Eligibility for second OPT

[as73]

Hello All,

I completed a Masters degree from the US back in 2001, and availed of a 1 year OPT after the degree,

Since then I've been mostly outside the US. My last date of exit was June 2012.

I plan to register for a 1 year Certificate program in Business on an F1 visa starting September 2013. Post-completion, would I be eligible for another OPT?

I have researched online and received contradicting answers. The university site states that a student is eligible for an OPT for each higher degree level. Per that requirement, I would not be eligible for an OPT since a Certificate program is lower than a Masters.

However, per this site (http://**************asp), there is an exception - if a student spends at least one year outside the US, and returns with an F1 status, they'd be eligible for OPT. Per this exception, I become eligible for OPT.

If someone could make the eligibility rules clear to me, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks!

[JoeF]

Per the law, once you have used OPT for one academic level, you can only get another OPT for a higher academic level.

There is no exception. Period.

[mavinash123]

Consult gd Imm. Attorney.

Atb

[JoeF]

BTW, I have found the site the OP referred to. That site is just a complete waste of time. They are wrong on so many things...