USCIS Destruction of OPT EAD Card Before Delivery Raises Alarm

(UNITED STATES) An admitted USCIS error in 2025 has left an international graduate facing lost work time and a destroyed EAD card before it ever reached their mailbox, raising urgent questions about how the agency handles OPT documents and address changes. The student’s OPT was approved on August 13, 2025, but the physical EAD card carried an incorrect start date of July 15, 2025—nearly a month earlier than the approval. That mismatch cost the graduate almost 30 days against the 90-day unemployment limit set for OPT participants and immediately reduced the window in which the student could work or search for a job.

To make matters worse, USCIS mailed the card to the student’s old address, even though the student had updated their address online. The postal service returned the EAD card, and USCIS destroyed it rather than correct and reissue it. The student filed an e-request for a replacement but hasn’t received a clear answer on whether a new card will reflect the proper start date or repeat the same error.

Why this matters

For thousands of international students each year, Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F‑1 Students serves as a bridge between campus and the U.S. job market. An EAD card error that cuts into the 12-month post-completion OPT period—or interrupts delivery entirely—can:

• Cost job offers or delay start dates
• Trigger unlawful presence or employment authorization issues if a student cannot show proof of timely work authorization
• Force graduates to accept roles that are not a good fit or miss better opportunities

Analysis by VisaVerge.com says the 2025 case highlights wider flaws in agency processing and mailing protocols that can undo months of planning for graduates who followed every rule.

USCIS rules are clear: government-issued documents like EAD cards do not get forwarded by the U.S. Postal Service. Any wrong address on file can lead to returns and potential destruction of the document.

When errors happen, the current USCIS approach places the burden on the student to contact the agency, return wrong cards if received, and wait for correction or replacement. While USCIS guidance suggests corrected cards are typically issued within 30 to 45 days after the agency receives the erroneous card, timelines can stretch in practice and customer-service responses are often inconsistent.

Incident overview and immediate fallout

The core facts of this case reveal a chain of problems that began with an incorrect date and ended with a destroyed card:

1. Incorrect start date
   • OPT approved: August 13, 2025
   • EAD card printed start date: July 15, 2025
   • Effect: almost a month cut from authorized work/search time and added to the 90-day unemployment limit.
2. Mailing to old address
   • Student updated address online, but the card was mailed to an old address.
   • Because USPS does not forward federal immigration documents, the card was returned.
3. Card destroyed
   • USCIS destroyed the returned card rather than correct and reissue it.
   • Result: the student had no physical EAD card—no proof for I-9 onboarding, background checks, payroll, or employer verification.
4. Unclear replacement process
   • Student submitted an e-request for a replacement.
   • Customer-service responses were spotty and provided no written confirmation that a new card will carry the correct start date.
   • Practical impacts: stalled onboarding, payroll, and training schedules; days ticked off the unemployment clock.

Many schools advise students to keep detailed logs of every call, submission, and mail receipt in case adjudicators later ask for proof of timely follow-up.

Systemic weaknesses exposed

University international offices report patterns similar to this 2025 case. Key weak points include:

• Address updates may not attach to the specific OPT application record before a card is printed. A late update can result in mailing to an old address.
• USCIS policy typically requires students to return a faulty card before a correction proceeds. But when USCIS destroys the returned card, students have nothing to send and must request a replacement—sometimes treated as a routine replacement rather than a USCIS-error correction.
• Customer service consistency is limited. Some corrections are completed in 30–45 days; others take months. No clear, uniform timelines are enforced.

The 2025 policy climate makes the problem worse:

• Heightened reviews of employer compliance and stricter paperwork checks for job duties and ties to degree.
• Political and administrative scrutiny of OPT; officials have floated tighter rules or cuts to post-completion OPT.
• USCIS fee adjustments in mid-2025 produced unexpected charges for some students, and clarifications are pending.

Employers are less willing to hold positions for months while a replacement EAD card moves through the system. For graduates juggling loans, visa clocks, and family expectations, lost weeks carry real costs.

Practical guidance for students and employers

When a USCIS error affects an OPT EAD card, take a focused, documented approach:

• Verify addresses on every channel
  • Confirm the address in your USCIS online account before filing.
  • If you move, update immediately and save a time-stamped screenshot.
  • Use a stable address (trusted family member or school office mailbox where allowed) rather than a short-term sublet.
• Watch case status and act on notices
  • Check your case regularly.
  • If you get an RFE or any notice with unfamiliar details, contact USCIS and your school immediately.
• Report any card error immediately
  • Report wrong dates, misspellings, or other errors to USCIS and your international office the same day you notice them.
  • Keep copies of everything you submit.
  • If asked to return the faulty card, send with tracking and keep the receipt.
• File a replacement promptly if the card is lost or destroyed
  • Submit an online request and ask in writing that the correct start date be placed on the new card.
  • Keep copies of every submission, case number, and timestamps.
  • Ask your school to add a formal note describing the timeline and the USCIS error.
• Consider expedited handling if eligible
  • Premium processing exists for some filings, though not all correction/replacement cases qualify. Check USCIS guidance and consult your school.
• Document employer impact
  • Ask your employer for a brief letter explaining how the delay harms onboarding or project timelines to support expedite requests.
• Track the 90-day unemployment limit
  • Log your unemployment days carefully.
  • If an error reduces your window, ask your school to document the USCIS error in your student record.

For employers:

• Request case receipts as soon as candidates file for OPT.
• Build buffers into start-date planning and internal timelines.
• Coordinate with immigration counsel when USCIS errors arise; a short letter to USCIS explaining project needs can help support expedite requests.

For official rules and filing, students should use USCIS resources:
– Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F‑1 Students
– Form I‑765, Application for Employment Authorization

Schools strongly advise using the newest form edition and keeping copies of your entire application packet.

Policy implications and calls for fixes

Critics say USCIS should implement automated checks to flag obvious errors—such as a start date that predates approval—before cards are printed and mailed. Suggested process improvements include:

• Automated comparisons between adjudication dates and printed start dates
• Holds on delivery if dates don’t align
• Better syncing of address changes with application records
• A standard correction pipeline when USPS returns a card due to a USCIS mistake (avoid immediate destruction)
• Clear, enforceable timelines for corrections and replacements

Supporters of tighter control argue these fixes require staff time and funding and that students and schools share responsibility for keeping records current. Still, many agree that when a clear USCIS error reduces a student’s lawful work time, making the student whole should be a priority.

Universities and international education advocates warn that persistent errors and delays could drive employers and students to look abroad for more predictable post-study work options—hurting U.S. competitiveness in attracting top talent.

Final takeaways and recommended actions

The 2025 destroyed-card case is a warning that a single USCIS error can derail a graduate’s early career plans. To reduce risk:

• Double-check every field on forms before filing.
• Use a stable mailing address for at least three to four months after filing.
• Save PDFs of applications, confirmations, receipts, and all communications.
• Ask your international office to intervene and document harm from a USCIS error.
• Communicate openly with employers about potential delays and possible interim solutions.
• If you receive a card with the same wrong date, keep it, notify USCIS in writing immediately, and ask your school to submit a supporting letter.

Students should rely on USCIS for official rules. Start with:
– Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F‑1 Students
– Form I‑765, Application for Employment Authorization

Be proactive, document everything, and involve your school early if anything looks wrong. If a USCIS error affects your OPT, ask for written confirmation that the agency will correct the date and request a replacement EAD card—keep every receipt. The process may be slow, but thorough preparation can help preserve the time and opportunities you’ve earned.