SEVIS Fee for F-1 Visa 2024: What is and How to Pay?

The SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee is an important step of the US student visa application procedure. This fee is administered by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to keep track of the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) certified schools, F-1 and M-1 students who come to the United States to attend those schools, and the United States

This Story also Contains

1. What is the SEVIS Fee?
2. Who is Exempt from the SEVIS Fee?
3. SEVIS Fee for F-1 Students
4. SEVIS Fee Payment 2024
5. What if my F-1 visa application is denied?
6. How to apply for an F-1 visa 2024?
7. Instructions for Visa Applications

All students seeking F-1/J-1 status are required to pay a one-time SEVIS I-901 fee 2024. The I-901 Sevis Fee is USD 350 for international students on F or M visas. Paying the SEVIS fee is one of the first steps in obtaining a US student visa. The SEVIS fee cost must be paid before the visa interview at a US embassy.

After paying the fee, students will receive a SEVIS fee confirmation receipt, which they must submit at the visa interview. Read this article to learn about the SEVIS fee 2024, including its cost, payment options, and more.

What is the SEVIS Fee?

All students seeking F-1/J-1 status are required to pay a one-time SEVIS I-901 fee. This fee covers the expenses of operating the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and is different from other visa and reciprocity payments. To study in USA, students must pay the SEVIS fee for a student visa as mentioned below.

SEVIS Fees 2024

Who is Exempt from the SEVIS Fee?

Continuing students who have not left the United States for 5 months or more and are attending the same school using the same SEVIS ID number do not need to pay the SEVIS fee again on returning to the country or registering for a new visa. F-2 and J-2 dependents do not have to pay the SEVIS fee.

SEVIS Fee for F-1 Students

F-1 students must pay the SEVIS fee USA once for each programme. SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The charge supports the Student and Exchange Visitor System, which controls SEVIS.

Candidates must pay the SEVIS fee if they are:

• Applying for a visa as a new student starting an IU programme with an I-20

• Applying for transforming your status to F-1 from another non-immigrant category while in the US.

• Seeking for readmission after being out of status in the United States for more than five months.

Applicants do not need to pay the SEVIS fee if they are:

If you are an F-1 student in a legal position shifting between institutions in the United States or an F-1 student dependent with F-2 status, you are exempt from paying the SEVIS fee.

SEVIS Fee Payment 2024

The I-901 SEVIS fee can be paid online or by mail. It can be paid by individuals or a third party, either from inside or outside the United States. No matter which method is used, the payment must be accompanied by Form I-901.

Suppose you are an F-1 student from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, or Gambia. In that case, you must pay with a money order, Western Union Quick Pay, or a certified cheque issued by a US bank.

Steps To pay the SEVIS fee online

• Go to the SEVIS fee processing website.

• Fill out Form I-901 online (be sure to enter your name exactly as it appears on your I-20) and provide the required MasterCard, Visa, or American Express credit card information.

• Print a copy of your online receipt.

• Keep a copy of your receipt among your other immigration documentation.

Steps To pay the SEVIS fee through Western Union Quick Pay

• Complete Form I-901. You will be given a unique payment coupon number, which you must use to confirm and complete your payment at Western Union. You cannot pay the SEVIS charge by Western Union until you have a coupon code.

• Print a copy of the payment coupon and submit it to your nearest Western Union office.

• Fill out the Quick Collect/Quick Pay Form using the information located at the bottom of the printed coupon.

• Present the coupon and money to the Western Union representative for processing.

Steps To pay the SEVIS fee by mail

• Get an I-901 form, which is a fee remittance for certain F non-immigrants. The form can be downloaded or requested by phone at 1-800-870-3676 (within the United States).

• Complete Form I-901. Make sure your name is exactly the same as it appears on your I-20 form.

• Submit a USD 350 cheque, international money order, or foreign draft (issued on US banks only), payable to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security."

• Send the completed Form I-901 and payment to the address shown on Form I-901.

• You can print your I-901 receipt online once ICE has received it. Keep these documents alongside your other necessary immigration documentation.

What if my F-1 visa application is denied?

SEVIS fees will not be reimbursed. The SEVIS fee validity is 12 months from the date of your payment. However, if you reapply for a new F-1 visa within 12 months of the refusal, you will not be charged the fee again.

How to apply for an F-1 visa 2024?

If you have an I-20, you should apply for an F-1 visa stamp. The steps to apply for an F-1 visa are mentioned below:

Steps to Apply for F-1 Visa 2024

Step 1: Pay the SEVIS charge, and you will be required to present your payment receipt for the SEVIS fee when you arrive for your visa interview.

Step 2: Schedule a visa appointment with the United States Embassy in your native country.

Contact the US embassy nearest to you as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. This is important since the wait time for an appointment and visa issuance differs.

Step 3: When you attend for your visa appointment, you will be asked to present several types of documents, including:

• I-20

• Valid passport

• A payment receipt will be generated from your online SEVIS fee confirmation.

• Visa Application Forms

• Current financial documents detailing the sources and amounts of financial aid you have received for the current or forthcoming academic year. It must correspond to the information stated on your I-20.

Step 4: Since you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa, you have to prove to the consular official that you do not plan to immigrate to the United States. In other words, you need to demonstrate to him or her that you have strong goals to return home after graduation.

Instructions for Visa Applications

• Applicants are required to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee at least three days before the visa interview (or sooner if not paying through a credit card).

• Complete the DS-160 visa application.

• Pay the Visa Application Fee (MRV).

• Schedule a visa appointment with the Embassy/Consulate nearest to your area.

• Read important visa application suggestions on the NAFSA website.

• Please bring the following documents: DS-160 bar code receipt, MRV receipt, SEVIS fee receipt, original I-20/DS-2019, passport, financial guarantee, pictures, and any additional information requested on the US Consulate website.

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