I-901 SEVIS Fee: Amounts, Payment, and Confirmation

The I-901 SEVIS fee is a mandatory U.S. government charge that international students and exchange visitors must pay before a visa interview or U.S. port-of-entry admission. It funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and the tracking system used to monitor nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors while they are in the country. The amount is $350 for F and M students and $220 for most J-1 exchange visitors, with a lower $35 rate for certain short-term J-1 categories.¹²

Who Pays and How Much

The fee applies to prospective nonimmigrants seeking F-1, F-3, M-1, M-3, or J-1 status.¹ The current amounts, in effect since June 24, 2019, are:

$350 for F-1, F-3, M-1, and M-3 students.
$220 for J-1 exchange visitors in standard categories.
$35 for J-1 participants in summer work/travel, au pair, or camp counselor programs.³

This is separate from the Department of State visa application fee and from any administrative fee charged by your school.⁴ There are no fee waivers, but a third party may pay on your behalf.²

Who Is Exempt

Spouses and minor children holding F-2, M-2, or J-2 dependent visas do not pay the fee. Neither do J-1 exchange visitors in federally sponsored programs whose program codes begin with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7.²

You also generally do not pay again if you are continuing in status on the same SEVIS ID, including when transferring schools or changing educational levels within the same visa classification. Students and exchange visitors returning from an absence of fewer than five months are treated the same way. If your visa application is denied, you can reapply for the same visa type within 12 months of the original payment date without paying again.²

When You Need To Pay

Pay the fee before your visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. ICE recommends allowing at least three business days after payment for it to process and be verified before your interview.²

If you come from a country that does not require a visa, such as Canada or Bermuda, pay and allow processing time before you arrive at a U.S. port of entry. If you are already in the United States and applying for a change of status or reinstatement, pay before you file with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.⁵

How To Pay

Before paying, you need a Form I-20 (for F or M students) or Form DS-2019 (for J exchange visitors). The payment is tied to the SEVIS ID number printed on that form.⁶

The official payment portal is FMJfee.com. You enter your SEVIS ID, name, date of birth, school code, and other personal details taken directly from your I-20 or DS-2019.⁵ Accepted methods are credit cards (in U.S. dollars), checks, money orders, and Western Union Quick Pay.

One restriction: if your country of citizenship or birth is Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, or Gambia, you cannot pay by credit card. You must use a money order, Western Union Quick Pay, or a certified check drawn on a U.S. bank.⁵

Your Payment Confirmation

Once payment is processed, print the confirmation from FMJfee.com by entering your SEVIS ID, last name, and date of birth. That printout is your official receipt; SEVP stopped mailing paper I-797C receipts in 2013.⁴ Bring it to your visa interview.

If the fee has not been paid, the Department of State will deny the visa application. The fee itself is non-refundable.²

Transfers and Program Changes

A student who transfers between SEVP-certified schools while maintaining F or M status on the same SEVIS ID does not pay again. The same applies when you change educational levels within the same visa classification.²

ICE recommends your school’s Designated School Official note “Continuing student – transfer” or “Continuing student change of education level” in the remarks section of the new I-20. Without that, the form may say “Initial attendance at this school” and create confusion at a consulate or port of entry.²

A new fee is required if you fell out of status before the transfer, completed a previous program and received a new SEVIS ID, or were absent from the United States for more than five months without an authorized overseas study program.

Watch Out for Scams

DHS has warned about fraudulent schemes targeting international students. In a 2015 alert, SEVP described scammers who called students claiming to collect SEVIS fees, demanded payments of up to $4,000, and threatened deportation to intimidate victims.⁷

SEVP does not call students to request payments or personal information. The only legitimate ways to pay are FMJfee.com, by mail, or through Western Union Quick Pay. If you get a suspicious call demanding SEVIS-related payments, hang up, share no information, and report it to local police and your school’s Designated School Official.⁷

1
FMJfee.com. I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment Portal
2
ICE. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
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ICE. New, Increased Fees for International Students, Exchange Visitors, SEVP-Certified Schools
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ICE. I-901 SEVIS Fee
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DHS Study in the States. Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee
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DHS Study in the States. Students and the Form I-20
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DHS Study in the States. School Officials, Beware Scams Targeting Students