OPT Extension 34*** Timeline 以及OPT pending 回国相关事宜

11/06/2017 Case Received
01/25/2018 USCIS Service Request
01/29/2018 Receive email from USCIS
Recently, you or your representative contacted USCIS concerning your Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, to notify us that you believe your case is approaching the committed processing time. Below is a summary of what we found and how the issue has been or may be resolved.

Your application is still pending consideration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) records show your case is in line to be reviewed by an officer. We ask that you allow additional time for this process to take place since we process these cases in the order received.
回复了一堆废话，但是我觉得是有用的。

01/30/2018  New Card Is Being Produced

关于online inquiry（就是在它网站点点点，并没有打电话或者写邮件），我初次申请OPT的时候也申请过。个人的感觉是只有在真正超过75天正常处理速度以后，申请才会有用。两次都是申请没有多久就制卡了，尤其是这次，我都是34***，个人感觉并不是运气好而是他们收到我的反馈以后进行处理了。所以那些没有到75或者80就催的，没用感觉是很正常的因为人家还在正常的处理期内，人家并不会当回事儿（如有错误请指正）。

另外由于楼主2.8飞机回国，之前也在调查关于OPT pending回国的事宜，有些感觉比较合理的结论和大家分享，但是不能保证准确性。
我写邮件咨询了学校的老师，他给我附上了一些条款，我感觉是非常有用的：
3.K.8.5.1
Travel and reentry during the 24-month STEM OPT extension
DHS clarifies in the preamble to the 24-month rule [81 FR 13103 par. 774] that, "Students on STEM OPT extensions (including those whose application for a STEM OPT extension is pending) may travel abroad and seek reentry to the United States in F-1 status during the STEM OPT extension period if they have a valid F-1 visa that permits multiple entries and a current Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility endorsed for reentry by the DSO within the last six months. The student's status is determined by CBP upon admission to the United States or through a USCIS adjudication of a change-of-status petition."
 
This is supported by the revision to 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(6)(iv) in the final 24-month STEM OPT rule, which provides not only that an applicant's work authorization is extended for up to 180 days while an application for a STEM OPT extension is pending, but that the expired post-completion OPT EAD card itself is also "automatically extended and is considered unexpired when combined with a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1/M-1) Students, Form I-20 or successor form, endorsed by the Designated School Official recommending such an extension."
 
The 180-day period can thus be read in harmony with 8 CFR 214.2(f)(13)(ii) , which states that for post-completion OPT, the "EAD must be used in combination with an I-20 ID endorsed for reentry by the DSO within the last six months."
 
DOS guidance also supports a student's ability to travel and obtain a new F-1 visa (if needed) during the 180-day period while the STEM OPT extension application is pending with USCIS. The Foreign Affairs Manual states at 9 FAM 402.5-5(N)(6)(e):
 
第一种情况是EAD expired 但是新的EAD case received（pending），这个时候只要你的F1签证有效，i20签字在6个月内，结合这两份文件你原来的EAD身份自动延续。所以再次回美国的时候，准备好这些文件：
1.       Valid F-1 visa
2.       Passport (valid at least 6 months into the future)
3.       EAD card preferred (but you can use the receipt notice if that is all you have)
4.       Requested STEM I-20
a.       Must have a valid travel signature upon your re-entry. Signatures are only valid for 6 months
5.       Job offer letter
6.       Financial documentation suggested (bank statement, for example)
再次入境应该是没有问题的（再次声明，这都是个人观点，风险自负）

另一种情况是新的EAD mailed to me但是我不在手上，我觉得更有风险，因为你新的OPT身份已经开始，EAD卡是作为你身份的象征之一，如果你不能出示就很容易产生问题。就跟你车被pull了，警察问你要驾驶证你没有。当然我觉得因此拒绝你入境的可能性还是偏低的。

结论就是，如果你处于正常的OPT处理期，有正当工作正当收入，存在被check的风险，但是被拒绝入境的可能性偏低。然而，还是那句话，大家小心为上，我只是做的推测和分析，并不能做保证。The student's status is determined by CBP upon admission to the United States or through a USCIS adjudication of a change-of-status petition.

希望能够帮到各位，大家好运！
谢谢

谢谢分享，很有用，特别是关于回国的！！！

多谢分享，也在查关于pending期回国的规定