Updates On F And M School Recertification
Please stay tuned to this page for updates regarding F/M school recertification. Updates will be posted as they become available.
August 18, 2009 
After some NAFSA members reported receiving a 180-day recertification notice e-mail, on August 18, NAFSA inquired with SEVP to confirm whether the recertification process had indeed been restarted, even though SEVP had been indicating that recertification may be rolled into SEVIS II transition. Later the same day, SEVP sent out the following message to those who had received the 180-day notice: "Please disregard any notification you receive about recertification at this time. The recertification messages are being sent erroneously via SEVIS and should be disregarded at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."
May 22, 2009
SEVP has stated in meetings that the school recertification process will likely be postponed to coincide with SEVIS II implementation, currently scheduled for 2010.
January 27, 2009
On January 27, 2009, SEVP sent an e-mail to SEVIS users informing them of recertification delay. It is still important that institutions continue to review their compliance with current regulations, and ensure that their school's I-17 information is up to date.
October 27, 2008
The final SEVIS fee/recertification rule became effective on Monday, 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. Content on this topic has been updated in the NAFSA Adviser's Manual Online.
September 26, 2008
ICE published the final SEVIS fee/recertification rule on September 26, 2008. The rule is effective on October 27, 2008.
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 [NAFSA note: see delay notice sent out on January 27, 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.
- There will be no fee for recertification.
The guidance also identified the following areas that schools should review now, in preparation for recertification:
- Make sure that all DSO listings and contact information is accurate and up-to-date, including DSO e-mail addresses (for example, an extra space or character will prevent an e-mail being received)
- Ensure that any e-mail firewalls will not prevent receipt of e-mails from sysadmin.sevis@dhs.gov
- Ensure that the ownership field in SEVIS lists the corect owner name.
- Ensure that all "campuses" are listed on the school's Form I-17. Although the term "campus" is not defined in the regulations, the SEVP guidance states that an instructional location will be considered a campus for SEVIS purposes if it:
- Meets the Department of Education's definition of a "branch campus" [see 34 CFR 600.2] or
- Is an instructional location where students "can either complete their degree requirements for a program of study or complete more than 51% of their requirements for a program of study..."
June 19, 2008
On June 19, 2008, NAFSA submitted a comment letter regarding the April 21 proposed SEVIS Fee and Recertification rule.
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."
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. Also tead NAFSA's compiled version of the proposed rule.