SEVIS Fee FAQs: Everything You Need to Know

Most prospective F, M, and J principal applicants must pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee before the relevant immigration step. For visa applicants, the payment must be verified before the visa interview; visa-exempt applicants generally pay before requesting admission to the United States; and certain applicants inside the country must pay before filing a change-of-status or J-1 category-change request. This fee is separate from the visa application (MRV) fee and funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which the Department of Homeland Security uses to maintain records for F, M, and J students and exchange visitors. This guide answers the most common questions about the SEVIS fee: how much it costs, who must pay it, how to correct mistakes, whether it’s refundable, and how it’s different from other fees you’ll encounter in the visa process.

What Is the SEVIS Fee and Why Is It Required?

The SEVIS Fee — officially the I-901 SEVIS Fee — is a mandatory payment administered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), not by the Department of State. According to ICE’s official I-901 SEVIS Fee FAQ, the fee funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which DHS uses to maintain records for F, M, and J nonimmigrants. Each student or exchange visitor issued an initial Form I-20 or DS-2019 is generally responsible for paying this fee to SEVP, with specific exceptions covered below.

How Much Does the SEVIS Fee Cost?

The fee is tiered by category, and it is more nuanced than a simple two-tier F/J split. According to ICE’s official fee table, the current amounts are:

• $350 — F-1, F-3 (students) and M-1, M-3 (vocational students).
• $220 — J-1 exchange visitors, in general.
• $35 — J-1 exchange visitors in specific reduced-fee programs: Summer Work Travel, Au Pair, and Camp Counselor programs.
• No charge — J-1 exchange visitors in federally sponsored exchange visitor programs (program codes beginning with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7).
• No charge — Spouses and minor dependent children (F-2, M-2, or J-2) of students or exchange visitors.

Because fees can change, always confirm the current amount directly with ICE’s official I-901 SEVIS Fee page or the SEVIS I-901 Payment Portal before paying.

Who Is Required to Pay the SEVIS Fee?

According to ICE, the SEVIS fee generally applies to those who apply to the Department of State or DHS for initial attendance as an F, M, or J nonimmigrant, nonimmigrants already in the United States who apply for a change of status to an F, M, or J classification, and current J-1 nonimmigrants applying for a J-1 category change. ICE publishes a detailed breakdown covering new applicants, applicants reapplying after a denial, continuing students both inside and outside the United States, and dependents — since the exact answer depends on your specific circumstances, always confirm your situation using ICE’s official fee table rather than assuming a blanket rule applies.

When and How Should I Pay the SEVIS Fee?

The fee must be paid before you go to a U.S. embassy or consulate for your visa interview. According to ICE, you do not need to complete payment before scheduling your interview — you can schedule first and pay afterward, as long as payment is verified before the interview itself. Allow adequate processing time: ICE states that payment information is generally posted to SEVIS and Department of State systems within three business days for electronic payments, and recommends allowing at least two weeks for payments submitted by mail. This is processing and verification time, not a fixed “pay X days before your appointment” legal deadline — but building in that buffer helps avoid delays.

Pay through the official fmjfee.com portal using the options currently displayed for your case. Current Form I-901 instructions also explain payment by mail using a check or money order in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank. Do not mail cash. Do not rely on an older payment method unless the current portal still offers it.

How Do I Verify That My SEVIS Fee Payment Was Processed?

Print the official payment confirmation from fmjfee.com and keep it with your immigration documents.

ICE materials instruct F and M students to present proof of payment at the visa interview and at the port of entry. J-1 participants should follow the instructions of their program sponsor and consular post.

If the portal displays “Cancelled,” do not infer the reason or immediately submit another payment. Contact I-901 Customer Support at the address or phone number shown on the official portal and ask whether the payment can be corrected, transferred, or must be paid again.

What Should I Do If I Paid With an Incorrect SEVIS ID?

The SEVIS ID on your payment confirmation receipt must match the SEVIS ID on your most current Form I-20 or DS-2019 (with a narrow exception for certain border commuter students). If it doesn’t match, ICE instructs applicants to email SEVP at fmjfee.sevis@ice.dhs.gov to confirm whether a new payment is required. According to ICE’s guidance on common errors, if you paid on the wrong Form I-20 or DS-2019 but the fee amount is the same, you generally do not need to repay — keep your receipt and both forms to document what happened, and follow ICE’s process for reassigning the I-901 fee from one SEVIS ID to another. A new payment may be required if the fee amount for your correct SEVIS ID or program is higher than what you already paid.

Do F or M Students Pay Again After a School Transfer or Change of Education Level?

According to ICE, F and M students generally do not need to pay the SEVIS fee again if they transfer between approved schools at the same educational level, or if they change educational levels (for example, from a bachelor’s to a master’s program), as long as they maintained status and kept the same SEVIS ID. Maintaining the same active SEVIS record generally avoids a new fee. If a new SEVIS ID is issued, do not assume automatically that the prior payment can or cannot be used — some situations require a new I-901 payment, while others may allow SEVP to transfer or reassign an existing payment. Ask the DSO or I-901 Customer Support to confirm the correct treatment before paying again.

J-1 program transfers and category changes follow sponsor-specific exchange visitor rules. A J-1 participant should consult the program sponsor’s Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) rather than applying the F/M school-transfer rule.

Do I Need to Pay Again If I Change My Visa Category?

It depends on the specific change. According to ICE, F-1/F-3 or M-1/M-3 students who want to change status to J-1 must pay the SEVIS fee before filing for the change of status. However, switching between F-1 and F-3, or between M-1 and M-3 (changes within the same visa type), generally does not require a new payment. F and M students should confirm the exact requirement for their specific transition with their DSO before filing. J-1 participants considering a category change should confirm requirements with their program sponsor’s RO or ARO.

What If My SEVIS Status Requires Reinstatement?

ICE’s fee rules for reinstatement (returning to status after a violation) depend on how long you were out of status. For F and M students, ICE states that those out of status for less than five months generally do not need to pay the fee again, while those out of status for more than five months must pay before filing for reinstatement. For J-1 exchange visitors filing for reinstatement after a substantive violation, or who were out of status for between 121 and 269 days, ICE requires payment of the fee before filing. Exchange visitors who fell out of status for minor or technical reasons are generally not required to pay again.

Note: ICE’s official I-901 fee FAQ addresses reinstatement specifically (the formal process for returning to status after a violation) but does not separately define a “reactivation” process for a terminated SEVIS record. If your SEVIS record has been terminated and you’re unsure whether reinstatement rules apply to your situation or whether a new fee is required, contact your DSO (for F/M status) or your program sponsor’s RO/ARO (for J status) directly rather than assuming a general rule.

Is the SEVIS Fee Refundable?

In specific, defined circumstances — yes. According to ICE, you may be eligible for a refund if you paid the fee more than once for the same person when only one payment was due (the most recent duplicate payment is refundable), if you paid the fee by mistake when it wasn’t actually owed, or if more than one party paid on your behalf and only one payment was required. Overpayments are typically rejected and returned automatically by SEVP rather than requiring a refund request.

You are generally not eligible for a refund if you simply decide not to come to the United States, if your visa or application is denied, if you’re denied entry at a U.S. port of entry, if you withdraw an application for change of status or reinstatement, if the refund amount would be less than $30, or if your institution paid the fee for someone who ultimately enrolled elsewhere.

How to request a refund: According to ICE, refund requests must be submitted by mail or email to fmjfee.SEVIS@ice.DHS.gov (or by mail to SEVP’s I-901 SEVIS Fee Refunds address) within 90 days of the payment eligible for a refund — requests received after that 90-day window will not be considered. Your request should include your name and SEVIS ID number as shown on your receipt, the reason for the refund, contact information, and — if you’re requesting a refund for a duplicate payment — which specific payment should be refunded. Refunds for payments made by check or money order are issued by DHS check; payments made by credit or debit card are credited back to that account. If a third party paid using a check or card, the refund generally goes to that third party rather than to the student directly.

How Long Is My SEVIS Fee Payment Valid?

This is an area worth being precise about, since a blanket “valid for 12 months” claim overstates what ICE actually says. ICE does reference a 12-month window, but specifically in the context of reapplying for a visa after a denial: if you are reapplying for a visa within 12 months of your original SEVIS fee payment date, you generally do not need to pay again. The same 12-month window applies to certain motions to reopen a denied change-of-status application, and to visa-exempt-country applicants reapplying for student status at a port of entry within 12 months of their original payment.

Outside of the denial-reapplication scenario, ICE’s rules for whether you need to pay again are based on whether you maintained your status and kept the same SEVIS ID — not on a fixed calendar window since your original payment. Don’t assume your payment automatically “expires” after 12 months in every situation; confirm your specific case with your DSO (F/M) or your program sponsor’s RO/ARO (J), or with SEVP directly.

Does the SEVIS Fee Cover Other Visa Processing Costs?

No. The I-901 SEVIS Fee and the MRV visa application fee are separate charges administered by different agencies. When both apply, each must be paid through its own official process. Some government-sponsored J programs may be exempt from one or both charges under the applicable program rules. The SEVIS fee is also separate from any school tuition, administrative fees, or SEVIS transfer and reinstatement-related costs your institution may charge. For a full breakdown of the MRV fee — current amounts by visa category, refund policy, and how it differs from the reciprocity fee and the newer Visa Integrity Fee — see our dedicated Visa Application Fee FAQs guide.

Final Tips for Managing the SEVIS Fee

• Double-check your SEVIS ID against your current Form I-20 or DS-2019 before paying, to avoid mismatches that can complicate your case.
• Pay through the official portal only — fmjfee.com is the correct payment channel; be cautious of any other site claiming to process this payment.
• Keep your receipt in both digital and printed form — you’ll likely need it at your visa interview and, in many cases, at your port of entry.
• Build in processing time — allow at least three business days for electronic payments to post, longer for payments by mail.
• Confirm transfer, category-change, and reinstatement rules before assuming whether a new payment is required — F and M students should consult their DSO; J-1 participants should consult their program sponsor’s RO or ARO. The rules depend on your specific circumstances, not a single blanket answer.
• Don’t confuse this fee with the visa application (MRV) fee — they’re administered by different agencies, and whether both apply depends on your classification and program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay the SEVIS fee if my visa is denied?
The fee itself is not refunded simply because your visa was denied. However, if you reapply for a visa within 12 months of your original payment, you generally do not need to pay the SEVIS fee again for that reapplication.

Can someone else pay the SEVIS fee on my behalf?
Yes, third parties such as schools or sponsors can pay. If more than one party pays and only one fee is owed, the excess is refundable, subject to the 90-day refund request window.

Is the SEVIS fee the same as the visa application fee?
No. They are separate charges administered by different agencies — SEVIS fee by ICE/SEVP, visa application (MRV) fee by the Department of State. Whether both are required depends on the applicant’s classification and program.

What if my SEVIS record shows my payment as “Cancelled”?
Do not assume the reason or submit another payment right away. Contact I-901 Customer Support through the official portal to find out whether the payment can be corrected, transferred, or must be paid again.

Practical Takeaways

• Current SEVIS fee amounts (verified against ICE’s official fee table): $350 for F-1/F-3/M-1/M-3; $220 for most J-1 exchange visitors; $35 for J-1 Summer Work Travel, Au Pair, and Camp Counselor programs; no charge for federally sponsored J-1 programs (codes G-1, G-2, G-3, G-7) or for F-2/M-2/J-2 dependents.
• Payment must be completed and verified before your visa interview, with processing time of roughly three business days for electronic payments — this is a processing buffer, not a fixed legal countdown.
• Refunds are available only in specific circumstances (duplicate payment, payment made in error, overpayment by multiple parties) and must be requested within 90 days of the eligible payment.
• The 12-month window ICE references applies specifically to reapplying after a visa denial or certain motions to reopen — not a general “validity period” for every payment.
• For F and M students, whether you need to pay again after a school transfer or education-level change generally depends on whether you maintained status and kept the same SEVIS ID; J-1 transfers and category changes instead follow sponsor-specific rules confirmed with your RO/ARO.
• The SEVIS fee and the visa application (MRV) fee are administered by different agencies; whether both apply depends on your classification and program.

Sources Referenced in This Article

• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), I-901 SEVIS Fee — source for the general purpose of the fee and its administration by SEVP.
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions — primary source for fee amounts by category, who must pay, payment timing, SEVIS ID correction process, transfer and category-change rules, reinstatement rules, refund eligibility and process, and the 12-month reapplication window.
• SEVIS I-901 Payment Portal, fmjfee.com — official payment channel referenced for payment methods and receipt verification.