Welcome to International Office at Texas A&M University-Commerce
Texas A&M University-Commerce

Application for 17 month OPT Extension


  1. Prepare the following OPT materials and bring them to your appointment at the ISSO:

    • Download and complete Form I-538. Complete Section A 1-8 and sign and date.(Download I-538 Form)
    • Download and Complete Form G-1145 to receive email notification of acceptance of your application.
    • Download Form I-765 (need Adobe Reader 8.0, form is fillable) and complete. Instructions for completing Form I-765 are provided below. (Download Form)
    • Obtain money order in the amount of $380.00 payable to "Dept. of Homeland Security."
    • Obtain Two Passport photos(see attached sheet for specifications). Photos must be within past six months. Please write your full name and your 11 digit number on your I-94 on the back of both photos.
    • Make a copy of the first and third page of your current OPT I-20.
    • Make copies of your I-94, front and back, Passport and Visa.
    • Make a copy of your diploma and transcript from Texas A&M University- Commerce reflecting the degree earned and the major field of study.
    • Make a copy of your EAD card front and back.
    • Make a copy of you Receipt Notice for your original OPT application.
    • A written current physical address where you will be living (may not be a P.O. Box or company address). Please provide your current physical address where you sleep at night and not a mailing address. The ISSO will contact you before we mail any documents to you.
    • A letter from your current and any previous employer on company letterhead verifying the dates of your employment.
    • A letter from your current employer on company letterhead stating that your employer agrees to report any termination of employment or departure of the student to the ISSO. The letter from your current employer must include the E-Verify number.
    • Please print off the Important Information Form, read thoroughly, sign and bring with you to the OPT appointment. (Download Form)

  2. Contact the ISSO via email or phone, 903-886-5097, to set-up an appointment for OPT. Please have all required documents and information ready prior to the appointment or you will be re-scheduled. You must be in the United States to apply for OPT extension.

  3. Bring all required documents, completed as instructed, to your OPT appointment. Students that arrive late or do not have their documents completed will be re-scheduled. Students in the Dallas/ Fort Worth metro area must come to the appointment in person. Students outside the Dallas/ Fort Worth metro area may ask a friend to attend the OPT appointment but this is not recommended.The student applying for the 17-month OPT extension must be present in the United States when they apply of when their friend attends the appointment on their behalf. If you are outside the Dallas/ Fort Worth metro area and will have a friend attend your appointment, Please remember that you have to be in the United States to apply for OPT extension. Please follow the steps below to have a friend represent you:

    • Prepare all required OPT materials and send them to your friend. Be sure to follow all instructions as failure to do so will delay your OPT application.
    • Please provide your friend with or email the isso written authorization for them to attend your OPT appointment. Once your friend has all your documents you will need to contact the ISSO to schedule an appointment for OPT.Please inform us when you make the appointment that you will have a friend come in your place.Please provide your friend's full name and CWID if applicable.
    • Once your friend has all your documents you will need to contact the ISSO to schedule an appointment for OPT. Please inform us when you make the appointment that you will have a friend come in your place. Please provide your friend's full name and CWID if applicable.
    • You must be available during the appointment in case we need to contact you.


Instruction for Completing Forms:

Form I-765

You are applying for "Renewal of my permission to accept employment".

  1. Family name must be in capital letters, first name (do not capitalize), middle name (do not capitalize).
  2. Leave blank unless you have changed your name.
  3. International Student Services: P.O.Box 3011, Commerce, TX 75429

    image of the form

  4. Country of citizenship
  5. Please write city of birth, state or province if applicable, and country
  6. Self-explanatory
  7. Self-explanatory
  8. Self-explanatory
  9. Leave blank if you do not have a social security number.
  10. The alien registration number is the 11 digit number on your I-94.
  11. Please mark Yes. Texas Service Center. Date will be found on I-765 OPT application Receipt Notice. Results of application. Remember you will need to provide a copy of the Receipt Notice and EAD card with application.
  12. Date of last entry into the U.S. will be found on your most recent stamp on your I-20, passport, visa, or I-94.
  13. Place of last entry will be found on your most recent stamp on your I-20, passport, visa, or I-94. It is the location where the stamp was applied and is usually a code such as DAL for Dallas/ Fort Worth LAX for Los Angeles.
  14. Did you last enter the U.S. as an F-1 visa student or under a different visa category (example B2, H1-B, etc.)?
  15. F-1 visa student
  16. Fill in the as shown below:
    (c), (3), (C)
  17. Section 17 may be handwritten.Please specify your degree. Example: MS in Computer Science(Only this portion can be hand written). Please contact your employer for the company's name as it appears in E-verify and the E-Verify number.


Form I-538: Section A

  1. Family name in caps, first, middle
  2. Date of birth
  3. Student admission number will be 11 digit number on I-94
  4. This will be the date your first F-1 visa was issued.
  5. Associate, Bachelors, or Masters
  6. Academic major
  7. Please explain the employment you will be seeking and how it is related to your academic major. The beginning/ start date for your OPT must fall within 60 days of when your academic program will end which is the last day of the semester you graduate. The ending date will be one day less the following year. Example: 06/01/2008 to 05/31/2009.
  8. If you have had any periods of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) employment please provide the information here. Be sure to sign and date below this section. Please be sure to sign the form below this section.
  9. 9-11 Will be completed by the DSO.

    10. Download Form


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