OPT and work visa queries..

[Vedic 0]

Hello,

I have a very simple case as compare to the others seem to be in this forum. But I am still very confused and kind of scared.

So, I graduated from my university in July 2011 and have applied for my OPT exactly one day after I graduates which was 19th July. Now, its been more than 2 months and my opt status online is still showing "Initial Review". But I am not in hurry or anything, because I could start my work from November onwards and I hope to get my opt before then. But I am hired from a tutoring company called Wyzant. Now, they ask for my SSN so that they could run a back ground check on me and when I get paid for tutoring kids they could transfer money directly to my account. But when I talked with them about this concern, they said they will not care if I am international or not, as long as I have an SSN I will be fine. But when I called my university immigration office, they said I could not work for any company if they are going to pay me, until I receive my OPT and have it signed.

So, first of all I do not know how long will I have to wait until I receive my OPT and secondly if I get it soon and start working at my company, then will I still be allowed to work at this tutoring website without having to worry about my immigration status??

I know this is quite confusing but please kindly help me out in this matter...Also, If I was unclear about something then pardon me, I could ask it better way.

I look forward to hearing from someone..

Thanks a lot!

[cheme 0]

Hello,

I have a very simple case as compare to the others seem to be in this forum. But I am still very confused and kind of scared.

So, I graduated from my university in July 2011 and have applied for my OPT exactly one day after I graduates which was 19th July. Now, its been more than 2 months and my opt status online is still showing "Initial Review". But I am not in hurry or anything, because I could start my work from November onwards and I hope to get my opt before then. But I am hired from a tutoring company called Wyzant. Now, they ask for my SSN so that they could run a back ground check on me and when I get paid for tutoring kids they could transfer money directly to my account. But when I talked with them about this concern, they said they will not care if I am international or not, as long as I have an SSN I will be fine. But when I called my university immigration office, they said I could not work for any company if they are going to pay me, until I receive my OPT and have it signed.

So, first of all I do not know how long will I have to wait until I receive my OPT and secondly if I get it soon and start working at my company, then will I still be allowed to work at this tutoring website without having to worry about my immigration status??

I know this is quite confusing but please kindly help me out in this matter...Also, If I was unclear about something then pardon me, I could ask it better way.

I look forward to hearing f

Thanks a lot!

Hi, so my cousin also on f-1 just recently applied for his ead card, and im sure on ur social security card it says work authorization required, or at least something like that. Its true you can't work w/o authorization. You should wait for your approval, he received his approval after one and half month of his receipt date.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

You cannot work without your EAD card. Your SSN should have "not valid without DHS authorization" on it. Any company worth a ####### won't hire you until you are legally able to work in the country - right now you are not

You constantly need to have your immigration status in the back of your mind, your EAD will expire and you must either have a new, valid work authorization or leave the country. Keep that in mind

Good luck

[Harsh_77 718]

Also you want to keep in mind your OPT is for optional training in your field, if your field of study was not education then tutoring would be not a job you want to be looking for.

[sachinky 465]

You cannot start working till the date that is stamped on your EAD. I learnt it the hard way when I had to turn down an AMAZING offer (seriously, it was, like, $7000 a month or something -- right out of college, too) because my EAD card said July 15, and the job started from July 1. I am still bitter about that one.

Also, like Harsh pointed out, OPT is for optional training in your field, the job has to be DIRECTLY related to your field of study.

A F-1 SSN will have "NOT VALID WITHOUT DHS AUTHORIZATION" stamped on it. The EAD is that DHS authorization they are looking for.

Edited September 23, 2011 by sachinky

[Vedic 0]

thanks a lot for the kind response!

I guess I am just being very confused about soo many of these rules and regulation.

I am still waiting for my OPT to arrive. So I guess I will have to wait until it comes and then have it signed by my company and then may be work at this tutoring company side by side..

Also, I was under the impression that EAD is the step after H1 Visa? I did not know we are required to have EAD after we have OPT signed by our company's HR or recruiter. And then after working for 29 months or even before then(if we want to) we can apply for H1 visa and then may be in the process of applying for your green card, we get our EAD....

But I guess I am just too wrong!

Thanks a lot for the help guys!

Regards,

Vedic

[milimelo 4,477]

thanks a lot for the kind response!

I guess I am just being very confused about soo many of these rules and regulation.

I am still waiting for my OPT to arrive. So I guess I will have to wait until it comes and then have it signed by my company and then may be work at this tutoring company side by side..

Also, I was under the impression that EAD is the step after H1 Visa? I did not know we are required to have EAD after we have OPT signed by our company's HR or recruiter. And then after working for 29 months or even before then(if we want to) we can apply for H1 visa and then may be in the process of applying for your green card, we get our EAD....

But I guess I am just too wrong!

Thanks a lot for the help guys!

Regards,

Vedic

Status is OPT, you filed for EAD I-765 based on completion of studies as a foreign student. No idea why you filed for it AFTER you graduated - if you attended any of the sessions usually organized by the office of international students, you would've known you file for it 3 months before graduation, not after you graduate. That way you have plenty of time for it to arrive.

I

[sachinky 465]

Right, we filed for it in March or so and graduated in May.