What is the SEVIS Fee?
The SEVIS fee, formally called I-901 SEVIS fee, is a payment prospective international students and exchange visitors make to the US Government before entering the United States on an F, M, or J non-immigrant status.
The abbreviation SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. It is a database owned and managed by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State (DoS).
This database was specifically created to track and monitor the status of non-immigrants entering the US in the F, M, or J visa class, and to manage the US schools, and exchange visitor programs where these non-immigrants are active.
This fee payment is used to fund these US Government agencies responsible for overseeing SEVIS.
How much is the I-901 SEVIS Fee?
Starting June 24, 2019, prospective F and M international students are required to pay an I-901 SEVIS fee of $350.
While prospective J exchange visitors are required to pay $220, with an exception for J exchange visitors in the au pair, camp counselor, and summer work/travel program categories who are required to pay a fee of $35.
When to Pay the I-901 Fee?
There are several circumstances when non-immigrants in an F, M, or J class have to pay the SEVIS fee.
The most common scenario is AFTER the prospective F or M non-immigrant has received a Form I-20 or a Form DS-2019, for J non-immigrants, but BEFORE they apply for a US visa.
And in the case where the prospective non-immigrant is from a country where an F, M, or J visa is waived, the non-immigrant must pay the SEVIS fee prior to entering the US Port of Entry.
Note that if you pay the fee and later decide not to apply for an F, M, or J visa, or choose not to come to the United States, you will not get a refund.
Other scenarios where the SEVIS fee is paid are when.
- A non-immigrant applies for a change of status from an F-1 to an M-1
- A student in an F or M status violates the conditions of their visa and has been found out of status for more than 5 months.
- A student in an F or M status has been absent from the US for more than 5 months AND has not been authorized to study overseas during that period.
How to Pay the SEVIS Fee?
The I-901 SEVIS fee is most commonly paid online on FMJfee.com using a credit card.
To pay your fee online you would need to provide the following information:
- Legal name, address, date of birth and email address
- Your country of birth and country of citizenship
- Your school code which is shown on the Form I-20 (for F & M students) or DS-2019 (for J1 exchange visitors)
- Your SEVIS Identification Number, shown at the top of your Form I-20 (for F & M students) or DS-2019 (for J1 exchange visitors)
However, note that prospective F, M, or J non-immigrants who are citizens of Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, or Gambia can NOT pay the SEVIS fee online.
Instead, these non-immigrants must pay the SEVIS fee by certified check from a US bank, money order, or Western Union Quick Pay™. Cash payments are unacceptable.
Paying the I-901 Fee by Western Union Quick Pay™
The I-901 fee can be paid by Western Union Quick Pay™, which is accessible in over 130 countries. To use this service, you will need to follow the detailed payment instructions below.
- Fill out the Form I-901 online. A payment coupon will be generated upon completion of the form.
- Print a copy of the payment coupon and take it to your local Western Union.
- Fill out the Quick Collect/Quick Pay Form according to the information found at the bottom of the printed coupon. Example below:
Company Name (or Code City): SEVISFEE or SEVISFEEMO
Account Number: Coupon Number (ex: 010222013872390) - Pay the appropriate amount: $350 for (F&M visas) or $220 (J visas)
- Present the coupon and your payment to the Western Union Agent for processing
Paying the I-901 Fee by Mail or Courier Delivery
If you choose to pay the fee with a money order or a certified check drawn from a US bank, then you must complete the SEVIS Form I-901, include your payment in US dollars with a money order or check, and mail or courier deliver this to:
(By Mail)
I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
P.O. Box 970020
St. Louis, MO 63197-0020
or
(By Courier)
I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
1005 Convention Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63101
Printing Your I-901 Fee Payment Receipt?
If you paid for your I-901 fee online, you will be able to print a receipt of payment from FMJfee.com. This receipt will be presented during your US visa interview appointment.
For SEVIS fee payments made using Western Union Quick Pay™, your payment will be linked to your Form I-901, and an online payment confirmation will be made available. However, you should expect to wait 2 - 3 days for your payment to be posted on the SEVIS database before attending your visa appointment.
For SEVIS fee payments made in the mail, you would have to wait for your payments to be received and processed by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. You can check the status of your payment and print a I-901 payment confirmation on the Check I-901 Status page here.
Again, you should expect to present this payment confirmation during your US visa interview appointment.
Do Dependents on F-2, M-2, or J-2 Visas pay SEVIS Fee?
No. Dependents of primary F-1, M-1, or J-1 non-immigrants who are applying for F-2, M-2, or J-2 visas respectively are NOT required to pay the SEVIS fee.
Transferring the I-901 Fee
When transferring between approved schools or educational levels (such as from a bachelor’s program to a Master's program), an F, M, or J non-immigrant is not required to pay the SEVIS fee again.
What is the Validity of the SEVIS I-901 Fee?
For a prospective F, M, or J visa applicant, the SEVIS fee is valid for a period of 12 months from the date of payment.
During this 12-month period, the applicant may re-apply for a US visa if they have been denied without paying another fee.
In the case that the applicant wishes to enter the US with a different SEVIS ID, they could transfer the initial fee payment to this new SEVIS ID within the 12-month period from the initial date of payment.
