my OPT expires on march 2009 + 2 months grace period............... when should i join college

Bro, don't wait too long. You have to get I-20 before your OPT expires. If you are going to college where there is quarter system, join in Feb. Otherwise, it is wise for you to join college in January.

Good Luck
jerrybhoot

it's always better idea  to talk to ur intl advisor about ur opt...they know better than anybody else ...good luck

I was told to take 60 days grace period  and take new I-20 by my advisor but i decided to start over by the time my OPT expires. after all, if something happens, we just get the readymade answer "SORRY" 

to be on safe side, u can start the coll from spring, apply H1-B in april may be

OPT siddhiyera garna mildaina? k kaso upaya hola

Newton123,
You should get your 1-20 before your 60 days grace period is over. So if your OPT expires in March 09 then you should have the document by May 09 to remain in legal student status with your current F-1 visa. If the school gets all of your paperwork on time then they should be able to issue an I-20 to start college in summer or even Fall (you should talk to the intl advisors about the specifics). If you don't get admitted before the grace period then you have to go back to Nepal and go through the whole process of applying for the student visa all over again. Hope that helps.

Hi junkiri, What if we had already used our 2 months grace period. For example if i use APRIL and MAY as my 2 months grace period and then MAY- next may as an OPT period. In this case, do i still get any time to stay here in US, if i don't get through h1 lottery. When will be the best time to enroll in college ?

Thank you.

kehi thaa cha bhane yo garib keta lai yeso information bata help garidiunus na hai.

kehi thaa cha bhane yo garib keta lai yeso information bata help garidiunus na hai.

kehi thaa cha bhane yo garib keta lai yeso information bata help garidiunus na hai.

As far as I know,  60 days grace period after completing your OPT is the time during which you are supposed to pack your bags and get ready to leave the country. You're still in legal status then. So if you want to maintain status then you should either start college or change into a different visa type within that time. I don't think it matters whether there was a gap between graduation and OPT start date. You should still be able to get 60 days grace in the end. If you're worried that your H1 status might not work out you should check out colleges and start applying (just to be on the safe side). Another possibility would also be to enroll in short term programs like ESL courses by Kaplan to maintain your status till you can find another option.Your best source of advice would be your international student advisor at your college that you graduated from. So you should seek him/her for help.