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

Traveling while your H-1B change of status (the cap-gap bridge from F-1 to H-1B) is still pending is risky because USCIS generally considers the change-of-status request abandoned if you depart the United States before it is approved. The H-1B petition itself may still be approved, but it would be approved for consular processing rather than a status change, and you could lose the ability to re-enter under cap-gap. If your STEM OPT EAD is still valid and unexpired, re-entry on that EAD is a separate question, but the change-of-status risk is the main concern.

Informational, not legal advice. Immigration rules change and individual cases differ. Confirm anything that affects your status with your school’s DSO or an immigration attorney before acting.