Need guide for F1 visa application during OPT

do not go back unless you have to when you are in your OPT period.

Do you have bad experience? I kind of have to go back. Thank you

I believe this come from Duke Univ. website. I have a job offer with me. One international consultant told me it could be tricky.

More important reason is that my family need me to visit, or in another word, make this risk.

Thank you very much. I will update info after I experienced my visa application at Beijing.

I am the person who start this thread.

I recently got my F1 visa in Beijing.

I am using my OPT for my postdoc job. When I was planing my trip back to China, many nice people warned me that it is not wise to apply F1 visa during OPT. But I did want to have this trip as I missed my family and China very much. So I reviewed a lot of immigration law and information, I found it is not necessarily unlawful to apply F1 visa during OPT as long as I have a job offer or a job in US. Plus, I don't personally know anybody who have his or her F1 visa application declined because he or she is in OPT. I believed the existence of OPT status has its reason and I believed my understanding about immigration law.

Thus, I went ahead with my trip to China. (It was a very nice trip by the way. I miss China very much since I came back to US). When I was at the visa interview, the VO did asked me why my employer did not support me for H1 or J1 visa. I told them those visa will take longer processing time and my employer want me to start my job with OPT. The VO said he was confused. He even went away and discussed my case with other VO, maybe including his supervisor. However, when he was back to his seat. He had not concern about OPT any more. He did not talk about OPT any more. he began to asked my major and research. Yes, I was checked as many other F1 applicants in science and engineering major. As a conclusion, OPT is not a problem for people to apply F1 visa. I agree there are not many people applying F1 during OPT. That is why my VO was confused at beginning. But, few cases do not necessarily mean no case.

When I was planning my trip. I really wish some experienced people can tell me their F1 visa application experience during OPT. But I did not find any such story. I hope my experience here can assure someone in the same situation as I was.

This is very helpful. I have the same reason and want to fly back. Thank you very much.