No RFE
Reinstatement approved
Status Lapsed Over a Missed OPT Deadline
Background
Unfamiliar with OPT rules, the client missed the 30-day deadline to apply for a work permit, causing F-1 status to lapse. The client did not discover the problem until receiving a denial letter and had by then been out of status for several months.
Challenges
Status had been lapsed for months, and the client had planned to apply for an O-1, so the F-1 lapse had to be resolved first.
Strategy
We urgently arranged enrollment to obtain a new I-20 and then immediately filed for F-1 reinstatement.
Outcome
Approved with no RFE (filed 01/29/2025 · approved 04/17/2025).