SEVP Portal

The SEVP Portal is a tool that allows F-1 students on post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT and STEM OPT) to directly report changes in residential address and employment information to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). These changes are reflected in a student's SEVIS record, which is otherwise maintained by ISO.

SEVP's website, Study in the States, contains detailed instructions and tips for using the SEVP Portal. 

Creating an SEVP Portal Account

You will receive instructions about creating an SEVP Portal account in an email from do-not-reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov. This email should arrive on the first day of your approved OPT period (as listed on your EAD).

If you do not receive any email from SEVP on the first day of your OPT period, please check your spam, junk, and clutter folders over the following few days. If you cannot locate the email, contact opt@rochester.edu. You may need to request that ISO update the email address in your SEVIS record.

Make sure to create your account right away after receiving the email from SEVP, even if you do not have any changes to report. The account creation instructions will expire after a certain amount of time.

Updating Information through the SEVP Portal

Once you have created an SEVP Portal account, you can access the Portal as needed to update residential address and employment information. After making any update through the SEVP Portal, please email opt@rochester.edu to notify ISO about the change. ISO does not receive automatic notifications when students update information through the Portal.

Please note that students on STEM OPT should not use the Portal to update employer information (only residential address information). This is because changes of employer information on STEM OPT must be reported through Form I-983. Reporting a change through the SEVP Portal without submitting Form I-983 is insufficient and may constitute a violation of status.

If you experience technical difficulties accessing the Portal and cannot resolve them quickly, you may want to consider using the appropriate ISO reporting form instead to ensure timely reporting. 

SEVP Portal Help