Surprise USCIS Checks Hit F-1 STEM OPT Students: What Ghanaian Graduates in the U.S. Need to Know
U.S. immigration officers have stepped up unannounced compliance checks on international students working under F-1 OPT and STEM OPT, with students reporting visits at workplaces and even home addresses. Officers are reviewing transcripts, pay stubs, job letters, bank statements, and Form I-983 training plans to ensure students and employers are following federal rules.
The legal basis for these inspections comes from Department of Homeland Security guidance for STEM OPT employer site visits and Form I-983, which explicitly notes DHS may conduct site visits to verify training plans and resources. USCIS’ policy manual also details OPT reporting and employment requirements (e.g., updating addresses, employment changes).
Who Is Affected?
- F-1 students on Post-Completion OPT (up to 12 months).
- F-1 students on STEM OPT extension (additional 24 months) and their E-Verify employers.
What Officers Are Checking
- Your status + employment match: Does your job relate to your field of study and match your Form I-983?
- Documentation on request: Transcripts, pay stubs, offer/contract, bank statements, and I-983 training plan. (Reports indicate these are commonly requested during surprise checks.)
- Reporting compliance: Address/employer updates, six-month validations, annual self-evaluations, and unemployment reporting timelines.
Quick Compliance Checklist (save this)
- Keep a clean I-983 file (with employer signatures, training objectives, supervision details). Bring a copy to work; keep a digital copy handy. Study in the States
- Maintain evidence your role is directly related to your STEM degree (job description, projects, supervisor letter).
- Be paid & treated like peers (no “volunteer” STEM OPT roles; compensation should be comparable to similarly situated U.S. workers). Harvard International Office
- Track deadlines:
- Report changes (address, employer, job duties) within 10 days.
- Validate every 6 months; submit annual self-evaluations on time.
- Prepare a grab-folder (PDFs on your phone/cloud): passport + I-94, EAD, I-20 with STEM OPT recommendation, I-983, offer letter, pay stubs, supervisor contact.
- Coach your employer: Share DHS’s employer site-visit page so HR/managers know what to expect.
If Officers Show Up (At Work or Home)
- Stay calm; be courteous. Ask to see official ID and note the officer’s name and agency (USCIS/DHS/ICE).
- Answer truthfully and briefly. If you need time to fetch documents, say so.
- Contact your DSO (international office) and, if needed, an immigration attorney after the interaction to confirm next steps and follow-up requests.
- Document the visit (date, time, questions asked, documents shown) for your records.
Why This Matters
The inspection wave follows broader enforcement trends reported since 2024–2025. For Ghanaian students and graduates working in the U.S., staying paper-ready and policy-compliant reduces risk and stress during a surprise check—and protects your work authorization.
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Source: raylizaghana.com
