Blog · October 22, 2026

Moved while on OPT or STEM OPT? Who to tell and by when

The regulation says F-1 students must report a new address within 10 days, and that telling the DSO in that time also meets the DHS rule in 8 CFR 265.1. SEVP says OPT students can report it to the DSO or in the SEVP Portal. USCIS says anyone with a pending request must also update USCIS as soon as possible.

Summarized from official sources, checked October 22, 2026. Official pages change; follow the linked source if it differs from this summary.

A move on OPT or STEM OPT can mean more than one update: your school's record in SEVIS, any case you have pending with USCIS, and on STEM OPT, your training plan if your work address changes. This post sorts out who gets which update and by when, from official sources, with a table and a fictional example.

The portal steps are in the SEVP Portal guide, and the full reporting lists are in reporting on post-completion OPT and reporting on STEM OPT.

Not legal advice. This article summarizes official U.S. government sources. It is not legal or immigration advice. EADly is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS or ICE. Follow your school's reporting process, and ask your DSO or a qualified immigration attorney about your situation. Last checked October 22, 2026. Each source's own date is in the Sources list.

Who to tell and by when

What changedWho to tellDeadlineSource
Your home address, on post-completion OPTYour DSO, or the SEVP PortalWithin 10 days of the change8 CFR 214.2(f)(17); SEVP Portal, OPT Student Reporting Requirements
Your mailing address, if it isn't where you liveYour DSO, or the SEVP Portal. The DSO must have both addressesWithin 10 daysSame sources
Your residential or mailing address, on STEM OPTYour DSO. The portal can also be used for personal contact informationWithin 10 days8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(A); SEVIS Help Hub, STEM OPT
Your work address, on STEM OPTYour DSO: the new employer address, and a modified Form I-983 from you and your employer10 days for the employer address. The modified Form I-983 "at the earliest available opportunity"8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(A); USCIS, STEM OPT
Your employer's address, on post-completion OPTUpdate the employer in the SEVP Portal, or tell your DSOSources differ: the SEVIS Help Hub says 10 days for employment information; the OPT reporting paragraph of the regulation gives no number of daysSEVIS Help Hub, F-1 OPT; 8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(i); SEVP Portal Overview
Any case you have pending with USCIS, such as an OPT or STEM OPT applicationUSCIS, for each pending case"As soon as possible"USCIS, How to Change Your Address
You moved during the grace period after OPTYour DSO. The SEVP Portal can be edited only up to 15 days after the OPT end dateWithin 10 days8 CFR 214.2(f)(17); SEVIS and the SEVP Portal
You're now in H-1B or another statusUSCIS directly: your USCIS online account or Form AR-11Within 10 days of moving8 CFR 265.1; USCIS, How to Change Your Address

Each row is explained below. The regulation links point to the eCFR as of Sept 14, 2026; see the Sources note.

The 10-day rule, and why telling your DSO counts for DHS

  • The F-1 rule. "A student must inform DHS and the DSO of any legal changes to the student's name or of any change of address, within 10 days of the change, in a manner prescribed by the school" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(17)).
  • The DSO notice covers DHS. "A student can satisfy the requirement in 8 CFR 265.1 of notifying DHS by providing a notice of a change of address within 10 days to the DSO, and the DSO in turn must enter the information in SEVIS within 21 days of notification by the student" (same paragraph).
  • The general rule it refers to. 8 CFR 265.1 says noncitizens required to register "must report each change of address and new address within 10 days of such change in accordance with instructions provided by USCIS" (8 CFR 265.1).
  • On OPT too. A student granted OPT must "report any change of name or address, or interruption of such employment to the DSO for the duration of the optional practical training" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(i)).

"In a manner prescribed by the school" means your school decides how you report. Ask your DSO whether a portal update is enough or whether the school also wants a form or an email.

On post-completion OPT: your DSO or the SEVP Portal

  • Either route. "International students must report the following changes to their DSO or via the SEVP Portal within 10 days of the change occurring." The list starts with "Physical address and/or mailing address" (SEVP Portal, OPT Student Reporting Requirements). Study in the States says the same: "report within 10 days any changes to your name or address to your DSO or through the SEVP Portal" (Applying for Practical Training).
  • Where in the portal. The Edit Profile page has an "Editable physical address" and an "Editable mailing address." Name and date of birth are read-only (SEVP Portal, Update User Profile).
  • It reaches SEVIS right away. "Data entered into the portal is sent immediately to SEVIS to update the student's record." Changes made in SEVIS reach the portal the next day (SEVP Portal Overview).
  • If the address won't save. "The system will not save any address it cannot verify." The portal's tips: put the street address on the first line, abbreviate the street, and leave out periods (Update User Profile). If your address is correct and still won't validate, "contact your DSO. Your DSO can enter the address in SEVIS" (SEVP Portal Student User Guide, 2024). Do that before the 10 days run out.

On STEM OPT: what the 10-day list covers

  • The list. "Within 10 days of the change, the student must report to the student's DSO a change of legal name, residential or mailing address, employer name, employer address, and/or loss of employment" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(12)(ii)(A)).
  • The portal works for contact details. "Students on STEM OPT can also use the SEVP Portal to change personal contact information and existing employer information. However, they must submit any new employer information to their DSO on the Form I-983." (SEVIS Help Hub, STEM OPT)
  • Email too, on one list. USCIS's STEM OPT page also lists "Your email address" among the changes to report within 10 days (USCIS, STEM OPT). The regulation's list doesn't name email. You can't change your email in the portal; your DSO enters it in SEVIS (Update User Profile).
  • The six-month check. Each validation report confirms your "Residential or mailing address," along with your name, employer and employment status (Study in the States, STEM OPT Reporting Requirements).

If your work address changes too

USCIS says "it is important that employers report any change in a student's employment address," and that "the employer and student must report such a material change by submitting a modified Form I-983 to the DSO at the earliest available opportunity" (USCIS, STEM OPT). A new employer address is also on the 10-day list above. Moving offices with the same employer, versus a new employer, is covered in Changing jobs on STEM OPT.

Physical address vs. mailing address

  • Where you live comes first. "Except in the case of a student who cannot receive mail where the student resides, the address provided by the student must be the actual physical location where the student resides rather than a mailing address" (8 CFR 214.2(f)(17)).
  • If you give a mailing address, "the school must maintain a record of, and must provide upon request from DHS, the actual physical location where the student resides" (same paragraph).
  • The DSO needs both. "If a student's physical address and mailing address in the United States are different, the DSO must have both addresses." (OPT Student Reporting Requirements)
  • In the portal, tick "Add Mailing Address" if the two differ. A mailing address "can be a post office (P.O.) box" (Update User Profile). A P.O. box can be your mailing address, but it doesn't replace the address where you live.

If you have a case pending with USCIS

Telling your DSO meets the DHS address rule. USCIS gives separate instructions for anyone with a pending request, such as an OPT or STEM OPT application:

  • As soon as possible. "If you have filed an immigration benefit request with USCIS, you must notify USCIS of any changes of address as soon as possible to ensure you receive all correspondence and benefits without delay." (USCIS, How to Change Your Address) Study in the States points OPT applicants to the same page (Applying for Practical Training).
  • Online, with each receipt number. USCIS says most people can use the Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) tool in their USCIS online account, even if they filed by mail. If you use the online account, "you must enter the receipt numbers for each pending benefit request to apply the address change" (same page).
  • Form AR-11 by mail. A paper Form AR-11 "meets the legal requirement to notify USCIS of a change of address," but it "does not provide an automated update to your address in USCIS systems," so USCIS "strongly encourage[s]" the online tool (USCIS, Form AR-11).
  • The post office doesn't do it for you. "Changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will not change your address with USCIS and USPS will not forward your mail from USCIS." (How to Change Your Address)
  • Why it matters. Study in the States says USCIS "will send the RFE to your U.S. address" and "You must respond by the deadline" (Applying for Practical Training). If a notice never reached you, see If you never got the notice in our RFE post.

Moving during the grace period, or after you change to H-1B

  • During the 60-day grace period you are still an F-1 student, and the 10-day rule in 8 CFR 214.2(f)(17) still applies. The portal lets you change contact and employment information "up to 15 days after the end date of their optional practical training (OPT)" (SEVIS and the SEVP Portal). After that, accounts are "Read Only" (SEVP Portal Release 6.1), so tell your DSO. More on those 60 days: The 60-day grace period after OPT or STEM OPT.
  • During cap-gap you are still F-1, so keep reporting to your DSO. See step 4 of the cap-gap steps.
  • Once you're in H-1B status, report to USCIS directly. USCIS says "all aliens in the United States must report a change of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving," except A and G visa holders and visa waiver visitors. A USCIS online account update or a paper Form AR-11 meets the requirement (How to Change Your Address; 8 CFR 265.1).

A fictional example

Fictional dates. Not your dates. Rahul is on post-completion OPT, and his STEM OPT application is pending with USCIS. He moves to a new apartment on Monday, November 2, 2026. His job and work address don't change.

StepWhoBy when
Report the new home addressHis DSO, or the SEVP Portal, the way his school asksThursday, November 12, 2026 (10 days after the move)
Add a mailing address too, if he gets mail somewhere elseSameSame
Update the address on his pending STEM OPT applicationUSCIS, with the receipt number in his online accountAs soon as possible
Enter the change in SEVISHis DSOWithin 21 days of his report. He reports on Thursday, November 5, so by Thursday, November 26, 2026
Keep proof of the reportRahulKeep the email or portal confirmation

Dates computed with Python's datetime (move date + 10 days; report date + 21 days). If he were already on STEM OPT and his work address changed too, the employer address and a modified Form I-983 would go to his DSO as well (see above).

Keep proof of what you reported

SEVP's 2010 OPT guidance says: "SEVP recommends using e-mail, as it provides both evidence of reporting and the date reported." It adds: "The student should keep a record of all reports made to the DSO" (§7.3.2, SEVP Policy Guidance 1004-03). ICE says that guidance "remains in effect," except where its 17-month STEM content conflicts with the 2016 STEM rule (ICE, Practical Training). Keep a record of your USCIS change of address with it, too.

Tracking a move in EADly

EADly is a private, local-first app for iPhone and Android. For a move it gives you:

  • Something changed? → I moved (Quick Actions on Home). For F-1 students the checklist says to tell your DSO within 10 days, the way your school asks, and that this notice satisfies 8 CFR 265.1; and, if you have a pending USCIS case, to update that case with USCIS too. Each step shows its source. For H-1B and O-1 records it says to report to USCIS within 10 days.
  • Moving checklist. It lists the USCIS receipt numbers you saved and has buttons for the SEVP Portal and the official USCIS change-of-address page. Save your move date and EADly reminds you 10 days later if the steps aren't marked done.
  • Address history (Settings). Every U.S. address with move-in and move-out dates. Proof such as a lease goes in the encrypted Document Vault. EADly Free holds 1 Vault file; EADly Plus has no file-count limit.
  • Reporting & SEVP. Log an address-change report with the date and how you sent it. If you enter the new address there, it's saved to Address history.

The checklists, reminder, Address history and reporting log are on EADly Free. What it doesn't do: EADly doesn't send anything to your DSO, the SEVP Portal, SEVIS or USCIS, and it doesn't change the address on any USCIS case. It doesn't decide which rules apply to you.

Get EADly on the App Store or Google Play. The download is free.

Common questions

How long do I have to report a new address on OPT?

10 days. The regulation says F-1 students must report a change of address within 10 days of the change, in the way the school prescribes. SEVP says students on OPT can report it to the DSO or in the SEVP Portal.

Does telling my DSO count as telling USCIS?

For the DHS address rule, yes. The regulation says a notice to the DSO within 10 days satisfies 8 CFR 265.1. If you have a pending USCIS case, USCIS separately says to update your address with USCIS as soon as possible.

Can I update my address in the SEVP Portal on STEM OPT?

SEVP says STEM OPT students can use the portal to change personal contact information. The regulation requires reporting a new residential or mailing address to your DSO within 10 days, so follow your school's process.

I have an OPT or STEM OPT application pending. What else do I do?

Update your address with USCIS as soon as possible. USCIS says that in a USCIS online account you must enter the receipt number of each pending request. Changing your address with the post office doesn't change it with USCIS.

Can I give a P.O. box as my address?

Only as a mailing address. The regulation says the address you give must be where you actually live, unless you can't receive mail there, and the DSO must have both if they differ.

Do I also need Form AR-11 if I told my DSO?

The regulation says the DSO notice meets 8 CFR 265.1. For a pending case, USCIS recommends its online change-of-address tool over a paper AR-11, because the paper form doesn't update its systems automatically. Ask your DSO if you're unsure.

I moved after changing to H-1B. Who do I tell?

USCIS, within 10 days of moving, through your USCIS online account or Form AR-11. The DSO route is for F-1 students.

Sources

All checked October 22, 2026. The date in brackets is the date each page showed.

This article summarizes official U.S. government sources and is not legal or immigration advice. EADly is not a law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS or ICE.

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