SEVP Portal / OPT Reporting

SEVP Portal / OPT Reporting

SEVP Portal Account Overview

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal is an important tool that lets international students on post-completion optional practical training (OPT) and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT meet their legal reporting requirements. In the SEVP Portal (Portal), students in F-1 status can:

• Update their physical home address.

• Update their mailing addresses.

• Update their telephone numbers.

• Update employer information.

• Monitor their employment authorization.

Only students with approved post-completion OPT or STEM OPT can create Portal accounts.

Read the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal Student User Guide published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It illustrates how to create a portal account and log activities during a period of approved post-completion OPT.

Create your SEVP Portal Account
  1. Wait for your OPT to be approved to set up your  SEVP Portal. Within 2 to 3 business days after your approved start date (printed on your EAD), you should receive an email invitation from the U.S. government-do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov and click the link included in the email to open the registration page. Note: There is no cost associated with creating an account or accessing the portal.
  2. Enter your SEVIS identification (ID) number, found in the upper left-hand corner of the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” on the initial registration page.
  3. Create and submit a password for the SEVP Portal.

For step-by-step instructions, visit the Create an SEVP Portal account page or watch the SEVP Portal: Create Portal Account video on Study in the States.

If you do not receive the email from SEVP within 3 business days after your OPT start date on your EAD, follow the instructions for portal help below.

 

Use the SEVP Portal
Maintain an active access to your portal.

You can ACCESS THE SEVP PORTAL.
Students can use the SEVP Portal to update their:

  • Physical address in the United
  • Mailing address in the United
  • Telephone
  • Employment information (with some exceptions).

Visit the Study in the States SEVP Portal Overview page to learn more.

 

Common Portal Problems

Read the SEVP Portal User Guide and follow the instructions for your issue including Locked Account and Reset Password.

You do not yet have access to the SEVP Portal

If you do not receive the SEVP Portal invitation email within 3 business days after your OPT start date, check your spam/junk folder for an email from U.S. government-do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov.

If you had OPT at a previous degree level, try logging in to the SEVP Portal using the email address connected to your SEVIS record and use the password-reset option.

If you still do not have access to the Portal, submit the SEVP Portal Account Assistance Request Form.

ISSO will review your request, manually update your email in SEVIS if needed, and request SEVP Portal access. Please allow up to 5 business days.

After the request is completed, check the email address listed in your form, including spam/junk, for instructions from SEVP.

The password-reset function does not work

Use the password-reset option on the SEVP Portal login page. A temporary password will be sent to the email address connected to your SEVIS record.

When the Portal asks for your “old” password, enter the temporary password sent by SEVP. Follow the Portal password requirements carefully.

If you still cannot reset your password, submit the SEVP Portal Account Assistance Request Form.

ISSO will review your request and request a reset if needed. Please allow up to 5 business days. Do not submit duplicate requests.

Update the email address connected to your SEVP Portal account

If you do not yet have Portal access, or if your Portal account is active but you need to change the email address connected to your SEVIS record, submit the SEVP Portal Account Assistance Request Form.

ISSO will review your request, manually update your email in SEVIS if needed, and request Portal access or a reset. Please allow up to 5 business days.

After the update is completed, future SEVP Portal emails will be sent to the updated email address.

Reporting an OPT Event More Than 10 Days Late

If the SEVP Portal will not accept your actual employment start date:

  1. Enter the earliest date the Portal allows.
  2. Submit the SEVP Portal Account Assistance Request Form and enter your actual start date.
  3. Email an employer verification letter to iss@qc.cuny.edu.

Subject:
[Full Name] – Correct OPT Employment Start Date

Include: Full name, CUNY ID, SEVIS ID, employer name, job title, and actual start date.

The employer letter must confirm your name, job title, actual start date, and supervisor’s signature.

After your employment information appears in the SEVP Portal, request an updated I-20 through the ISS Virtual Office Assistant.

Official SEVP and USCIS Resources

Before submitting a request to ISSO, please review the official resources below for SEVP Portal instructions, OPT reporting, and employment requirements:

If you still need ISSO to update your email address in SEVIS, request SEVP Portal access, reset your account, or correct an OPT employment start date, submit the SEVP Portal Account Assistance Request Form.

SEVP Portal Assistance Request Form