When an F-1 student is approved for OPT, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) will email the student on the start date of OPT a set of instructions to set up an SEVP Portal account. Through this portal, students can update their OPT information directly.
All students currently on OPT or STEM OPT must create an account, and must maintain their UH email. ISS and SEVP will use UH email addresses for all communications.
The table below outlines what a student on OPT can do in the SEVP Portal.
| Student can... | Standard F-1 Post-Completion OPT | F-1 STEM OPT |
|---|---|---|
| View and update physical home address | Yes | Yes |
| View and update mailing address | Yes | Yes |
| View and update telephone numbers | Yes | Yes |
| View employer information | Yes | Yes |
| Update employer information | Yes | *No |
| *STEM OPT students who update employment information must submit an ISS Student Request along with the required ISS "OPT STEM Report" form from the ISS Form page. Material changes to employment may require students to submit a new I-983. Examples: Change to employer federal tax ID number; reduction in compensation not tied to hours worked; decrease in work hours; changes to commitments/objectives on form I-983. | ||
Post-Completion OPT Reporting Requirements:
Update your SEVIS Portal within 10 days:
- A change in your US address (also update MyUH portal).
- Your initial employment, change in employment, adding a new employer, ending employment, concurrent employment, etc.
- Reset your SEVP Portal.
Update the ISS via email at issmanoa@hawaii.edu within 10 days if:
- There’s a change in your immigration status.
- You decide to abandon OPT and depart the US.
Post-Completion OPT STEM Extension Requirements:
Update your SEVIS Portal within 10 days:
- If there is a change in your US address (also update MyUH portal)
Update ISS via email at issmanoa@hawaii.edu within 10 days if:
- There is a change in your immigration status
- If you decide to abandon OPT and depart the US
It’s important to report the approval of your OPT to the ISS Office by submitting a Student Request with the request type "OPT/OPT STEM Approved" so the ISS Office can make sure our records accurate reflect the information from SEVIS. You may also upload a copy of your latest Employment Authorization Document (EAD) via UH FileDrop to issstaff@hawaii.edu for our office to add our record for you. Note: If you have already submitted a copy of your EAD to ISS, it’s already been checked and no resubmission is required.
OPT Unemployment Days
If you are unsure as to how many unemployment days you have, go to your SEVP Portal and review your approved OPT start and end dates. Any days you have not been employed during these dates are counted toward the 90 days you have to be unemployed. Note: ISS cannot provide you with a total of unemployment days you have accrued – you are required to keep track of them.
In addition, also know that employment information you submit to the SEVP Portal is not official proof of your employment history. We recommend that you keep documentation from each employer, such as offer letters, resignation letters, paystubs, etc. in case of an SEVP audit.
For more details on the SEVP Portal, see the OPT SEVP Portal Section from our Optional Practical Training Frequently Asked Questions page.