New Fee Structure for Student and Exchange Visitor Program – Effective October 27, 2008

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced that the SEVP school certification petition fees and the SEVIS I-901 fees for foreign nationals seeking to become academic (F visa) or vocational students (M visa), or exchange visitors (J visa) will increase.

The increase in fee changes made in the SEVP rule will affect both students and schools, but schools currently participating in SEVP will not be required to pay additional fees to recertify under this new fee structure. The increase is as follows: $1,700 for a school certification petition; $655 for each site visit for certification; $200 for each F or M student; and an $180 fee for certain J exchange visitors. However, the $35 fee for each J exchange visitor seeking admission as an au pair, camp counselor, or summer work/travel program participant will continue to remain the same.

Once promulgated, the rule will also establish procedures for the oversight and recertification of schools attended by F and/or M students, and procedures for schools to submit recertification petitions. The rule also adds a provision allowing a school to voluntarily withdraw from its certification, and clarifies procedures for school operation with regard to F and M students during recertification and following a denial of recertification or a withdrawal of certification. For more information you can refer to http://www.ice.gov/sevis/