New Rules for F-1 Visas
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010As many of our loyal readers know, students on F-1 visas have the option of staying in the U.S. after their program for what is called “Optional Training (OPT).” The idea behind this is to give students a chance to learn from a professional experience in the U.S., that will compliment their academic training.
According to this article, the amount of time allowed for OPT will be extended from 12 months to 29 months for students in the so-called STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics):
“The OPT facility is career-related and gives students the opportunity to gain experience and additional skills related to their area of studies. This flexible option is helping many Indian students, especially from the STEM disciplines, to acquire valuable work experience in the US, related to their area of studies,” James W Herman, minister, counsellor for consular affairs at the US Embassy, told ET.
