US OPT Visa: How to get OPT visa for job after studies in America, what are the conditions? This is the way to the ‘Golden Ticket’

US OPT explained: America is able to attract students from all over the world to study here because here students have job opportunities after completing their degree. Top companies like Apple, Google, American Express, Morgan Stanley are present in America, where students get jobs. After completion of the course, students need OPT visa to do job. In such a situation, it is very important for students to know about OPT visa, only then they will be able to get a job in the US.
The full form of OPT is ‘Optional Practical Training’, which is offered through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This visa is given to those students who have studied from an American university and now want to do a job related to their course in the country. Students who get a job within 90 days of graduation get an OPT visa for 12 months or say one year. Students with STEM degrees are also granted a two-year extension of the OPT visa.

How many types of OPT visa are there?

There are two types of ‘Optional Practical Training’ visas for students who come to study in America on F-1 student visa. The first one is F1 Pre-Completion OPT Visa and the second is F1 Post-Completion OPT Visa. Both the visas have their own importance. Let us now know about these two.

F1 Pre-Completion OPT Visa: This visa is given to students studying in America when their studies have not been completed. But they want to work in the country, but their jobs are for a short period only. Usually this visa is available for part-time jobs. In such a situation, students can work only 20 hours every week along with studies, whereas during holidays they have the option of full-time job.

F1 Post Completion OPT Visa: This visa is given to those students who have completed their studies from an American university and now want to work in the country. People who get this visa can also do part-time jobs in America. However, in most cases, students work for one year after getting this visa and then get their visa changed to another work visa.

What is STEM OPT extension?

Most of the students studying in America study STEM courses i.e. programs related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They have the option to first work on OPT for one year and then apply for a two-year extension. In this way, students studying STEM courses are eligible to work for three years after graduation. Students studying STEM courses also have a higher chance of getting skilled workers visas like H-1B visas.

What is the eligibility criteria of OPT visa?

• The applicant must have an F-1 visa.
• The applicant must be pursuing a full-time course at a SEVP authorized US institution.
• To get OPT visa, the applicant should be working in the field related to his/her course.
• Must not have previously obtained any other degree and worked through OPT visa.
• OPT visa can be applied for in the final semester. For jobs in the semester before that, you will have to apply for Pre-Completion OPT.
• Applicants must apply for Pre-Completion OPT to get a job before completing their graduation.

If anyone wants to work in America after or during studies, then they will have to follow the conditions mentioned above. Students can apply for the OPT visa by visiting uscis.gov. Here you will also get details of important documents.