Do I need a SEVIS certified school in order to apply for a Student Visa?

Do I need a SEVIS certified school in order to apply for a student visa? Yes, SEVIS is a mandatory registration system for all those who want to study in the USA. The fee is $350 and must be paid no later than three business days prior to the visa interview.

You will provide your SEVIS ID, which appears on Form I-20, and fill in all the necessary data. Then you will choose your payment method: credit card, Western Union, or money order/check.

What is SEVIS for international students?

The initials SEVIS means Student and Exchange Visitor Information System is a system that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uses to maintain information on Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools, F-1 and M-1 students who come to the United States to attend those schools, U.S. Department of State-designated Exchange Visitor Program sponsors and J-1 visa Exchange Visitor Program participants.

Schools use SEVIS to petition SEVP for certification, which allows the school to offer programs of study to nonimmigrant students.

Designated school officials of SEVP-certified schools use SEVIS to:

• Update school information and apply for recertification of the school for continued ability to issue Forms I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” to nonimmigrant students and their dependents;
• Issue Forms I-20 to specific nonimmigrants to obtain F or M status while enrolled at the school;
• Fulfill the school’s legal reporting responsibility regarding student addresses, courses of study, enrollment, employment, and compliance with the terms of the student status;
• Transfer the student SEVIS records to other institutions;

Exchange Visitor programs use SEVIS to petition the Department of State for designation that allows the sponsor to offer educational and cultural exchange programs to exchange visitors.

Responsible officers of designated Exchange Visitor programs use this system to:

• Update sponsor information and apply for re-designation every two years;
• Issue Forms DS-2019, “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status,” to specific individuals to obtain J status;
• Fulfill the sponsor’s legal reporting responsibility regarding exchange visitor addresses, sites of activity, program participation, employment, and compliance with the terms of the J status;
• Transfer exchange visitor SEVIS records to other institutions;

So, SEVIS is a U.S. Government database that allows schools and federal immigration agencies to exchange data on the status of international students. Information is transmitted electronically throughout an F-1 or J-1 student’s academic career in the U.S.

What is the SEVIS fee for international students?

You will need to fill in Form I-901 with information from your Form I-20 or DS-2019 and pay the required fee. In most of the cases, the I-901 SEVIS fee is $350. Contact us, for more detailed fees or other information about immigration services.

How long is a SEVIS fee valid?

Payment of the fee is valid in the SEVIS database for a maximum of 12 months, but it can take from two to five weeks if paying by mail to process, so planning is necessary if this payment method is chosen.

What is the difference between SEVIS fee and Visa fee?

The SEVIS fee is separate from the visa application fee (DS-160 fee) or fees payable to USCIS for an application to request a change of status. The fee can be paid online or by mail. It can be paid for by you, or other people.

To learn more about immigration services read our blog, contact us to get more information about this and other topics. Wizard Visa offers the best service to help you become a US citizen!

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