STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM (SEVP) FEE INCREASES

                                              September 24, 2008


Congress mandated a fee-based system to better keep track of international students and exchange visitors in the United States. To accomplish this task, the Department of Homeland Security established the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) under U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is the database that allows SEVP to track international students, exchange visitors and their dependents to ensure that they are in the United States for the purposes they stated. SEVIS currently monitors more than one million records of international students, exchange visitors and their dependents.

Following months of study and consultation with stakeholders in the educational community, SEVP is implementing program changes needed to further improve the important task of welcoming international students and exchange visitors while protecting national security. These changes include fee increases that will dramatically improve the administration of the program. The fee increase is the first of its kind in five years and will affect foreign students, exchange visitors and the schools that host them.

                       EFFECTIVE DATE: OCTOBER 27, 2008

 

Fee changes	Previous Fee:	New Fee:
Nonimmigrant students	$100	$200
Most exchange visitors	$100	$180
Au Pair, Camp Counselors,   Summer Work/Travel Program	$35	$35
Government sponsored exchange visitors	$0	$0