Practice area
Student & Exchange Visas
F-1 admissions, OPT and STEM OPT, CPT, status violations and reinstatement.
Our approach
Student status is easy to lose and difficult to restore. Unauthorised employment, a dropped course load or an expired OPT filing can end a status that took years to obtain, and the consequences reach far past graduation.
We advise students and designated school officials on staying compliant, and we handle reinstatement and change-of-status filings when something has already gone wrong.
Questions we are asked
My OPT application was rejected and my grace period is ending.
Timing is critical here. Depending on the reason for rejection and how many days remain, refiling, reinstatement or a change of status may each be viable. Get advice within days, not weeks.
Can I start a company on STEM OPT?
STEM OPT requires a qualifying employer relationship with formal training oversight, which self-employment generally cannot satisfy. There are alternative structures worth discussing before you incorporate.
Does travelling while a change of status is pending abandon it?
It can. Departing the United States while an I-539 or certain other applications are pending is typically treated as abandonment. Confirm before you book.
Related
Other practice areas
Employment-Based Immigration
Work visas, labor certification and employment green cards for engineers, physicians, researchers and the companies that hire them.
Family-Based Immigration
Reuniting spouses, children, parents and siblings through petitions, adjustment of status and consular processing.
Humanitarian Relief
Asylum, refugee status and protection for survivors of persecution, violence and trafficking.
Free consultation
Tell us what you are facing.
We will tell you where you stand: which categories you qualify for, the realistic timeline, and what it costs, before you commit to anything. Consultations are confidential and available in English, French, Hindi, Urdu and Creole.
Urgent matter? A detention, a hearing date, an expiring status? Call rather than write.