OPT Travel and Re-entry

In general, an F-1 student on post-completion OPT who travels outside the U.S. temporarily (i.e., less than 5 months) can be readmitted to resume F-1 status and employment for the remainder of the period authorized on his or her EAD card, provided the student did not accumulate more than the allowed unemployment during the OPT period, and can present the following:

A valid passport with unexpired F-1 visa stamp
Form I-20, endorsed on the bottom of page 3 by the International Student Adviser at Berkeley International Office within the preceding 6 months
An unexpired EAD
Proof of employment (or employment offer)

12-month OPT: If your OPT application is still pending, you may travel and re-enter the U.S. to search for employment and thus a job offer letter is not required. In this case, however, you should have the receipt Notice of Action for your OPT application in place of the EAD. Traveling without this Notice of Action or the EAD is risky.

17-month STEM Extension OPT: Travel while the extension EAD is pending is not allowed. However, once you receive the extension EAD, you may travel as described above.

WARNING: Re-entering the U.S. in a status other than F-1 (such as a tourist) will terminate your OPT authorization and it cannot be renewed.

Getting an F-1 Visa Stamp on OPT
If you are traveling abroad and the F-1 visa in your passport has expired, you must obtain a new one before re-entering the U.S. Students who need to apply for a new visa should consult Berkeley International Office prior to travel to discuss the visa application process and possible risks.


	Travel and Re-entry on OPT	A-Z Index
Home Students Prospective Students New Students Current Students Exchange Students Practical Training Students Summer Students Returning Students Professors & Researchers Prospective J-1 H-1B TN O-1 Permanent Residents B-1/B-2 Visa Waiver Family UCB Departments Students J-1 Researchers & Faculty H-1B Staff TN Staff O-1 Staff B-1/B-2 Visitors Visa Waiver Visitors Permanent Residents Living at Berkeley Transportation Housing Money Health & Safety Legal Resources Cultural Adjustment Travel & Visas Programs & Workshops Calendar Resource Links About Berkeley International Office Staff Contact US	In general, an F-1 student on post-completion OPT who travels outside the U.S. temporarily (i.e., less than 5 months) can be readmitted to resume F-1 status and employment for the remainder of the period authorized on his or her EAD card, provided the student did not accumulate more than the allowed unemployment during the OPT period, and can present the following: A valid passport with unexpired F-1 visa stamp Form I-20, endorsed on the bottom of page 3 by the International Student Adviser at Berkeley International Office within the preceding 6 months An unexpired EAD Proof of employment (or employment offer) 12-month OPT: If your OPT application is still pending, you may travel and re-enter the U.S. to search for employment and thus a job offer letter is not required. In this case, however, you should have the receipt Notice of Action for your OPT application in place of the EAD. Traveling without this Notice of Action or the EAD is risky. 17-month STEM Extension OPT: Travel while the extension EAD is pending is not allowed. However, once you receive the extension EAD, you may travel as described above. WARNING: Re-entering the U.S. in a status other than F-1 (such as a tourist) will terminate your OPT authorization and it cannot be renewed. Getting an F-1 Visa Stamp on OPT If you are traveling abroad and the F-1 visa in your passport has expired, you must obtain a new one before re-entering the U.S. Students who need to apply for a new visa should consult Berkeley International Office prior to travel to discuss the visa application process and possible risks.