In-person visa interview and new US stamping not required for OPT status

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In-person visa interview and new US stamping not
required for OPT status
The latest update from US study visa consultancy
in Hyderabad says that important categories of US
visas, such as B-1/B-2 visiting visas and
H-1B/H-4 work permit visas, have experienced
backlogs, affecting the travel plans of thousands
of Indians. Despite this, if an Indian student
has a valid F-1 student visa, returning to the US
after visiting India or any other nation is
simple and does not necessitate a new visa stamp
or interview. The same rule also applies to
students on OPT, which is a form of training
(often paid) closely related to the overseas
students course of study in the US. Many young
Indians who are now employed on OPT can take
advantage of the freedom afforded by their valid
F-1 visa to travel to India for a holiday if
their parents are unable to get visitors visas
in time for their trip to the United States. You
can get to know more about US visit visa updates
from any of the US visit visa consultants in
Hyderabad. A representative for the US embassy in
New Delhi told the Times of India, Students can
apply for OPT throughout their program of study,
which is known as pre-completion OPT, or after
they finish their program of study, which is
known as post-completion OPT. To apply for OPT,
F-1 visa holders must first obtain clearance from
their universitys Designated School Official
(DSO). The DSO recommends the student for
nonimmigrant student status in the Student and
Exchange Visitor Information (SEVIS) by signing
the students Form I-20, Certificate of
Eligibility for Non-immigrant Student Status.
Following this, a student must file Form I-765,
an application for employment authorisation and
supporting documents with the US Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS). If approved by
USCIS a student can begin training. With the OPT
status, students studying abroad and recent
graduates who meet the requirements for OPT can
get valuable work experience to complement their
formal education. The training programs are open
to overseas students without the necessity for
them to become permanent residents. The student
needs to engage with their assigned DSO to verify
eligibility and apply for the necessary
authorization. However, any international student
receiving any form of financial aid in the United
States is required by law to apply for a Social
Security number.
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An F-1 student who has been granted OPT is
permitted to enter the United States at any time
using their valid F-1 visa. According to the US
embassy spokeswoman, in the unusual instance
that an OPT- approved student does not hold a
current, legal visa, they should follow the
standard requirements to apply for a valid F-1
student visa. A valid visa stamp in an F-1
students passport is required for entry into the
United States at any time. Diya Mathews, a
partner and attorney at Chugh, LLP, told Times of
India that the firm does not differentiate
between students and those on optional practical
training (OPT). She further noted that while
students on OPT may be working for pay, they are
still considered to be F-1 students for visa
purposes. OPT is the authorized work time at the
end of an F-1 students status once their studies
are finished. She further clarified that OPT is
not its own visa status. Due to current visa
processing backlogs in India, some students are
being granted interview waivers if they have had
a prior US visa. This is in contrast to the
situation in the United States, where the vast
majority of students applying for F-1 visas in
India are interviewed before they are granted a
visa. They can request a dropbox appointment,
which means they may not need to show up in
person for a visa interview at all, Mathews
explained. For further details, you can take
assistance from US student visa agencies in
Hyderabad.