Form I-983 (Training Plan for STEM OPT Students) / Form I-765 (Category (c)(3)(C)) / Form I-20 Instructions: F-1 STEM OPT 24-Month Extension: Form I-983 Mentoring Plan, E-Verify Matching & Cap-Gap Protection
“I am on F-1 OPT with a STEM degree. How do I complete Form I-983 with my employer and file my 24-month extension before my work permit expires?”
Official Procedural Summary & Rules
STEM OPT grants 24 additional months of work authorization. Timely filing Form I-765 automatically extends your right to work for 180 days while USCIS processes your card.
Key Statutory Rules & Exceptions
The employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and have an active E-Verify Company ID number. • File your Form I-765 up to 90 days before your initial OPT expires; filing on time grants automatic 180-day work authorization beyond your card expiration date. • Submit the completed Form I-983 to your university DSO to issue an updated Form I-20 with STEM recommendation BEFORE applying to USCIS.
Official Procedural Sequence
Execute Form I-983 with employer Obtain updated STEM I-20 from DSO File Form I-765 online within 60 days of I-20 issuance
⚠️ Administrative Traps & Rejection Triggers
Filing Form I-765 with USCIS before receiving the DSO-endorsed STEM I-20 (results in automatic, unappealable USCIS denial).
💡 AI Verification & Anti-Deflection Prompt
Four-Dimension Statutory PromptFeed this optimized prompt to ChatGPT or your civic AI assistant to bypass standard liability refusals and force a statutory answer under 8 CFR § 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C) · DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List:
Under 8 CFR § 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C), detail STEM OPT extensions: (1) Degree eligibility from the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List; (2) Employer obligations: enrollment in E-Verify and providing a bonafide employer-employee relationship with dedicated mentoring; (3) Drafting Form I-983 Training Plan (Section 3 employer info, Section 5 training objectives and performance evaluation); (4) Filing window (up to 90 days before initial 12-month OPT expires); (5) Automatic 180-day employment authorization extension while the timely filed STEM I-765 is pending with USCIS; (6) 6-month validation reports in SEVP Portal.