SEVP Basics: Part Two

Maintaining the Form I-17

Regulations require SEVP-certified schools to report any changes to the school's information on the Form I-17. PDSO's do this in SEVIS within 21 days of the change. For more information on maintaining and updating the Form I-17, review the Updates to Form I-17 page on Study in the States. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/schools/submit/updates-to-form-i-17)

What is a visa?

A visa is a stamp in a nonimmigrant's passport. It allows an international traveler to apply for entry to the U.S. It does not guarantee entry. The Department of State grants F-1 or M-1 visas to nonimmigrants that can show they qualify for F-1 or M-1 student or dependent classification. For more information on visas, review the Department of State web page, What is a U.S. Visa? (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-us-visa.html) Before an international student can apply for an F-1 or M-1 visa, she/he must apply and be accepted to an SEVP-certified school. The school issues the student a Form I-20. The student pays the I-901 SEVIS Fee and uses the Form I-20 and I-901 SEVIS Fee receipt notice to apply for a visa at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy in her/his home country.

The Purpose of the Form I-20

All F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrant students that study in the U.S. must have a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. For more information on the Form I-20 and when the student will need it, review the What is the Form I-20 and when do I need it? page on Study in the States. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2015/02/what-form-i-20-and-when-do-i-need-it)

Form I-20 Eligibility Requirements

Before an SEVP-certified school issues a Form I-20 to a student, it must ensure that the conditions are met. The student must: Be academically admissible to the SEVP-certified program they apply for. Be accepted for full course of study in such a program. Have enough funding to meet the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses of the program for one full academic year or for the length of the program, whichever is shorter. Individual schools set their own academic admissibility for each program and ensure the financial standards are met. These standards should remain constant for all nonimmigrant students participating in those programs. Students attest to the accuracy and completeness of the information they give the DSO to enter in SEVIS. The DSO attests to the accuracy of the information they enter in SEVIS. This happens when the DSO and student sign the Form I-20. View a sample Form I-20, (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/assets/sample_formi20.pdf).

Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record

CBP officers issue the Form I-94 to foreign visitors at the port of entry to the U.S. Forms I-94 are created electronically for all air and sea arrivals. The CBP officer will also put a stamp in the nonimmigrant's passport. For I-94, review the Arrival/Departure Forms: I-94 and I-94W page on the CBP webpage. (https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94) To learn about U.S. ports of entry, review the Study in the States blog Travel Tuesday: What is a port of Entry? (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2014/12/travel-tuesday-what-is-a-port-of-entry)

COA and the difference between COA and VISA

COA refers to the nonimmigrant class of admission for foreign national. Relevant COAs for F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrants are: F-1 Academic or English language student F-2 Child or spouse of an F-1 nonimmigrant M-1 Vocational or Technical student M-2 Child or spouse of an M-1 nonimmigrant People often misuse the term "visa status" when they really mean COA. A nonimmigrant does not necessarily have a visa for his or her COA. (See the "Visa Exempt Nonimmigrant" and "Change of Status (COS)" A nonimmigrant can be in the U.S. in one COA and then apply to change to another COA.

Visa Exempt Nonimmigrants

Citizens of Canada and Bermuda do not need a visa to enter the U.S. as an F-1 or M-1 nonimmigrant student. These nonimmigrants need a Form I-20 and proof they have paid the I-901 SEVIS Fee to apply to CBP for entry in an F-1 or M-1 COA. NOTE: Visa exempt is not the same as visa waiver. Visa waivers are for Business and Pleasure Visitors (B-1 and B-2, respectively). For more information on visa exempt nonimmigrants, review the Department of State Citizens of Canada and Bermuda page. (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/citizens-of-canada-and-bermuda.html)

Information Found on the Form I-20

Only PDSOs and DSOs can enter information in SEVIS to create a student record and issue a FORM I-20. For more information on creating the Form I-20, review the Create Initial COE (Form I-20) page on the Study in the States website. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/certificates-of-eligibility/create-initial-coe-form-i-20) Use this link to view the Redesigned Form I-20 Fact Sheet PDF pictured here. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/learn-more/sevis-job-aids/redesigned-form-i-20-fact-sheet)

I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment Confirmation and Coupon

If the prospective student pays the I-901 SEVIS Fee online through the fmjfee website, they can print a payment confirmation. If the prospective student pays by Western Union quick pay payment or a mailed check/money order, they will complete their I-901 form online. This generates a SEVIS Fee payment Coupon. Review the I-901 SEVIS Fee processing website at fmjfee.com. (https://fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html)

SEVIS Status

In order to create a Form I-20 for an F-1 or M-1 nonimmigrant student or dependent, DSOs must first create a record in SEVIS for that student. All SEVIS records have a SEVIS status. The SEVIS status only reflects the status of the SEVIS record. It is not necessarily related to the student's legal nonimmigrant status. To learn more about SEVIS Statuses, review the SEVIS Help Hub Job Aid available on Study in the States: F/M SEVIS Statuses. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-status/fm-sevis-statuses-job-aid)

I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment Process

Most prospective F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrant students can pay their I-901 SEVIS Fee online at the I-901 SEVIS Fee processing website. Review the I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment Video to learn about the I-901 SEVIS Fee payment process. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/i-901-sevis-fee-payment-video)

Change of Status (COS)

Nonimmigrant who are already in the U.S. in a class of admission other F or M, who want to study full-time in the U.S., must apply for a COS to get an F-1 or M-1 COA. Review the Study in the States Change of Status page for additional information and restrictions on changing nonimmigrant status. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/complete/change-of-status)

Recertification

Schools must apply for recertification every two years. During recertification, SEVP reviews school SEVIS reporting practices. This ensures school officials are following regulation when enrolling F-1 and/or M-1 nonimmigrant students. For information on the Form I-17 recertification process, review the Getting Started with SEVP Recertification page on Study in the States. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/schools/submit/getting-started-with-sevp-recertification)

The Purpose of the Form 1-17

The Form I-17 allows schools to petition to become SEVP- certified. For information on the Form I-17, review the Form 1-17 section on the Getting Started with SEVP Certification page. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/schools/apply/getting-started-with-sevp-certification) Use this link to view a sample completed Form I-17 (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/assets/sample_formi17.pdf)

Form I-94 Information

The Form I-94 contains the following information: 1. Admission (I-94) Record Number 2. Admit Until Date 3. Family Name 4. First (Given) Name 5. Birth Date 6. Passport Country of Issuance 8. Date of Entry 9. COA To learn about the Form I-94, review the Study in the States blog What is the Form I-94? (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2014/08/what-form-i-94)

The Purpose of the I-901 SEVIS Fee

The I-901 SEVIS Fee is mandated by Congress to fund SEVP and to maintain nonimmigrant records in SEVIS. This fee is separate from any visa application fees. Review Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee for information about the I-901 SEVIS Fee. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/paying-your-i-901-sevis-fee)

SEVIS Status (cont.)

The SEVIS status is displayed on the SEVIS Student Information screen on the right.

F-1 or M-1 Nonimmigrant Status

There are two ways to obtain F-1 or M-1 nonimmigrant status: Apply for COS while in the U.S. from some other valid nonimmigrant classification to F-1 or M-1 Admission through a port of entry to the U.S. into an F-1 or M-1 COA: With an F-1 or M-1 visa from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate As a visa-exempt nonimmigrant from Canada or Bermuda.

SEVP School Certification Life Cycle

To become and remain an SEVP-certified school, there is an 8-step process (or life cycle) that must be completed. For the full-sized PDF of the Form I-27 Cycle Diagram, review the Form I-17 Cycle Diagram PDF on Study in the States. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/assets/form_i17_cycle_diagram.pdf_) For more information on the school certification life cycle and the adjudication process, review the SEVP School Certification Life Cycle page on Study in the States. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevp-school-certification-life-cycle)

Duration of Status and Admit Until Date

When a nonimmigrant arrives at a U.S. port of entry, a CBP officer puts an admission stamp in his/her passport. The stamp notes either an admit until date (a fixed period) or D/S. An F-1 nonimmigrant student is admitted for D/S. An M-1 nonimmigrant student is admitted until the date shown on their admission stamp (admit until date). To learn more about D/S, review the Study in the States What is My Duration of Status? page. (https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2015/03/what-is-my-duration-of-status)