All students who will continue their education in the United States and are eligible for an F, M, or J visa must register for SEVIS and make their SEVIS payments at least three days before their visa appointment.
SEVIS stands for "Student and Exchange Visitor Information System," and all applicants in the above-mentioned groups must be registered in the system to obtain a visa.
Prospective students' initial SEVIS registration is conducted by the institution from which they have been accepted and where they plan to study. The student's acceptance letter is then generated with a unique SEVIS ID number and shared with the acceptance document.
Even if students change institutions, their SEVIS numbers remain constant, and they continue their education without paying a new SEVIS fee.
The student's arrival is recorded in the system upon their first entry into the United States, and SEVIS maintains the student's record. In other words, the SEVIS system tracks the student's academic activity.
Each student has a designated authorized person (DSO) responsible for entering the student's information listed below into the system.
The student's address in the United States
The student's course registration information
If the student has taken a leave/holiday, the authorized person will enter these dates into the system.
If the student transfers to another institution, the student's SEVIS record will also be changed to the name of the new school. Each student can be listed under only one educational institution.
If the student cannot complete their studies within the time period provided and specified in their admission documents, an extension will be entered into the system. To do this, the student must contact their institution at least 30 days before the end of their program.
The student's completion of the program or withdrawal from the program—for more than six months—will be recorded in the SEVIS record.
In cases where a student does not attend classes or is dismissed from the institution, the SEVIS record is deleted.
The SEVIS fee was set at $350 in 2019 and is paid online at www.fmjfee.com.
Müge Arman Evren
Certified Overseas College Counselor
