Situation is like this.

1st Master Degree
Done 1 yr OPT
Done 2 yr H-1B
2nd Master Degree
(NOT been outside US for more than 5 months between two degrees, otherwise would have been eligible for 2nd OPT. NO Tension).

So, has anybody got 2nd OPT in this kind of situation?

lalupatay :

Here is what you do:

First of all, you have to have one degree from USA.

1. Keep looking for job while being in F1(student)
2.If your interview goes well, the company will show interest in you.
3.Ask company to apply for H1B visa for you. They will do if they are really interested in you.
4.You can not join company until company receives the receipt notice of petition of your H1B visa request from INS.
5. Once company receives notice, you can start working.
6. Do premium process. It takes 15 days. These all are normal process everyone does.

Note:There is no relation between OPT and H1B.

nepali bhai is very correct.

Yea, Nepali bhai is absolutely right. If you already have one degree and are enrolled to another program then the process is as outlined by Nepali bhai.

If it's your only degree you are working on, then you will have hard time to get an H1B without first going through the OPT process. You have only 60 days to stay legally after completion of your degree if you are not enrolled to another program or do not apply for OPT. OPT is a bridging condition starting after you graduate and find an employer who would sponsor you for H1B (possibly directly to greencard with new PERM rules). OPT is valid for one year after your date of your degree completion. You may apply for OPT before you graduate, then start working anywhere in the US as soon as you get your OPT approved (you don't need a job offer to apply for OPT). Remember, being on OPT is continuation of your F1 status. You will have to find a job and H1B sponsor and get your H1B approved within that 1 year time frame.

Remember:
H1B is a temporary working status which is given upto 3 years at a time and can be extended upto 7 years.
OPT is continuation of F1 status which allows foreign students who graduate from US schools to work for one year before they change their status to something else. During this period you will still have OPT I-20 from your university.

??? Enroll to another program or apply for OPT before you graduate your first program and look for H1B job ???

more info please on how to score a job while on F1..please...and what do you rfecommend about those training facilities for h1..too risky??

Nepali Bhai,
I will graduate this fall and will be doing my OPT. During my OPT period, I wish to go back to Nepal for a visit. Is it a good idea to go to Nepal during your OPT? Since I have to renew my visa to come back to US, I am afraid that, US Embassy might reject my visa application since I don't have any enrollment in a college during that period.Many of my friends say it is too risky to go to Nepal during your OPT to renew your visa and suggested that I should go only after enrolling into a new University and with a new I-20.
Do you have any suggestions? please.

Ok, I am taking this liberty to asnwer xxx.

XXX, if you happen to go back while you are on your OPT, there is a VERY VERY good chance that you would not be allowed to come back just on the basis of you being in OPT.

"Since I have to renew my visa to come back to US, I am AFRAID that, US Embassy might reject my visa application since I don't have any enrollment in a college during that period.Many of my friends say it is too risky to go to Nepal during your OPT to renew your visa and suggested that I should go only after enrolling into a new University and with a new I-20."

You FEAR has ANSWERED what you need to know. And your freinds are absolutely right.

Get your new I-20 after getting enrolled for further education and then ONLY go back to visit. Better safe than sorry. I hope this helps.

Good Luck.

IndisGUise:)

P.S: Nepalibhai, I have heard of the premium process but have not actually met or heard anyone who have had experience with that. Do you know anyone who have gone thru this? Is there any defining criteria for this?

Thank u IndisGuise for your valuable suggestion.

Use CPT. That is internship and you can use it upto 1 year . you don't have to wait for the H1B ..
only thing you need is the signature from the International students office and from your department.

xxx bro,

You can leave the US and come back while your OPT is pending. For example if your graduation date is Dec 17, you can apply for OPT on Dec 16. Historically is take atleast 2 months for the OPT card to come. So if you leave US on Dec 18 and come back before Feb 15, 2006 you should be fine. For further info goto:
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/travel/faq_f2.htm#_Toc81222042

"2.N. Can I reenter if my request for OPT is pending?
Yes, you may reenter to search for employment."

But the catch is embassy in Ktm. Although the US Immigration and Customs website says you can enter while your OPT is pending, I would not take a chance with the US Embassy in Ktm thesedays...it all depends on the counseller's mood.

The website also says this:
"2.E. I wish to travel to Canada, Mexico, or one of the islands (other than Cuba) adjacent to the United States. Can I return if my visa is expired?

Yes, in most cases. You can usually revalidate an expired visa automatically when returning from a visit of less than thirty days to Canada, Mexico, or one of the islands adjacent to the United States (other than Cuba) provided that you have a valid SEVIS Form I-20 and a valid unexpired Form I-94. This process is known as automatic visa revalidation."

Maybe you can try Mexico or Canada.....or leave out a class needed for graduation during Fall 2005 and take some other class and then goto Canada or Mexico and get visa and then goto Nepal...hehe...anyways goodluck!

Check out this link: - http://www.oiss.yale.edu/visa/f1opta.htm

It has 3 pages questions and answers about OPT process from Yale university.

""2.N. Can I reenter if my request for OPT is pending?
Yes, you may reenter to search for employment." "

NO! If you have already graduated and you are waiting to receive OPT then You will not be able to come in if you do not already have a job or a job confirmation letter. The do not allow people to come here and 'search for employment'. I am pretty sure about this. If you leave without job confrimation letter, your remaining OPT is automatically terminated.

Cardinal,

What is your SOURCE for your statement??? Mine if taken from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's website. Now why would they lie? Check it out.
http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/travel/faq_f2.htm#_Toc81222042

2.N. Can I reenter if my request for OPT is pending?
Yes, you may reenter to search for employment.

2.O. Can I reenter if I left while on OPT?
If your OPT has been approved and you depart before you get a job, your OPT ends and you cannot reenter. If you have a job, you may travel and reenter to resume work at the same job.

I think your are refering to the question 2.O. If I am mistaken please tell me your SOURCE for your info? Thanks.

---------------------
orginal posting

situation is like this.

1st Master Degree
Done 1 yr OPT
Done 2 yr H-1B
2nd Master Degree
(NOT been outside US for more than 5 months between two degrees, otherwise would have been eligible for 2nd OPT. NO Tension).

So, has anybody got 2nd OPT in this kind of situation?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

well...one must admit there have been a lot of interesting posting and new information. But still, I don't think my question has been answered. Mostly we are deviating.

There is one thing I need to add:
I am back to F-1 status now.

The reason I need 2nd OPT is, I am graduating in December. If I am to remain in US, then I must find job and have my H-1 applied/approved before December, which is very difficult. If I get 2nd OPT, I will have ample time for job hunting and also I am getting some offers if I have OPT.

I checked with my international student advisor, they don't know if I am eligible for 2nd OPT in this situtation, but she is still working on that. And as Harkay said, please mention your source of information, because I have to show that to my international student advisor.

Just wondering!
What if you have a multiple-visa? Will there be a problem visiting Nepal while you are in OPT holding a multiple visa?

Reply to Harris statement:
"But you can't get two OPTs after two masters degrees. "

Sure YOU CAN. Condition is you have to leave US for more than 5 months between the ending of 1st master and starting of 2nd master. That is what my International Student Advisor told me.

After more than five months of staying out of USA, you can't reenter on your same old I-20 but you will have to reapply for new I-20 and enter as new student. That's what one of my friend had to do when he spent more than five months.

and he was in the middle of his Ph.D. while he had to travel.

Harkey Dai,

"You can usually revalidate an expired visa automatically when returning from a visit of less than thirty days to Canada, Mexico"

What does "automatic visa revalidation" means? Does it mean that my expired visa will be renewed and a new visa will be issued? Or my visa will still be expired but I would only be able to re-enter US with the same expired visa.

What if the US Embassies in those countries did not issue me new visa if I applied for new visa, will I have to return back to Nepal? What's the probability of getting new visa from those countries, If you know.. also is it better to renew visa in Nepal or from some other third countries.

Thank you for your time.

Harkey, I think i did mistake between two cases you showed. Let me say the correct thing now:

If you are on OPT then you should not leave the country unless you have EAD (Employment authorization card) and proof of employment offer.

But if you have a pending OPT application how would you prove it when you are trying to get back? Also, say if you got it while you are away, you will still need proof of employment to return. If you have both proof of employment and OPT request pending then i guess you can leave, but I would still guess they won't let u in until our request is granted and you have to EAD card with you.

To reply to xtreme2005's original posting. Here is what I found out:

"Students who have already used 12 months of post-completion practical training based on the completion of one degree are eligible for another 12 months of post-completion practical training if they complete another degree at a higher degree level or if they remain out of the U.S. for a minimum of 12 months prior to starting the new degree program. (The 12 months are never cumulative, however.) "

Here is my source : http://www.stanford.edu/dept/icenter/practical/post.html

I dun know nothing abt this