The SEVIS fee for international students is a one-time I-901 payment that funds the federal tracking system for nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors, and it has to clear before your visa interview. F-1, F-3, M-1, and M-3 students owe $350. Most J-1 exchange visitors owe $220, with a reduced $35 rate for au pairs, camp counselors, and summer work/travel participants. You pay it online at FMJfee.com, and you should do it at least three business days before you sit down with a consular officer.1U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
How Much You Owe
The amount depends on the visa category you are entering the United States under:
- F-1, F-3, M-1, or M-3 students: $350
- Most J-1 exchange visitors: $220
- J-1 au pairs, camp counselors, and summer work/travel participants: $35
Spouses and children on F-2, M-2, or J-2 visas owe nothing. The fee applies only to the primary visa holder.1U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
J-1 participants in federally sponsored exchange programs are fully exempt. You can identify these programs by the designation prefix on your paperwork: G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7. If your program code starts with one of those, you owe no SEVIS fee.2eCFR. 8 CFR 214.13 – SEVIS Fee for Certain F, J, and M Nonimmigrants
There is no fee waiver, no matter your financial situation. A parent, employer, school, or sponsor can pay for you, but the fee itself cannot be reduced or forgiven.1U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
What to Have in Front of You
Before opening the form, get out the eligibility document your school or sponsor sent you. F and M students receive a Form I-20 from their institution. J-1 exchange visitors receive a Form DS-2019 from their sponsoring organization.3Study in the States. Students and the Form I-20
Each document lists your SEVIS ID, which starts with “N” followed by ten digits. It also shows the school code (for F and M students) or program number (for J-1 visitors). The form asks for your full legal name as it appears on your passport, date of birth, country of citizenship, and an email address.
Type your name exactly as it reads on your passport. A mismatch between the I-901 and your travel documents can delay processing or cause problems at the interview, and corrections after payment take time.
How to Pay the Fee
Go to FMJfee.com, the official portal run by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Choose the I-20 form (F and M) or the DS-2019 form (J-1), then enter your information from that document.4U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Student and Exchange Visitor Program I-901 SEVIS Fee Processing Website
Most people pay with a credit or debit card on the site and get confirmation within minutes. There is one exception. Students whose country of citizenship or birth is Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, or Gambia cannot pay by credit card and must use another method.5Study in the States. Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee
The alternatives are Western Union Quick Pay and a check or money order drawn on a U.S. financial institution. For Western Union, you complete the I-901 online first to generate a coupon, then take it to a local branch; not every country offers Quick Pay, so confirm before relying on it.6U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. SEVIS I-901 Fee Payment by Western Union Quick Pay Instructions A mailed check or money order is the slowest route because it requires manual processing.
If someone else is paying for you, give them the details from your I-20 or DS-2019 so they can complete the form accurately. For Western Union payments, share your coupon number.1U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
When to Pay Before Your Interview
Pay at least three business days before the interview. The system needs that time to process and verify the payment. You can schedule the interview before paying, but the fee must be settled in SEVIS by the time you meet the consular officer. If it hasn’t posted, the officer cannot issue your visa and you will have to reschedule.1U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
Checks and money orders need substantially more lead time because of mailing and manual handling. Credit card payments through the portal are the safest choice when the interview is close.
Your Receipt and Fixing Mistakes
Print your I-901 payment confirmation from FMJfee.com once payment goes through. You will need it at the visa interview and again at the U.S. port of entry.4U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Student and Exchange Visitor Program I-901 SEVIS Fee Processing Website Keep a digital copy too; you may need it during your stay. If the receipt doesn’t appear right away, use the “Check I-901 Status” tool on the site with your SEVIS ID and date of birth.
Spot a misspelling or wrong detail on the confirmation? Email a correction request to FMJfee.sevis@ice.dhs.gov at least two weeks before your interview. You can check the status by signing in to FMJfee.com. If it isn’t done within two weeks, call the SEVP Response Center at 703-603-3400.5Study in the States. Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee
When You Have to Pay Again
The fee attaches to your SEVIS ID, not to a particular school or program, so a second payment is only required in specific situations.
If you transfer to another school and your SEVIS record transfers with the same ID, you do not pay again. If you leave the United States for more than five months and your SEVIS record is terminated, you will need a new I-20 with a new SEVIS ID and will owe the full fee again.7Study in the States. What is the Five-Month Rule?
If your visa is denied, your payment stays valid for 12 months from the date you paid. You can reapply in the same category within that window without paying again. After 12 months, a new fee is due.
Refunds Are Rare
The SEVIS fee is largely nonrefundable, and the situations people most often expect to be covered are not. No refund is given if you decide not to come, if your visa is denied, if you are turned away at the border, or if you withdraw a change-of-status application.
Refunds exist only for duplicate payments or payments made in error, such as an exempt participant who paid by mistake. Even then, the request must be filed within 90 days of payment, refunds under $30 are not processed, and any refund goes back to whoever actually paid.1U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions Wait until you are committed to pursuing the visa before you pay.