If you are an F-1 student filing for OPT or an EAD card this summer, there is a rule change that tripped up a lot of students in spring 2026 — and it is still catching people off guard now.
Since December 12, 2025, you can no longer submit your own photo with Form I-765. USCIS changed its biometrics policy, and summer 2026 is the first full OPT application cycle where this is fully in effect.
What changed
Before December 2025, you attached two passport photos to your paper I-765 application. That step no longer exists. USCIS photographs you directly at an Application Support Center (ASC) during a scheduled biometrics appointment.
Multiple university international student offices — Northeastern, University of Washington, Ohio State, Southern Utah University — issued advisories in January and February 2026 telling students to expect a biometrics notice after filing and not to prepare photos for the I-765 package.
What the process looks like now
- Your DSO recommends OPT in SEVIS as normal
- You file Form I-765 — no photo included
- USCIS mails you a biometrics notice (typically 4–8 weeks after acceptance)
- You attend your ASC appointment with the notice and a valid photo ID
- USCIS captures fingerprints, signature, and photo — takes about 15–30 minutes
- USCIS processes your EAD and mails it
What is NOT affected
This only covers USCIS forms. If you need to apply for a US visa or renew your F-1 stamp at an embassy, the DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application still requires you to upload your own digital photo. The DS-160 is a State Department process — entirely separate from USCIS.
For DS-160, the photo must be a specific 600×600 pixel square format. Most passport photo tools do not automatically output that size. IDPhotoSnap covers it, along with 100+ other country requirements, entirely in the browser with no upload or account.
Timeline tip
The biometrics step adds time. File as early as your DSO advises (up to 90 days before your program end date) and do not book travel that could conflict with the ASC appointment window — rescheduling adds weeks.
Sources: USCIS Biometric Services | USCIS Form I-765
Originally published at https://idphotosnap.com/blog/opt-f1-biometrics-summer-2026
Top comments (0)