The rules library

“Can I…?” The questions you were too scared to ask a lawyer.

28 of the most-asked F-1, OPT, STEM OPT, and H-1B questions, answered in plain English with the exact USCIS, ICE, or DHS citation. No forum guesswork. No $300 consult to learn one fact.

Informational, not legal advice. Confirm anything that affects your status with your DSO or an immigration attorney.

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Policy changes, fall 2026

Usually no

Do I or my employer have to pay the $100,000 H-1B fee right now?

It depends

Will I have to pay the proposed $70,000 OPT fee?

It depends

Is the 60-day grace period after an H-1B layoff going away?

It depends

My employer was suspended from PERM. What happens to my green card?

Working on OPT

Yes

Can I freelance or do 1099 contract work on OPT?

Yes

Can I work for multiple employers at the same time on OPT?

It depends

Does an unpaid internship or volunteering count as OPT employment?

Yes

Can I be self-employed or start my own company on OPT?

Yes

Can I work part-time on OPT?

Can I start working before my OPT EAD card physically arrives?

Can I work in a field unrelated to my degree on OPT?

Yes

Can my STEM OPT employer be a startup?

Yes

Can I change employers on STEM OPT?

The unemployment clock

It depends

Can I volunteer to stop the 90-day unemployment clock?

Risky

What happens if I hit 90 days of unemployment on OPT?

Yes

Can I be unemployed between graduation and my OPT start date?

Travel & re-entry

Usually yes

Can I travel internationally during OPT and re-enter the US?

Risky

Can I travel during STEM OPT while my H-1B change of status is pending?

Risky

Can I travel while my OPT or STEM extension I-765 is still pending?

It depends

Can I work remotely for a US employer from outside the US on OPT?

H-1B & the lottery

Yes

Can a cap-exempt employer hire me on H-1B without the lottery?

Yes

Can I register for the H-1B lottery with more than one employer?

Usually yes

Does a US master's degree improve my H-1B lottery odds?

Yes

Can I keep working after OPT ends if my H-1B is selected (cap-gap)?

It depends

Can I stay in the US if I am not selected in the H-1B lottery?

It depends

What work visas can I use if I am from Australia, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, or Chile?

Status & green card

Yes

Can I get a green card while on OPT or H-1B?

Usually yes

Can I do both CPT and OPT?

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