F-1 Student's Pending Application for OPT - can travel?

[Alice Pang]

Hi all,

I'm a F-1 student who graduated this May. I had submitted an application for OPT in April and was approved for it in May. Unfortunately, the EAD card was lost in the mail and never reached me, so I have to reapply all over again. I just submitted a new application after my school generated a new I-20. So, in terms of this new application, everything is complete and I'm now waiting for approval.

My question is, while my new application is pending, can I travel out of the country (to my home in Canada) and come into the US as a B-2 visitor for a friend's wedding? After the wedding, I would go back to Canada, receive my EAD in the mail (I'm having a friend forward the EAD to me), and eventually re-enter the US in October with the EAD in hand when I start my job. Basically, my questions are: (1) do I need to be a F-1 student during the duration of the OPT application process, and (2) if I don't have to be a F-1 student during the application and I come into the US as a B-2, do I need to update USCIS with a new I-94?

Thank you in advance. I'd be grateful if you could let me know the source of your information (e.g. personal experience, a government resource, etc).

Cheers!

[greenalien]

you can travel while your OPT app is pending that's no problem, but you HAVE to bring your USCIS OPT receipt notice with you. i always entered the US as an F-1, so no comment about re-entering as a B-2 visitor because i have no idea about that.