An international student in texas, currently on Initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) with valid work authorization, recently faced an unexpected driver’s license renewal rejection at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) — even though their OPT is legally valid and they filed a STEM OPT extension on time.
📍 What Happened?
- The student’s work permit (OPT) is active and legally allows them to stay and work in the U.S. while awaiting a STEM extension decision.
- However, when they went to renew their driver’s licence, DPS refused the request because its systems couldn’t verify their lawful presence in real time.
🔁 Why the Licence Was Denied
When issuing or renewing a driver’s license, texas DPS is required to verify an applicant’s lawful immigration status through a federal system — commonly the SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database. This system checks records that are updated by USCIS.
In this case, although the student has:
✔ Filed the STEM OPT extension before the expiration of their current OPT
✔ Received a USCIS receipt notice, which generally indicates lawful presence
the DPS system could not yet see the pending STEM extension in the federal database. As a result, the status couldn’t be confirmed during the DMV’s real‑time check, and the licence renewal was refused.
🧠 Why This Happens
- USCIS databases sometimes take weeks to update, especially for pending OPT/STEM extensions.
- DPS depends on federal verification (SAVE), so if the USCIS status hasn’t propagated through SAVE, DPS may err on the side of denial because it can’t confirm lawful status instantly.
- This is not about OPT being invalid — it’s about system sync delays between USCIS and DPS.
📌 What students Can Do
If you face this issue:
Bring the I‑797C receipt for the pending STEM extension — some offices may offer a temporary or limited licence while verification completes.
Ask DPS to initiate a secondary verification through SAVE if initial verification fails.
Contact your Designated school Official (DSO) — they may issue an updated I‑20 showing the STEM OPT recommendation to support your case.
Wait a few weeks — once USCIS updates its records in SAVE, DPS should be able to confirm lawful presence and issue or renew the licence.
🧾 Bottom Line
Being on valid OPT or having filed for a STEM extension does legally maintain your F‑1 status and work authorization — but that alone doesn’t guarantee an immediate driver’s licence renewal in states like Texas. The driver’s licence decision depends on whether DPS can verify your lawful presence through federal systems at the time of your visit. Delays in USCIS status updates often create temporary hurdles, not legal ineligibility.
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