SEVIS Fee Information

What Our Students Say Conditional Undergraduate Admission TOEFL Linguistics/ TESL at Iowa Photo Gallery	SEVIS FEE INFORMATION Effective September 1, 2004, people who apply for F-1 and J-1 visas have to pay a one-time fee of $100 to the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This fee helps pay for SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), the program that U.S. schools use to create I-20 forms. If you are applying for a new visa, you will also have to pay any applicable visa application fees. Who pays the SEVIS fee? How do I pay the fee? Frequently asked questions about the SEVIS fee Who pays the SEVIS fee? New students with I-20s marked for "initial attendance" that were issued on or after September 1, 2004 who are applying for a new F-1 visa from outside the U.S. New students with I-20s marked for "initial attendance" that were issued on or after September 1, 2004 who are applying for a change to F-1 status from another status (B-2 for example) Current F-1 students in the U.S. filing for reinstatement after being out of status for more than 5 months, and who are issued an I-20 for reinstatement that is dated on or after September 1, 2004 Canadians (who do not need an F-1 visa to enter the U.S.) should take a copy of the SEVIS fee receipt to present at the port of entry with the appropriate I-20. It will not be possible to pay the fee at the port of entry. How do I pay the fee? The fee must be paid to the DHS by mail or online. You must include the form I-901 with the fee (see below for directions to obtain this form). The fee can be paid by the student or by someone else (family member of friend) inside or outside the U.S. To pay by mail: 1. Get a Form I-901 "Fee Remittance for Certain F, J, and M Nonimmigrants." by downloading the form from http://www.FMJfee.com OR asking for the form by phone at 1-800-870-3676 (inside the U.S.) 2. Complete the Form I-901. Be sure to write your name exactly the same as it appears on your I-20 form. 3. Prepare a check, international money order or foreign draft (drawn on U.S. banks only) in the amount of $100 USD, made payable to "The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement." 4. Mail the completed I-901 and payment to the address listed on Form I-901. 5. A Form I-797 receipt confirmation notice should be mailed within 3 days of processing the fee. Be sure to make copies of this receipt notice, and keep it with your other important immigration documents. If you mail the fee, then you must wait at least 3 business days after DHS receives your payment before trying to apply for your visa. DHS will mail you a paper receipt (called an I-797) to be used as evidence that you paid the fee, but there should also be an electronic record of your fee payment in the U.S. Consulate's database. If there is an electronic record of fee payment in the database, you will not need to show your paper receipt (Form I-797) to apply for the visa or enter the U.S. However, you should wait for a copy of the paper fee payment receipt before making a visa application. The paper receipt (Form I-797) is mailed to the address you wrote on Form I-901. If you want to have DHS express mail your receipt you will need to pay an extra fee. Or you can wait until the receipt is mailed to you via regular postal service. To pay online: 1. Find the Form I-901 at http://www.FMJfee.com 2. Complete the form online and supply the necesssary Visa, MasterCard, or American Express information. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form. 3. Print a copy of the online receipt. If you pay the SEVIS fee on the Internet, you can print a receipt directly from your computer at the same time. This computer-generated receipt can be used at an embassy, consular post, or port-of-entry to prove you have paid the fee. Can someone else (a friend or family member) pay the fee for me? Yes. But you must have a copy of the fee payment receipt that proves that they paid the fee for you. Will continuing F-1 students in the U.S. have to pay? No. However, if a student falls out of status for more than 5 months and applies for reinstatement, or is outside the U.S. for more than 5 months, he or she will have to pay the fee. What about my F-2 dependents? F-2 dependents do not have to pay the fee. Do I have to pay if I stay in the U.S. but transfer to another school or if I change levels (example: ESL to undergraduate study)? No. Do I have to pay the fee if I travel outside the U.S.? If you travel outside the U.S. for more than a 5-month period, then you will need to pay the fee. If you travel outside for less than a 5-month period, you do not need to pay the fee. If you are a continuing student, you will not need to pay the fee, even if you have to renew your visa stamp. When do I pay the SEVIS fee? The fee should be paid at least 3 business days before you apply for your visa, change of status, or reinstatement application. Can I pay the SEVIS fee at a university, consulate, or port of entry/airport? No. At this time the SEVIS fee must be paid by mail, through the Internet, or through Western Union Quick Pay. Will the DHS keep a record of my payment on file? Fee payments should be entered into your permanent immigration (SEVIS) record but it is very important that you keep a copy of your fee receipt (Form I-797) to use in the future. I applied to more than one school and have more than one I-20 form. What happens if I pay the SEVIS fee for one school, and then I change my mind and decide that I want to attend the other school? Can I move my SEVIS fee to the new school? Yes. But you should bring the I-20 form with the SEVIS ID number that you used to pay the fee with you when you go to the U.S. consulate/embassy. What do I need to do to apply for an F-1 visa, change of status or reinstatement? Get a Form I-20 from the school that you want to attend. Pay the SEVIS fee by mail or online. Make a copy of the I-797 (mail) or receipt (online) for your records. Submit a copy of the I-797 or receipt with your visa, change of status or reinstatement application. What if my F-1 visa application is denied? The SEVIS fee will not be refunded, but if you apply again for an F-1 visa within 12 months of a visa denial you will not have to pay the fee again. Who does NOT have to pay the SEVIS fee? No fee is paid by: a continuing F-1 student who maintains that status, and whose initial Form I-20 was issued before September 1, 2004. an F-2 dependent. an F-1 applying for a visa to return to the United States as a continuing student. This applies only to nonimmigrants returning to the United States to resume participation in the same program that was previously begun, in which he or she has maintained status, and which has not yet been completed. by an F-1 maintaining continuing status and changing educational levels (such as moving from IIEP to a degree program at the University). by an F-1 tansferring between approved schools. a nonimmigrant applying for a change of status from within the United States between an F-1 and F-2. a person who has paid the fee and been denied a visa and is reapplying within 12 months of payment.

Effective September 1, 2004, people who apply for F-1 and J-1 visas have to pay a one-time fee of $100 to the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This fee helps pay for SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), the program that U.S. schools use to create I-20 forms. If you are applying for a new visa, you will also have to pay any applicable visa application fees.

Who pays the SEVIS fee?

How do I pay the fee?

Frequently asked questions about the SEVIS fee

Who pays the SEVIS fee?

New students with I-20s marked for "initial attendance" that were issued on or after September 1, 2004 who are applying for a new F-1 visa from outside the U.S.
New students with I-20s marked for "initial attendance" that were issued on or after September 1, 2004 who are applying for a change to F-1 status from another status (B-2 for example)
Current F-1 students in the U.S. filing for reinstatement after being out of status for more than 5 months, and who are issued an I-20 for reinstatement that is dated on or after September 1, 2004
Canadians (who do not need an F-1 visa to enter the U.S.) should take a copy of the SEVIS fee receipt to present at the port of entry with the appropriate I-20. It will not be possible to pay the fee at the port of entry.

How do I pay the fee?

The fee must be paid to the DHS by mail or online. You must include the form I-901 with the fee (see below for directions to obtain this form). The fee can be paid by the student or by someone else (family member of friend) inside or outside the U.S.

To pay by mail:

2. Complete the Form I-901. Be sure to write your name exactly the same as it appears on your I-20 form.

3. Prepare a check, international money order or foreign draft (drawn on U.S. banks only) in the amount of $100 USD, made payable to "The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement."

5. A Form I-797 receipt confirmation notice should be mailed within 3 days of processing the fee. Be sure to make copies of this receipt notice, and keep it with your other important immigration documents.

If you mail the fee, then you must wait at least 3 business days after DHS receives your payment before trying to apply for your visa. DHS will mail you a paper receipt (called an I-797) to be used as evidence that you paid the fee, but there should also be an electronic record of your fee payment in the U.S. Consulate's database. If there is an electronic record of fee payment in the database, you will not need to show your paper receipt (Form I-797) to apply for the visa or enter the U.S. However, you should wait for a copy of the paper fee payment receipt before making a visa application.

The paper receipt (Form I-797) is mailed to the address you wrote on Form I-901. If you want to have DHS express mail your receipt you will need to pay an extra fee. Or you can wait until the receipt is mailed to you via regular postal service.

To pay online:

2. Complete the form online and supply the necesssary Visa, MasterCard, or American Express information. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form.

3. Print a copy of the online receipt. If you pay the SEVIS fee on the Internet, you can print a receipt directly from your computer at the same time. This computer-generated receipt can be used at an embassy, consular post, or port-of-entry to prove you have paid the fee.

Can someone else (a friend or family member) pay the fee for me?

Yes. But you must have a copy of the fee payment receipt that proves that they paid the fee for you.

Will continuing F-1 students in the U.S. have to pay?

No. However, if a student falls out of status for more than 5 months and applies for reinstatement, or is outside the U.S. for more than 5 months, he or she will have to pay the fee.

What about my F-2 dependents?

Do I have to pay if I stay in the U.S. but transfer to another school or if I change levels (example: ESL to undergraduate study)?

Do I have to pay the fee if I travel outside the U.S.?

If you travel outside the U.S. for more than a 5-month period, then you will need to pay the fee.
If you travel outside for less than a 5-month period, you do not need to pay the fee.
If you are a continuing student, you will not need to pay the fee, even if you have to renew your visa stamp.

When do I pay the SEVIS fee?

The fee should be paid at least 3 business days before you apply for your visa, change of status, or reinstatement application.

Can I pay the SEVIS fee at a university, consulate, or port of entry/airport?

No. At this time the SEVIS fee must be paid by mail, through the Internet, or through Western Union Quick Pay.

Will the DHS keep a record of my payment on file?

Fee payments should be entered into your permanent immigration (SEVIS) record but it is very important that you keep a copy of your fee receipt (Form I-797) to use in the future.

I applied to more than one school and have more than one I-20 form. What happens if I pay the SEVIS fee for one school, and then I change my mind and decide that I want to attend the other school? Can I move my SEVIS fee to the new school?

Yes. But you should bring the I-20 form with the SEVIS ID number that you used to pay the fee with you when you go to the U.S. consulate/embassy.

What do I need to do to apply for an F-1 visa, change of status or reinstatement?

Get a Form I-20 from the school that you want to attend.
Pay the SEVIS fee by mail or online.
Make a copy of the I-797 (mail) or receipt (online) for your records.
Submit a copy of the I-797 or receipt with your visa, change of status or reinstatement application.

What if my F-1 visa application is denied?

The SEVIS fee will not be refunded, but if you apply again for an F-1 visa within 12 months of a visa denial you will not have to pay the fee again.

Who does NOT have to pay the SEVIS fee?

a continuing F-1 student who maintains that status, and whose initial Form I-20 was issued before September 1, 2004.
an F-2 dependent.
an F-1 applying for a visa to return to the United States as a continuing student. This applies only to nonimmigrants returning to the United States to resume participation in the same program that was previously begun, in which he or she has maintained status, and which has not yet been completed.
by an F-1 maintaining continuing status and changing educational levels (such as moving from IIEP to a degree program at the University).
by an F-1 tansferring between approved schools.
a nonimmigrant applying for a change of status from within the United States between an F-1 and F-2.
a person who has paid the fee and been denied a visa and is reapplying within 12 months of payment.

Who pays the SEVIS fee? How do I pay the fee?