Savanna Hoffman
The I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee is mandated by the United States Congress and must be paid by all international students and exchange visitors before a student visa is issued. The fee supports the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS, which is an automated system that keeps track of students and exchange visitors and ensures they maintain their status. Failure to pay the SEVIS fee within 30 days will result in the termination of SEVIS records and a Fraud Alert flag on the individual's record, alerting Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who needs to pay the fee? | All prospective F, M, and J students |
| When to pay the fee | Before the Department of State issues a visa |
| Fee amount | $350 |
| Fee payment method | www.fmjfee.com |
| Fee payment proof | Printed confirmation |
| Fee payment deadline | 30 days |
| Fee payment exemption | Dependents of F-1, M-1, or J-1 students |
| Fee payment for F-1 renewal | Not required if the SEVIS ID number remains the same |
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What You'll Learn
- Students must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues a visa
- Students must present proof of payment at their visa interview
- Schools and sponsors can pay the fee on behalf of students
- Students who don't pay within 30 days will have their SEVIS records terminated
- Dependents of F-1, M-1 or J-1 students are exempt from the fee
Students must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues a visa
The I-901 SEVIS fee applies to all prospective F, M, and J students. Students can pay the fee on www.fmjfee.com and must provide their name, address, date of birth, email address, country of birth and citizenship, school code, and SEVIS identification number. After payment, students must print a receipt of payment, which will serve as proof of payment for the visa interview.
There are some exceptions to the I-901 SEVIS fee. For example, a dependent of an F-1, M-1, or J-1 student applying for an F-2, M-2, or J-2 visa is exempt from paying the fee. Additionally, students who have been working towards completing a course of study for an SEVP-certified school in authorized overseas study may also be exempt. Students can contact their designated school official (DSO) to discuss their specific circumstances.
If students fail to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee within 30 days of receiving their Form I-515A, the SEVP and the Department of State will take action. For F and M students, the SEVP will terminate their SEVIS records, and their status will show as "Terminated" with the reason code "Otherwise Failing to Maintain Status." For J exchange visitors, the DoS will terminate their SEVIS records, and their status will show as "Terminated" with the reason code "Fee Payment Fraud Alert."
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Students must present proof of payment at their visa interview
Students who are required to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee must pay it before their visa interview. This includes all prospective F, M, and J students. Failure to pay the fee before the interview will result in the Department of State (DoS) denying the student's visa application.
The printed confirmation of payment will serve as proof of payment for the I-901 SEVIS fee and must be presented at the visa interview. Students can print this receipt of payment from FMJfee.com after completing their I-901 payment. It is recommended that students keep their receipts along with other records pertaining to their nonimmigrant status, as it will be useful when applying for subsequent visas while continuing at the same school or exchange visitor program.
Students can request corrections to their I-901 SEVIS fee receipt by emailing a detailed request to [email protected]. Requests should be made at least two weeks before the visa interview to ensure enough time for the changes to be completed. Students can then check the status of their request by logging into FMJfee.com and printing their corrected I-901 SEVIS fee receipt.
While embassies or consulates should be able to electronically verify a student's payment, having the physical receipt on hand proves that the payment was processed correctly and speeds up the verification process. Students who are unsure if they need to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee can refer to the "Do I pay the fee?" section on the ICE website for more information.
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Schools and sponsors can pay the fee on behalf of students
Schools and sponsors can pay the SEVIS I-901 fee on behalf of students. However, they are not mandated to do so. If a school or sponsor chooses to pay the fee on behalf of a student, they will receive a receipt as proof of payment. This receipt can be printed from www.fmjfee.com.
It is important to note that some schools or sponsors may charge an additional institutional fee to support their costs for administering SEVIS. These fees are not paid to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and are separate from the mandatory I-901 SEVIS fee. Therefore, students should clarify with their school or sponsor whether the fee they are paying is the mandatory government fee or an additional institutional fee.
In the case where a school or sponsor chooses to collect the mandatory I-901 SEVIS fee, students can print their fee confirmation from www.fmjfee.com. This confirmation serves as proof of payment and is required during the student visa interview.
Additionally, certain exchange visitor program sponsors may be authorized to make bulk payments for multiple exchange visitors participating in their program. These bulk payments can be made electronically using ACH. Students should be notified by their program if they are included in a bulk payment.
Overall, while schools and sponsors have the option to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee on behalf of students, it is not a requirement, and students should be aware of any additional institutional fees that may be charged by their school or sponsor.
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Students who don't pay within 30 days will have their SEVIS records terminated
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) requires all prospective F, M, and J students to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues a visa. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees. The SEVIS fee funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS, which is the core technology that keeps track of students and exchange visitors and ensures that they maintain their status while in the United States.
If a student fails to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee within 30 days, their SEVIS records will be terminated. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the Department of State (DoS) will take 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 F or M students, and DoS will terminate the SEVIS records of J exchange visitors. The SEVIS records will show a termination with a specific reason code, and the comments will note a "Fee Payment Fraud Alert." Additionally, a flag will be placed on the name and SEVIS record, alerting the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers about the fraud alert due to the failure to make the fee payment.
It is important to note that there are some exceptions to the I-901 SEVIS fee requirement. For instance, a dependent of an F-1, M-1, or J-1 student applying for an F-2, M-2, or J-2 visa is exempt from paying the fee. Students who have been working towards completing a course of study for an SEVP-certified school in authorized overseas study may also be exempt. Additionally, schools and exchange visitor program sponsors have the option to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee for prospective students, but they are not required to do so.
To pay the I-901 SEVIS fee, students can visit FMJfee.com and provide their personal information, including name, address, date of birth, country of birth and citizenship, school code, and SEVIS identification number. After making the payment, students should print the receipt as proof of payment, which they must present during their visa interview.
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Dependents of F-1, M-1 or J-1 students are exempt from the fee
Generally, prospective F, M, and J students are mandated by Congress to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues a visa. The fee supports the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the automated system that keeps track of students and exchange visitors. However, there are exemptions to this rule.
Dependents of F-1, M-1, or J-1 students who will be applying for an F-2, M-2, or J-2 visa are exempt from paying the I-901 SEVIS fee. This exemption applies to spouses and minor children of students and exchange visitors. These individuals are classified as F-2, M-2, or J-2 nonimmigrants. However, if a spouse or minor child wishes to change their status to F-1, M-1, or J-1, they must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before filing a change of status application.
It is important to note that the I-901 SEVIS fee is separate from visa fees, school SEVIS administration fees, and any other institutional fees charged by schools or exchange visitor program sponsors. While schools and sponsors have the option to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee on behalf of prospective students or exchange visitors, they are not required to do so.
Students who fail to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee within 30 days will face consequences. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the Department of State (DoS) will terminate the SEVIS records of these individuals, indicating a failure to maintain status due to fee payment fraud. This information will be flagged and shared with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at ports of entry.
To pay the I-901 SEVIS fee, prospective F and M students must provide their name, address, date of birth, email address, country of birth, country of citizenship, School Code, and SEVIS Identification Number. Payment can be made online at FMJfee.com, and a printed confirmation will serve as proof of payment. Students can also pay by money order, Western Union Quick Pay, or certified check if they are from specific countries.
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Frequently asked questions
The I-901 SEVIS fee is a mandatory fee that funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and SEVIS. This fee is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees.
Students must pay the SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues a visa. If a student fails to pay the fee within 30 days, their SEVIS record will be terminated, and they may be subject to investigation and possible removal.
Yes, there are some exceptions. Dependents of F-1, M-1, or J-1 students applying for F-2, M-2, or J-2 visas are exempt. Students who have been working towards completing a course at a SEVP-certified school in authorized overseas study may also be exempt.
Students can pay the SEVIS fee online at www.fmjfee.com or [email protected]. They will need to provide their name, address, date of birth, email address, country of birth and citizenship, school code, and SEVIS identification number.
