SEVIS Fee

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal SEVIS Fee took effect on September 1, 2004. The fee is generally a one-time fee (see exceptions below) and is required of those who are applying for an F-1 visa.  Proof of fee payment must be presented at the visa interview and/or the port of entry.

PLEASE NOTE: SEVIS Fees are $350 for F-1 Students.

You must pay the SEVIS fee if you are:

• Seeking an initial F-1 visa from an embassy or consulate abroad for initial studies.
• Seeking a change-of-status to F-1 student status by filing an I-539 from within the U.S.
• A CANADIAN or BAHAMIAN citizen: who does not need a visa to enter the United States, but who will be entering at a U.S. port-of-entry to begin studies as an F-1 student.
• Out-of-status for more than 5 months and seeking reinstatement by filing an I-539 from within the U.S.

F-2 Dependents
F-2 dependents DO NOT have to pay a separate SEVIS Fee. Dependents are exempt from paying the SEVIS Fee.

SEVIS Fee Rules

1. The SEVIS fee must be processed at least three business days before the visa interview, unless you have a printed receipt from an Internet payment.
2. The SEVIS fee cannot be paid at the embassy or consulate or at the U.S. Border.
3. A visa will not be issued unless the visa officer can verify that the SEVIS fee payment has been made. However, you may schedule your visa interview prior to paying the SEVIS fee.
4. The SEVIS fee is not refundable. If your visa application is denied, and you decide to re-apply for the same type of visa at a later date, you will not be asked to make a second SEVIS fee payment as long as your visa application is made within 12 months of the initial denial.
5. If the SEVIS fee is not paid, your F-1 visa record cannot be validated and registered in SEVIS.

How to Complete the I-901 and Pay the SEVIS Fee
Payment of the SEVIS fee may be made by you or by any other individual, either in the United States or abroad, including family or friends. However, anyone paying the fee on your behalf will need to have a copy of your I-20 form, or a completed copy of Form I-901.

To complete form I-901, you must enter some basic information:

1. F-1 Student Visa applicants need to enter the UA SEVIS SCHOOL CODE: ATL214F01174000,

2. You must enter your SEVIS ID number (e.g. N00*******), which is printed at the top of the I-20 form.

Using South Florida Bible College's I-20, you may currently complete the Form I-901 and pay the SEVIS Fee using one of three payment methods:

1. Payment in U.S. dollars by credit card online at http://www.fmjfee.com/ (Note: students from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Gambia cannot pay by credit card online, see information below) , or

2. Payment by mail in U.S. dollars by check, money order, or bank draft, drawn on a U.S. bank, and mailed to an address in the United States,

   • To pay by mail, you must download and print form I-901 from http://www.fmjfee.com/, fill out the form and mail it with your payment to I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee, 1005 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63101, United States – Phone Number: 1-314-418-8833.

   • Your payment must be in U.S. dollars by check, money order or bank draft, drawn on a U.S. bank. Your check, bank draft or money order should be made payable to: “I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee.”  Also, be sure to print your name and SEVIS ID number in the lower left-hand corner of the check, money order or bank draft.

   • The need for a check, bank draft or money order in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank does not mean that only a U.S. bank can issue the document. Many foreign banks are able to issue checks or money orders drawn on a U.S. bank, because they are chartered in the United States, or because they are foreign subsidiaries of a U.S. bank, or because they have arrangements with a U.S. bank to issue a check, money order, or foreign draft that is drawn on a U.S. bank.

   • Payment by mail is not the recommended process for fee payment from abroad, as it can take as long as four weeks from the day you mail in the fee to the day that you receive the required receipt in the mail if you are applying from outside the United States, unless you pay for courier service.

3. Payment via Western Union:

   • Fill out the Form I-901 online at http://www.fmjfee.com/. A payment coupon will be generated upon completion of the form.

   • Print a copy of the payment coupon and take it to your local Western Union.

   • Fill out the Quick Collect/Quick Pay Form according to the information found at the bottom of the printed coupon. Example below:
     Company Name (or Code City): SEVISFEE
     Account Number: Coupon Number (ex: 010222013872390)
     Amount: $350 for F-1 students
     Present the coupon and your payment to the Western Union Agent for processing.

   • Payment will be linked to your Form I-901 and your online payment confirmation will be available immediately at http://www.fmjfee.com/.

Special note for students from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Gambia – from Study In The States

• A prospective F-1 student with a country of citizenship or country of birth of Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or Gambia must pay by money order, Western Union Quick Pay or certified check drawn from a U.S. bank.  Students from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or Gambia cannot pay by credit card, and third party payers are also restricted from paying the fee by credit card on the student’s behalf.

• All other prospective F-1 students also have the option to make a credit card payment on FMJfee.com.

• SEVP will accept third party payments, meaning someone else can pay your I-901 SEVIS Fee. Again, for students who cannot pay the fee by credit card, third party payers are also restricted from paying the fee by credit card.

Showing Proof of SEVIS Fee Payment at the Visa Interview and the U.S. Port of Entry
You must be able to prove that the fee has been paid when you appear for your visa interview, and when you enter the United States. This is done by presenting a printed receipt, either from the Internet if you made an on-line payment or a mailed receipt if you paid by mail.

Visa officers and U.S. port-of entry inspectors should be able to verify SEVIS fee payment electronically three business days after payment is processed, but in case of problems, having a printed receipt is the best evidence of fee payment. If you lose or did not receive a receipt for fee payment, the U.S. government does retain an electronic record that the fee has been paid.

The visa will not be issued unless verification of the SEVIS fee payment can be made.