ISSS office or come to Employment Walk-In Hours.

STEP ONE: Submit the following item to the ISSS office for processing of the OPT I-20:

__ Completed academic advisor’s recommendation form. Mark on the form whether you are applying for Pre or          

     Post Completion OPT. Pre-Completion means that the start date occurs before you graduate and ends upon graduation. Post-Completion OPT means that the start date occurs after you officially graduate.

STEP TWO: While waiting to receive your new OPT I-20 from the ISSS, collect the items below which are needed to apply for OPT. Your OPT application must be mailed from the United States.

___Complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance and attach it to the Form-I 765 (This document must be on top of all other requested materials.)

 ___Complete Form I-765. Type the form online then print it out and be sure to sign your name with a Blue ink pen

For Question 3: This address determines which of the 2 USCIS Lockbox Facilities should receive your application. See page 4 for the Lockbox Facility list and the states they serve.

The residential address may be either your own address or a friend or family member who can send the EAD card to you when it arrives. You may also use the ISSS office address. If you are using the ISSS address, we will send you an email when the Receipt Notice and EAD card arrive. You should write the ISSS address as follows: Start the address at item 2 (even though it asks for “other names used”, this is OK).

Binghamton Univ Intl Stu Office
PO Box 6000
Binghamton, NY  13902-6000

If you are using a friend or family’s address on the I-765 Form, be sure your name is on the mailbox or
you write the current address as: c/o your friend’s name.
Because of security reasons, the U.S. Postal Service will not deliver mail from USCIS to a residential address
unless the name on the envelope matches the name on the mailbox.

To avoid confusion be sure to also use the same address as your return address on the outside of the envelope when mailing your application.

Answering Question 16: The answer for question 16 depends on the type of OPT authorization you are applying for:

Pre-Completion OPT (before you graduate) - (C)(3)(A)

Post-Completion OPT (after graduation) – (C)(3)(B)

17-month Extension of OPT (STEM Program graduates, OPT after initial 12 month OPT) – (C)(3)(C)

Answering Question 17: Only answer question 17 if you are applying for the 17-month extension of OPT and meet the eligibility requirements.

__ $380.00 fee - Only send a personal check or money order made payable to US Citizenship and Immigration Services or Department of Homeland Security. NOTE – NEVER send cash with your application. USCIS never accepts cash payments. Only personal checks or money orders are accepted. If you send cash, your application will be returned and you will need to re-submit it again.

__ Photocopy of most recent I-94 card (both sides) and visa inside your passport

__ Photocopy of the identity pages in your passport which include your picture, date of birth, validation dates, expiration date, and passport number

___2 passport-style photos with a white background. Read the important instructions on photo requirements on page 3

__ Photocopy (not original) of your new I-20 for OPT (pages 1 and 3) from ISSS

__ Photocopies of all I-20s you have received in the past from ISSS

__ Photocopies of all I-20s issued to you in the past from other US schools you have attended

__ Cover sheet from Karen Keefe-Guzikowski (included in this packet or found on the ISSS website)

__ Copy of any previous EAD card (both sides) if you were issued one or Receipt Notice for Pre-Completion OPT

STEP THREE: Mail the following items all together in one packet to the USCIS Lockbox Facility serving your state. 

• Completed Form G1145 attached to top of I-765 Form
• Completed I-765 Form with photos and check or money order attached (Be sure to keep a copy of this form)
• $380. fee (check or money order only – do not send cash)
• Cover letter from Karen Keefe-Guzikowski
• Copy of your I-94 card (both sides)
• Copy of the visa stamp inside your passport
• Copy of the identity pages in your passport
• Copy of your new OPT I-20 signed by ISSS staff and you
• Copies of all previous I-20s
• Copy of previous EAD card (if you have one) 

NOTE: The OPT application must be received at the USCIS Lockbox facility within 30 days of the date your OPT I-20 was issued (see item 10 on page 1 of the I-20 for the issue date). If your OPT I-20 is more than 30 days old and you have not yet filed the application with USCIS, contact the Office of International Student and Scholar Services so that we can reprint a new I-20 for you.

• The application must be mailed from the United States.
• Karen or Shawna are happy to look over your application before you mail it to be sure all is correct.
  Come to the Walk-In hours on Tuesday afternoons from 1:30pm – 3:15pm or schedule an appointment.
• Make a copy of everything you are sending in case it gets lost in the mail.
• Mail it to the appropriate USCIS Lockbox facility depending upon the address listed on the I-765 Form.
  (The list of USCIS Lockbox facilities is on page 4 of this document). 
•  To be sure it arrives to the USCIS Lockbox facility, we strongly encourage you to mail it certified (“registered”) mail or
  via express mail (DHL, FedEx, UPS, or USPS).
  When mailing documents in these ways, you will receive proof that it arrived to its destination.
•  If you are using a friend or family’s address on the I-765 Form, be sure either your name is on the mailbox or
  you write the current address as: c/o your friend’s name.
  Because of security reasons, the U.S. Postal Service will not deliver mail from USCIS to a residential address
  unless the name on the envelope matches the name on the mailbox.

After you mail your OPT application to USCIS, you will receive a Receipt Notice in 2-3 weeks stating that they have received the application and are processing it.

REMEMBER: While on OPT, you must report your employment status. Use the web-form found on the main page of our website: http://saffairs.binghamton.edu/isss/webforms/OPT/

Are you traveling while on OPT? Certain documentation is required to re-enter the United States depending upon the status of your OPT application. Before you leave the United States read the information on the ISSS website or e-mail an ISSS advisor about your OPT and travel questions. http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/employment/opttravel.html

Often applicants will have their photos rejected for failing to meet the required specifications. In order to avoid this, be sure to show these instructions to the photographer before the photos are taken. Then, carefully review your photos before mailing them to the USCIS Lockbox Facility with your application.

Special instructions regarding photos for your EAD card:

For an example of the photo style go to: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/composition/composition_874.html   This link includes information on the required dimensions of the photos, how the photos must be posed etc.

The photo should not be larger than 2 by 2 inches, with the distance from the top of the head to just below the chin measuring about 1-3/8 inches.

1. Frame subject with full face, front view, eyes open.
2. Make sure the photo presents full head from top of hair to bottom of chin; height of head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches. (25mm to 35mm)
3. Center head within the frame of the picture
4. Make sure eye height is from between 1-1/8 inches to 1-3/8 inches (28mm and 3mm) from the bottom of the photo
5. Photograph subject against a plain white or off-white background
6. Position subject and lighting so that there are no distracting shadows on the face or background
7. Compose your face in a natural photo.
8. There must be no spots on the photo.
9. There must be no shadows on the photo.
10. Eyeglasses worn on a daily basis can be worn for the photo. However, there should be no reflections from the eyeglasses that obscures the eyes.
11. Sunglasses or tinted glasses cannot be worn in the photos.
12. Print your name and I-94 number on the back of the photos in PENCIL. DO NOT PRESS ON THE PICTURE.
13. Place the picture in an envelope or small plastic sandwich-size bag and attach the envelope or bag to the OPT application packet. Be sure not to staple or otherwise put any holes in the pictures.

 The photos can be taken locally at one of the businesses and organizations listed below. Prices subject to change.

   Name                                               Address                                                 Phone number                                    Cost of photos

Lockbox locations for filing the I-765 for F-1 Optional Practical Training applications are as follows:

For those filing I-765 employment authorization applications, with a mailing address in: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, or West Virginia

The mailing address is:

For US Postal Service Deliveries:

USCIS
PO Box 660867
Dallas, Texas 75266

For Express Mail and Courier Deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: AOS
2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, Texas 75067

For those filing I-765 employment authorization applications, with a mailing address in: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Guam, or the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.

The mailing address is:

For US Postal Service Deliveries:

USCIS
PO Box 21281
Phoenix, AZ 85036

For Express Mail and Courier Deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: AOS
1820 E. Skyharbor Circle S 
Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85034

The ISSS encourages anyone filing an application with the USCIS lockbox facilities to request email or text notification that your application has been received by USCIS. To obtain this service, complete form G-1145: “E-Notification/Petition Acceptance” and clip it to the first page of your application. This form may be obtained from: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/g-1145.pdf