Those who just won the H-1B lottery will receive some more good news. Cap gap Extension is a benefit that many F-1 students take advatange of as a beneficiary of a receipted H-1B petition. The benefit helps those whose F-1 status is expiring between April 1 and September 29, and extends their F-1 and, if eligible, OPT to September 30 so that there is no gap between the end of their F-1 and the start of their H-1B on October 1.
The cap gap extension is granted once the H-1B petition is filed and received by USCIS. To demonstrate the extension of F-1 and OPT, a copy of the H-1B receipt notice would be sufficient. Although it is recommended, there is no requirement to “update” the I-20 so that it shows the cap gap extension and the related H-1B filing. Updating the I-20 is a straightforward process of contacting the school’s DSO and then receiving a new I-20.
Now, the cap gap extension will be automatically recorded once H-1B is filed. Of course, F-1 students should still check with their DSO if they want to have the updated I-20 in hand.