I-901 SEVIS Fee

Pay Your Fee

I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment Video

In 2004, Congress mandated all nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors must pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee, which funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees.

A video, available on Study in the States, walks students and exchange visitors through the steps of paying the I-901 SEVIS fee by payment in U.S. dollars by credit card on fmjfee.com, or by check, money order or Western Union. The tutorial also provides stakeholders with important information regarding their application status, and the ability to print their I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt.

I-901 SEVIS Fee Assistance

fmjfee.SEVIS@ice.dhs.gov

I-901 SEVIS Fee customer service hotline at (703) 603-3400

• For schools petitioning for initial SEVP certification:
  • Petition fee is $3,000.
  • Site visit fee is $655 per campus.
• For schools that are already SEVP-certified:
  • Petition fees for change of ownership are $3,000.
  • Site visit fees for addition of a campus or change to a campus is $655.
  • Appeals fee is $675.

A chargeback occurs when a credit card holder disputes a charge that appears on a credit card statement. A brief investigation by the credit card company determines whether the charge is legitimate. If the charge is not legitimate, the credit card company then performs all of the following actions:

• Refunds the money to the credit card holder’s account
• Deducts the amount from the merchant’s account
• Charges the merchant a penalty fee

If you received a letter titled, “Notice to Students and Exchange Visitors” regarding I-901 SEVIS Fee payment fraud, the notice gives instructions on how to avoid Terminated or Cancelled SEVIS status. Failure to pay within 30 days will cause the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the Department of State (DoS) to proceed with the following actions:

• For F and M students and J exchange visitors with Active, Terminated, No Show or Inactive status
  • SEVP will terminate the SEVIS records of those F or M students and DoS will terminate the SEVIS records of those J exchange visitors. SEVIS records will show Terminated with reason code, “Other” for J exchange visitors and, “Otherwise Failing to Maintain Status” for F and M students.
  • The comments accompanying this termination will note, “Fee Payment Fraud Alert.” SEVP will place a flag on the name and SEVIS record of the F or M student or J exchange visitor. This flag will alert the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the ports of entry that the F or M student or J exchange visitor has a Fraud Alert for failure to make a fee payment.
  • The Counter Terrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit (CTCEU) reviews all terminated records to determine the need for further investigation.
  • F and M students and J exchange visitors who do not pay the regulation-mandated I-901 SEVIS Fee after receiving a Form I-515A are subject to the following:
    • Investigation
    • Possible arrest, detention, deportation and denial of requested benefits
    • Possible bar from future entry into the United States
• For F and M students and J exchange visitors with Initial status
  • SEVP will do the following:
    • Send a list of the F and M students and J exchange visitors who have not yet entered the United States.
    • Mark each record either cancelled (F or M student) or invalid (J exchange visitor)
    • Place a flag on the name and record of the F or M student or J exchange visitor to alert CBP officers at ports of entry to a fraud alert for failure to make a fee payment
  • CBP will issue the entering F or M student or J exchange visitor a Form I-515A, which allows 30 days to make payment for the I-901 SEVIS Fee.
  • If SEVP does not receive payment within the given 30 days, SEVP will forward the Cancelled and Invalid status records to CTCEU for investigation and possible removal.
  • Upon receipt of payment from the F or M student or J exchange visitor and the subsequent processing of the payment, SEVP does all of the following:
    • Removes all flags
    • Clears the SEVIS record of comments
    • Updates the record to reflect payment confirmation

You may check your current SEVIS status by talking to your designated school official or responsible officer. For questions, send a detailed e-mail to fmjfee.SEVIS@ice.dhs.gov.