My F-1 OPT/STEM OPT application has been approved but I have not received the EAD card, what can I do?

If you have been notified via your USCIS online account that your F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) or F-1 STEM Optional Practical Training Extension (STEM OPT), has been approved, it usually takes 7-14 days to receive the EAD card by mail. If your USCIS online account indicates taht your EAD card has been delivered to you, but you have not yet received your Employment Authorization (EAD) Card, we recommend you take the following steps:

1.  Contact your local U.S. Post Office to ask them to track the delivery.
   You should have the U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail Tracking Number from your USCIS online account to track the delivery of your EAD card.  If the U.S. Post Office says it was delivered but you did not receive it, please notify your local Post Office so they can see from their records if the EAD has been returned to them in error or to verify if it was delivered to a wrong address.  If it was delivered to the wrong address and sent back to the Post Office, usually the Post Office holds the EAD card for approximately 10 days before sending the EAD card back to USCIS.  It would be helpful to know if the Post Office has record if they received the EAD card back and have returned it to USCIS.
   
2.  Notify USCIS of the error in delivery. 
   This can be done through notification through your USCIS online account. Notify USCIS that the EAD card was not received even though there is record of delivery and request process for having a replacement EAD card issued.

3.  Submit a Case Inquiry to USCIS through their online e-request system (https://egov.uscis.gov/e-Request/Intro.do)
   After you go to this site, you can scroll down to the “Case Inquiry” section and then click on the report labeled “Did not receive card by mail – Think a card is lost of missing?”
   USCIS should be back in contact with you to confirm how a new EAD card can be generated/mailed to you and if you have to file a new application with fee to request a replacement EAD card.   If USCIS or the Post Office delivered it to the wrong address that was on record as your mailing address, they will not request a new filing with fee.  If they delivered it to the address you provided, and you did not receive it, they may require you to file a new I-765 application with fee to “Request Replacement of Lost Document”.
   Keep your ISO Advisor notified of what you hear back from USCIS.

If you do not hear back from USCIS within two weeks, we recommend you follow up with USCIS through your USCIS online account.

If there is still no update, Case Assistance Request with the CIS Ombudsman’s Office, but you should try Items #1-3 first to see if USCIS can issue you a new EAD card as soon as possible.

Please contact your ISO Advisor if any questions arise.