F1 -OPT question

[Jamz835 7]

Hi, 

 

Hopping someone has been through this before!

 

So my story is .... I completed my nutrition and dietetics certificate at a university in Chicago (1.5 yrs), applied for OPT and successfully have it  and am working on it at the moment (8th Jan 18, my OPT is valid for 1 year) but the internship only lasts 6 months.

 

Today I got an email from my visa adviser in Chicago saying that I did not meet all the requirements for my certificate due to one course (Math 130). I quote,  "You were on my list of prospective grads, but I don't see you on there, you cannot continue with OPT if this is true." 

 

The course is only a pre -req to the Chicago uni  and it does not affect my  acceptance to the current internship I am on, but I am assuming if my OPT get cancelled I wont be able to work/ continue with the internship legally anymore?

 

1-Does that mean my OPT will be invalid or cancelled immediately?

2-Do I have to leave the country immediately or  is there a grace period?

3- Is there a way round this, can I apply to take the missing course once I finish the internship in July? 

 

Please share any information you may have, I am so worried and have worked very hard to get this internship. 

 

Thanks

[ColoradoBeauty 79]

1. Technically Yes,  if it's post completion based and you haven't complete the degree. I'm not sure how they enforce it tho. 

2. 60 days grace period, but stop working immediately.  

3. I'm not sure, but I know the category for OPT is very specific, so working on a post completion based EAD without actually completing could be consider a misrepresentation.  

[Coco8 1,042]

This is so weird. How did the university said you graduated when you didn't. You should make a formal complaint and someone should be punished for not doing their job.

 

That said, you can do a CPT instead of an OPT, and enroll in the class. 

 

I don't know how USCIS is going to deal with this. 

[KurosawaSan 52]

On 1/18/2018 at 3:30 AM, Jamz835 said:

The course is only a pre -req to the Chicago uni  and it does not affect my  acceptance to the current internship I am on, but I am assuming if my OPT get cancelled I wont be able to work/ continue with the internship legally anymore?

 

1-Does that mean my OPT will be invalid or cancelled immediately?

2-Do I have to leave the country immediately or  is there a grace period?

3- Is there a way round this, can I apply to take the missing course once I finish the internship in July? 

If the course was a pre-req, this means that you needed to complete it. Given that you haven't, it makes sense that you are not graduating.

 

To your questions:

 

1. Likely. If you do not meet the criteria for the OPT, you can't have the OPT. I would recommend immediately contacting your DSO to discuss the situation and how it can be mediated. DO NOT WAIT as every day worked in your current status might become problematic, if the university flagged your SEVIS record.

2. No. There is a 60 days grace period, unless you have another education program you become a part of. Again - talk to your DSO immediately.

3. Talk to your DSO. Nobody on this forum will be able to help you more than her/him.