Effective September 1, 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began requiring a one-time fee payment for new F-1/J-1 Students and J-1 Scholars. The fee is $200 for F-1 students and $180 for J-1 students and scholars. The fee helps to cover operational costs of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
Every international student or exchange visitor who wishes to begin an “initial” program of study or research is required to pay a SEVIS fee to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This fee must be paid before a visa is issued.
Please review the SEVIS Fee webpage for more details on the SEVIS Fee and fee payment procedures.