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PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION
SEVIS FEE REQUIREMENT: F-1 STUDENTS
Beginning September 1, 2004, a new United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule goes into effect. This rule requires F-1 and J-1 visa applicants to pay a one-time fee of $200 to supplement the administration and maintenance costs of the Student and Exchange Information System (SEVIS). The following information specifically addresses fee issues for F-1 students.
Who pays the SEVIS fee?
Prospective students with “initial attendance” I-20s dated on or after 9/1/2004 who are applying for an “initial” F-1 visa from outside the US
Prospective students with “initial attendance” I-20s dated on or after 9/1/2004 who are applying for a change to F-1 status from another visa category
Current F-1 students in the US filing for reinstatement after being out of status more than 5 months, and who are issued an I-20 issued for reinstatement that is dated on or after 9/1/04
Will other F-1 students in the US have to pay?
No, unless the student’s circumstances change so that he or she fits one of the categories mentioned above.
What about my F-2 dependents?
F-2 dependents do not have to pay the fee, even if the I-20 that the F-2 dependents use is issued on or after 9/1/2004
Do I have to pay if I transfer to another school, travel outside the US or renew my visa?
The SEVIS fee is not required when transferring schools, changing to another degree program or level, requesting a program extension, renewing an F-1 visa or using F-1 program benefits such as practical training. If you are in status when you travel internationally and are not physically outside of the U.S. for more than five months, you will not be required to pay the fee.
When do I pay the SEVIS fee?
The fee must be paid at least 3 business days prior to applying for your visa, or applying for admission at a US port-of-entry for those exempt from the visa requirement. The fee must be paid prior to submission of a change of status petition or reinstatement application.
Can I pay the SEVIS fee at a university, consulate or port of entry?
No. At this time the SEVIS fee can only be processed by the Department of Homeland Security via mail or the Internet.
How do I pay the fee?
The fee can be paid to the DHS by mail or online and must be accompanied by a Form I-901. It can be paid by you or by a third party, inside or outside the US.
To Pay By Mail
1. Obtain a Form I-901 “Fee Remittance for Certain F, J, and M Nonimmigrants.”
Download the form from http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/i901/index.htm
Request the form by phone at 1-800-870-3676 (inside the US)
2. Complete the Form I-901. Be sure to write your name exactly as it appears on your I-20 form.
3. Prepare a check, international money order or foreign draft (drawn on US banks only1) in the amount of $100 USD, made payable to “I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee.”
4. Mail the completed I-901 and payment to the address listed on Form I-901).
5. A Form I-797 receipt-notice should be mailed within 3 days of processing the fee. Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep it with your other important immigration documents
Mail the Form I-901 and payment to:
Student/Exchange Visitor Processing P.O. Box 970020 St. Louis, MO 63197-0020
If using a Courier, send to:Student/Exchange Visitor Processing 1005 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63101
To Pay Online
1. Find the Form I-901 at https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml.
2. Complete the form online and supply the necessary 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.
To pay by Western Union:
The Western Union Quick PayTM service allows you to send your payment electronically, directly to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Simply bring your cash payment in local currency – where applicable – to a participating Western Union location. Within minutes, DHS will receive a notification indicating to us that you have made your SEVIS fee payment. There are three steps that you should follow:
Step One: Print out and bring a copy of these instructions along with a copy of the sample form to a local participating Western Union Agent location.
Step Two: Go to a local participating Western Union Agent location. To find the nearest Western Union Agent location go to http://www.payment-solutions.com/agent.asp and select a country or call the telephone number of the Western Union Commercial Services Network Agent in your country as listed in your phone book.
Step Three: Request and fill out the blue form. You must request a Blue Form at the participating local Western Union Agent location. This form may show words such as “Payment Services” or “Quick Pay” printed in the applicable local language. However, please note that all Quick Pay forms will be blue. Once you have obtained the Blue Form from the Western Union Agent location, you must fill out all appropriate information.
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 strongly recommended that you retain a copy of your fee receipt (form I-797) to use as needed.
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? Is my paid SEVIS fee transferable?
Yes. But you must submit the I-20 form with the SEVIS ID number that you listed on the I-901 form with you to the U.S. consulate/embassy. For change of status or reinstatement applications, please see next question.
What do I need to do to apply for an F-1 visa, change of status or reinstatement?
Obtain the appropriate Form I-20 from a DHS-approved school..
Pay the SEVIS fee by mail or online.
Make a copy of the I-797 (mail) or computer receipt (online) for your records.
Submit a copy of the I-797 or computer receipt with your visa, change of status or reinstatement application OR
Students who are exempt from visa requirements, such as Canadians, 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.
What if my F-1 visa application is denied?
The SEVIS fee will not be refunded. However, if you reapply for a new F-1 visa within 12 months of the denial, you will not have to pay the fee again.
For more information regarding the new SEVIS fee requirement or other visa-related matters, contact the International Programs Office.
1Many foreign banks are able to issue checks or money orders drawn on a U.S. bank. You may, therefore, obtain a check from: 1) a bank chartered or operated in the United States; b) a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. bank, or c) a foreign bank that has an arrangement with a U.S. bank to issue a check, money order, or foreign draft that is drawn on a U.S. bank.
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VISA APPLICATION PROCESS
I. VISIT TO THE U.S. EMBASSY OR CONSULATE – Applicants for student visas should generally apply at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence. Although visa applicants may apply at any U.S. consular office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the country of permanent residence.
A. REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
1. A visa application Form OF-156, completed and signed. Blank forms are available at all U.S. consular offices.
2. A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant’s intended period of stay in the United States.
3. One photograph 1 and ½ inches square (37x37mm), showing full face, without head covering, against a light background.
4. For the “F” applicant, a Form I-20.
5. SEVIS Fee proof of payment.
B. OTHER DOCUMENTATION
Student visa applicants must establish to the satisfaction of the consular officer that they have a permanent residence and other ties in their countries that would compel them to leave the United States at the end of the temporary stay. The United States immigration law requires consular officers to view every visa applicant as an intending immigrant until the applicant proves otherwise.
Some examples of ties can be a job, a house, a family, and a bank account. “Ties” are the various aspects of a person’s life that bind him or her to his or her country of residence – possessions, employment, social and family relationships.
In cases of younger applicants who may not have had an opportunity to form many ties, consular officers many look at the applicant’s specific intentions, family situations, and long-range plans and prospects within his or her country of residence.
C. BACKGROUND REQUIREMENTS
1. Scholastic Preparation – The student visa applicant must have successfully completed a course of study normally required for enrollment. Also, the student must be sufficiently proficient in English to pursue the intended course of study, unless he or she is coming to participate in an English-language training program.
2. Financial Resources – Applicants must prove that sufficient funds are or will be available from an identified and reliable financial source to defray all living and school expenses during the entire period of anticipated study in the United States.
II. GETTING THE VISA
If the visa is approved, the student’s passport will be stamped with the visa. The visa allows a student to travel to the United States. The visa included the place and date of issue, the expiration date, the number of entries allowed, the classification of the visa, and a visa number. The visa is a paper with photo ID that is affixed by computer to a page in the passport.
When the student picks up the passport with the visa, the student will receive a sealed envelope, which contains the Form I-20.
ON ROUTE TO THE UNITED STATES AND AT THE PORT OF ENTRY
ATTENTION! Applicants need to be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The immigration department has the authority to deny admission. Also, the immigration department, not the consular officer, determines the period for which a student is authorized to remain in the United States. At the port of entry, an immigration official validates Form I-94, Record of Arrival-Departure, which noted the length of stay permitted.
- While on flight to the United States, the student will be given Form I-94 -Record of Arrival and Departure to complete.
- At the port of entry to the United States, the student will present the following documents to the immigration officer: valid passport and visa; sealed envelope with the I-20; completed I-94; and other information as requested by the officer, such as financial information and acceptance letter.
- The immigration officer will do the following: a. Stamp the passport to show date of arrival into the United States. b. Return the I-20, I-94, and Departure Record, properly stamped to student. c. Stamp the I-20 Form to be sent to the Student Data Processing Center. d. INS will send the student’s I-20 to the school, and the school will return it to the student. This process will take approximately 10 days.