Frequently Asked Questions

Go back

Q. What Is Sevis Fee?

Student and Exchange Visitor Information System or SEVIS pertains to the web-related arrangement followed by the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) across the US. The purpose of the system is to keep information on the students and exchange visitors to the nation. In other words, it comprises an internal databank of all exchange students/ non-national students traveling to study in the US.

It maintains a record of all your details and the causes of your US trip. The department needs the sponsors (in your instance, the university) to enlist with the department. Effectively, US University achieves the same when they provide you admission and offer you the SEVIS # on the I-20 form.

Students desiring to study in the US need to pay a SEVIS fee sum of USD 350. They are recommended to pay this amount before finishing their Visa Application Form (DS 160) since payment receipts are dispatched by postal mail and may require nearly 15 days to reach. When dispatching the documents, you are also required to submit the original receipt.

The following are the I-901 SEVIS Fee in the USA for different Visa Holders:

I-901 SEVIS Fee J visa applicants - $220
I-901 SEVIS Fee for F-3, F-1, M-3 or M-1 visa applicants - $350
For those taking part in:
Summer Program, Camp Counsellor Program, Au Pair Program (Exchange students arriving and remaining with the family of an American student in the US) - $35
Spouses and dependents such as children for F-2, J-2, or M-2 visa holders of students or US exchange visitors - n/a

Applicants need to apply to SEVP-endorsed colleges to be eligible to pay the SEVIS fee. Online payment can be done via a credit card. It can also be done by bank cheque, though that would postpone the process by a minimum of 3 weeks and is not advised.

Related FAQs

The title of America's best university is a prize presentation that several individuals and institutions fight over in order to claim the coveted spot, based on such factors as academic performance level, field expert knowledge base quality for teaching staff salaries, and also impacting the educational environment.........Read More

In the United States, though requirements vary greatly from scholarship program to institution offering one, most require you to have at least 90% or higher. Most countries base eligibility for scholarships purely on academic performance, but the U.S. takes a broader approach that includes an assortment of factors aside from grades alone--including health or non-academic backgrounds......Read More

Determining the most suitable intake for pursuing education in the USA involves a thoughtful assessment of factors like academic preferences, program availability, and personal circumstances.......Read More

The Winter intake, commonly termed the January intake, marks the beginning of the academic year in January, a widely used phrase in the academic sphere. Adopted globally, this intake system is integral to shaping the academic calendars of universities worldwide.......Read More

An undergraduate is a person who pursues the first academic degree in college or university. One of the most common types of undergraduate degrees is a bachelor's degree. Undergraduate education term in the United States is used to represent the total studied duration. Here, undergraduate students participate in different courses of 4-year duration.......Read More