Status: Effective June 24, 2019. The final SEVIS fee rule was published in the Federal Register on May 23, 2019, and becomes effective on June 24, 2019. Read the final rule at 84 FR 23930 (May 23, 2019).

Timeline

• DHS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on July 17, 2018. See 83 FR 33762. The public had until September 17, 2018 to submit comments.
• NAFSA commented on the proposed rule on September 7, 2018.
• After reviewing public comment on the proposed SEVIS fee rule, ICE forwarded the final rule to OMB for review on March 6, 2019. OMB completed its review on April 23, 2019.
• The final SEVIS fee rule was published in the Federal Register on May 23, 2019, and becomes effective on June 24, 2019. Read the final rule at 84 FR 23930 (May 23, 2019).

Description

Besides raising the I-901 SEVIS fee for most students and exchange visitors and almost doubling the initial school certification fee, ICE will also begin charging a $1,250 fee for F or M school recertification (currently there is no such fee), and charging the $ 655 site visit fee to schools that change their physical location or add a new physical location or campus. According to an ICE news release:

Fee increases include:

• • "The I-901 SEVIS Fee for F and M international students will increase from $200 to $350.
  • DHS will maintain the $35 I-901 SEVIS Fee for J exchange visitors in the au pair, camp counselor, and summer work travel program participant categories, but increase the full I-901 SEVIS Fee for other J exchange visitors from $180 to $220.
  • The SEVP school certification petition fee for initial certification will increase from $1,700 to $3,000.

New fees include:

• A $1,250 fee for SEVP-certified schools filing a petition for recertification.
• A $675 fee when schools file the Form I-290B, “Notice of Appeal or Motion.

DHS will maintain the $655 fee for an initial school site visit but will also charge this fee when a SEVP-certified school changes its physical location or adds a new physical location or campus to its Form I-17..