Douglas Olsen
Prospective students applying for an F or M visa to study in the United States are required to pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee. The SEVIS fee is $350 and must be paid before the Department of State issues a visa. Students can pay the SEVIS fee online or by mail, and they must provide their name, address, date of birth, country of birth and citizenship, school code, and SEVIS identification number. Students from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, or Gambia must pay by money order, Western Union Quick Pay, or certified check drawn from a U.S. bank. It is important to keep a copy of the fee receipt, as it will be needed for the visa interview.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who needs to pay the SEVIS fee? | Prospective F and M students |
| When to pay the SEVIS fee | Before the Department of State issues a visa |
| Payment methods | Money order, Western Union Quick Pay, certified check drawn from a U.S. bank, credit card |
| Amount | $350 for F-1 students |
| What happens after payment? | Print the receipt and present proof of payment at the visa interview |
| What if I need to correct my receipt? | Email [email protected] at least two weeks before the visa interview |
| What if I don't pay the fee? | SEVP and DoS will terminate your SEVIS record and place a flag on your name, alerting CBP officers at ports of entry |
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What You'll Learn
Payment methods for the I-901 SEVIS fee
To pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee, prospective students must visit FMJfee.com to access the SEVIS Form I-901. After filling out the form, students can choose from a variety of payment methods.
Credit Card Payment
All prospective F or M students have the option to pay by credit card on FMJfee.com. However, students with a country of citizenship or country of birth of Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or Gambia are restricted from paying by credit card.
Third-Party Payment
The SEVP will accept third-party payments, meaning someone else can pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee using the same methods mentioned in this list. However, third parties are restricted from paying by credit card.
Western Union Quick Pay/Quick Collect
Students who are unable to pay by credit card can use Western Union Quick Pay/Quick Collect. They can access the form on the SEVP website and mail it in with their check or money order.
Check or Money Order
Prospective students can also pay by check or money order. They must print and mail in their paper SEVIS Form I-901 with their check or money order, following the instructions on the form. They should make it payable to I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee and include their name and SEVIS ID number.
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F, M, and J visa categories
Prospective students with F, M, and J visa categories are required to pay the mandated I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees.
F and M visa categories
Regulation requires all prospective F and M students to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues a visa. To pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee, visit FMJfee.com to access the SEVIS Form I-901. Prospective F and M students will need to provide their name, address, date of birth, email address, country of birth and citizenship, School Code, and SEVIS Identification Number. An F or M student applying for reinstatement of student status due to a violation of status needs to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee when the student has been out of status for more than five months.
J visa category
All new J-1 Scholars using DS-2019 must pay a $220 SEVIS fee before applying for a U.S. visa. J-2 dependents do not have to pay the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee. The SEVIS fee must be paid at least three days before submitting the application for a U.S. visa.
General payment information
Payment can be made online or by mail in the form of a check or money order. Third-party payment is permitted. After completing the payment, print a receipt of payment from the FMJfee.com website. This printed confirmation will serve as proof of payment for the I-901 SEVIS Fee and must be presented at the visa interview.
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Deadlines and consequences of non-payment
Prospective students must pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee before the Department of State issues their visa. This applies to all prospective F and M students, whether from countries where a visa to travel to the United States is mandatory or from visa waiver countries.
The I-901 SEVIS fee must be paid within 30 days of receiving a Form I-515A. Failure to pay within this timeframe will result in the following consequences:
- SEVP will terminate the SEVIS records of F or M students, and the Department of State will terminate the records of J exchange visitors.
- The SEVIS records will show a termination reason code, such as "Otherwise Failing to Maintain Status" for F and M students and "Other" for J exchange visitors.
- A flag will be placed on the name and SEVIS record of the student or exchange visitor, alerting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the ports of entry about the fee payment fraud.
It is important to note that if you are reapplying for a visa within 12 months of your initial SEVIS I-901 fee payment, you do not need to pay the fee again. Additionally, if you are a continuing student who has maintained status and has not completed your program using the same SEVIS ID, you are exempt from paying the SEVIS I-901 fee.
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Payment confirmation and record
Once you have paid the I-901 SEVIS fee, you will need to present proof of payment at your visa interview. You can print a receipt of payment from FMJfee.com. It is recommended that you retain a copy of your receipt, as it will make it easier to prove you have paid. You should keep your receipt for your entire period in the United States, and present a copy of the receipt with your visa application at the US consulate and at the US port of entry. You should also carry the receipt with you during any future travel to the United States.
If you notice any misspellings on your receipt, or you would like to transfer your payment to a new SEVIS record, you must first email a detailed request to [email protected]. Due to the high volume of requests, you should email at least two weeks before your visa interview to ensure enough time for the changes to be completed. You can check the status of your request by logging into FMJfee.com and reviewing the status of your correction.
If the SEVIS ID is different, you can email [email protected] to confirm if a new I-901 SEVIS fee payment is required. You do not need to pay the fee again if you are currently in the United States as a nonimmigrant student or exchange visitor and have maintained your status.
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Transferability and refunds
The SEVIS fee is a one-time payment and, in general, students do not need to pay it more than once. However, there are certain circumstances where a transfer of the fee may be required.
If you are a continuing student who has maintained status and has not completed your program of study using the same SEVIS ID, you do not need to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee again. This applies if you are transferring or changing program levels using the same SEVIS ID. Similarly, if you are an F-1 or F-3 student transferring between approved schools at the same educational level, you do not need to pay the fee again.
However, if you receive a different SEVIS ID, a fee transfer will be required. This applies to F students who have been issued an I-20 with a new SEVIS ID number and who reapply for a visa within 12 months of their initial fee payment. In this case, you must email a detailed request for a fee transfer to [email protected]. You should do this at least two weeks before your visa interview to ensure enough time for processing.
If you are an exchange visitor transferring from a SEVIS I-901 fee-exempt program to one where the fee is required, you must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. This also applies if you are changing exchange visitor categories, unless the new program code starts with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7.
In terms of refunds, it appears that there are no explicit provisions for refunds of the SEVIS fee. However, if there are issues with the payment, such as misspellings or incorrect information, you can request corrections by emailing [email protected].
It is important to note that failure to pay the SEVIS fee within 30 days will result in termination of SEVIS records and a flag on the student's or exchange visitor's name, indicating fee payment fraud.
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Frequently asked questions
The SEVIS fee is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System fee, which funds the operation of the US government's Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The fee is $350 for F-1 students.
F and M students need to pay the SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues a visa. Dependents of F-1, M-1 or J-1 students who will be applying for an F-2, M-2 or J-2 visa do not have to pay the fee.
You can pay the SEVIS fee online or by mail. It is recommended that you pay online as it is the fastest method. To pay online, visit FMJfee.com to access the SEVIS Form I-901. You will need to provide your name, address, date of birth, email address, country of birth and citizenship, school code, and SEVIS identification number. You can pay by credit card, or, if your country of citizenship or birth is Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or Gambia, you must pay by money order, Western Union Quick Pay or certified check drawn from a US bank.
You will receive a printed confirmation of your payment, which you must present at your visa interview. You can also obtain Form I-901 (Fee Remittance for Certain F Nonimmigrants) by downloading it or requesting it by phone. Keep a copy of your receipt with your other immigration documents.
