Regulatory Information
Updates On SEVIS Fees And F/M School Recertification
Please stay tuned to this page for updates regarding the proposed SEVIS Fee and F/M school recertification rule. Updates will be posted as they become available.
September 26, 2008
ICE published the final SEVIS fee/recertification rule on September 26, 2008. The rule is effective on October 27, 2008. Changes include: fee hikes of SEVIS I-901, initial certification, and site visit fees; rules for recertification of F and M schools; and new I-17 and maintenance of school certification rules.
September 25, 2008
SEVP sent a broadcast message to SEVIS users explaining some basics of the SEVIS fee/recertification rule that will go into effect on October 27, 2008. Important information conveyed in the broadcast message includes:
September 25, 2008
The SEVIS fee/recertification rule was posted in the Thursday, September 25, public inspection list, and is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Friday, September 26. It will become effective 30 days from then, on October 27, 2008. SEVP has posted an advance copy of the SEVIS fee/recertification rule on their Web site.
September 23, 2008
Over 2 weeks have passed since OMB completed its review of the final SEVIS fee/school recertification rule, but DHS has still not published the rule in the Federal Register. Publication of the rule in the Federal Register must occur before we know the details of the recertification program, as well as what the actual effective date of the rule will be.
September 8, 2008
On September 5, 2008, OMB completed its review of the final SEVIS fee/school recertification rule. DHS had submitted the final rule to OMB on August 19, 2008. Publication of the final rule in the Federal Register is expected shortly. The proposed rule aimed for an effective date of October 1, 2008.
August 21, 2008
DHS submitted the final SEVIS fee/school recertification rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 19, 2008. This places the rule in the final stages of review before being cleared for publication in the Federal Register. The proposed rule aimed for an effective date of October 1, 2008. To achieve that, OMB would have to complete its review rather quickly.
June 19, 2008
On June 19, 2008, NAFSA submitted a comment letter regarding the April 21 proposed SEVIS Fee and Recertification rule. Written comments must be submitted to DHS on or before June 20, 2008.
May 21, 2008
The question about whether a school would have to pay a fee for recertification under the proposed rule continues to come up occasionally. To clarify: No separate fee is proposed for recertification. The proposed rule's supplementary information [p. 21266] states that "The cost of recertification is incorporated in the I–901 SEVIS fee." Also see the SEVP Fee and Recertification FAQ (49kb
), which clearly states, "Q. Is there a fee for recertification? > No. There is no separate fee for school recertification."
May 9, 2008
NAFSA has compiled a version of the proposed F/M recertification rule that shows how the proposed rule would modify the current rule. With notes. Read NAFSA's compiled version of the proposed rule.
April 21, 2008
On April 21, 2008, DHS published a proposed rule that would raise the SEVIS I-901 fee and initial F/M certification fee, specify basic requirements for applying for F or M certification and recertification, and specify new requirements for record keeping and reporting. Written comments must be submitted to DHS on or before June 20, 2008. Read the Proposed Rule Published in Federal Register.
September 26, 2008
ICE published the final SEVIS fee/recertification rule on September 26, 2008. The rule is effective on October 27, 2008. Changes include: fee hikes of SEVIS I-901, initial certification, and site visit fees; rules for recertification of F and M schools; and new I-17 and maintenance of school certification rules.
- Read the final rule
- Read SEVP's Preliminary Guidance on the final rule
- Read NAFSA's compiled version of the final rule
September 25, 2008
SEVP sent a broadcast message to SEVIS users explaining some basics of the SEVIS fee/recertification rule that will go into effect on October 27, 2008. Important information conveyed in the broadcast message includes:
- Recertification will occur in phases, i.e., not all schools will apply for recertification at the same time.
- There will be about 400 schools included in the first phase. SEVP expects to send that first group a notice on January 2, 2009, informing those schools that they will have 180 days from that date to complete their application for recertification.
- Each month following the first notification, SEVP will send 180-day notices to additional schools, until all schools currently eligible for recertification have gone through the process.
- A school cannot begin the recertification process until it receives its 180-day notice. The notice will be sent to the PDSO and all DSOs as well.
- After being recertified the first time, schools will receive a new certification expiration date, and will then have to apply for recertification before that date every two years thereafter.
- Schools should begin reviewing their Forms I-17 and student SEVIS records now, to make sure that all information is accurate. SEVP reminds schools that site visit fees for changes of school location and addition of campuses will raise to $655 per campus (up from $350), and fees for new certifications will raise to $1,700 (up from $230), effective October 27, 2008. There will be no fee for recertification.
- The new SEVIS I-901 fee structure effective October 27, 2008 is $200 for F-1 and M-1 applicants; $180 for most J-1 exchange visitors, except J-1 au pairs, camp counselors, and summer work/travel program participants, for whom the fee will continue to be $35, and J-1 government visitors, for whom the fee will continue to be $0.
September 25, 2008
The SEVIS fee/recertification rule was posted in the Thursday, September 25, public inspection list, and is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Friday, September 26. It will become effective 30 days from then, on October 27, 2008. SEVP has posted an advance copy of the SEVIS fee/recertification rule on their Web site.
September 23, 2008
Over 2 weeks have passed since OMB completed its review of the final SEVIS fee/school recertification rule, but DHS has still not published the rule in the Federal Register. Publication of the rule in the Federal Register must occur before we know the details of the recertification program, as well as what the actual effective date of the rule will be.
September 8, 2008
On September 5, 2008, OMB completed its review of the final SEVIS fee/school recertification rule. DHS had submitted the final rule to OMB on August 19, 2008. Publication of the final rule in the Federal Register is expected shortly. The proposed rule aimed for an effective date of October 1, 2008.
August 21, 2008
DHS submitted the final SEVIS fee/school recertification rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 19, 2008. This places the rule in the final stages of review before being cleared for publication in the Federal Register. The proposed rule aimed for an effective date of October 1, 2008. To achieve that, OMB would have to complete its review rather quickly.
June 19, 2008
On June 19, 2008, NAFSA submitted a comment letter regarding the April 21 proposed SEVIS Fee and Recertification rule. Written comments must be submitted to DHS on or before June 20, 2008.
May 21, 2008
The question about whether a school would have to pay a fee for recertification under the proposed rule continues to come up occasionally. To clarify: No separate fee is proposed for recertification. The proposed rule's supplementary information [p. 21266] states that "The cost of recertification is incorporated in the I–901 SEVIS fee." Also see the SEVP Fee and Recertification FAQ (49kb
), which clearly states, "Q. Is there a fee for recertification? > No. There is no separate fee for school recertification." May 9, 2008
NAFSA has compiled a version of the proposed F/M recertification rule that shows how the proposed rule would modify the current rule. With notes. Read NAFSA's compiled version of the proposed rule.
April 21, 2008
On April 21, 2008, DHS published a proposed rule that would raise the SEVIS I-901 fee and initial F/M certification fee, specify basic requirements for applying for F or M certification and recertification, and specify new requirements for record keeping and reporting. Written comments must be submitted to DHS on or before June 20, 2008. Read the Proposed Rule Published in Federal Register.
