What is the SEVIS fee?

Since September 2004, SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) requires you and your host company to sign up in the SEVIS database. This requires you to pay a SEVIS fee of 180 USD. Your payment must be processed before your appointment with the U.S. embassy. The SEVIS fee is a government fee that supports the visa process of all foreign interns and trainees and if applicable their relatives. Information includes biometrical data, information on your internship, insurance, and your financial situation. In addition, SEVIS keeps a permanent record of your residence. You must contact your visa agency partner immediately after arrival in the U.S., so that they can confirm your status and acknowledge your address within SEVIS. In case of a change of address you must inform the department within 10 days (this applies to the entire period of your internship). If you fail to report your arrival or any changes to your residence, your SEVIS status will be deactivated and you will have to leave the U.S. immediately. Further, a negative mark in SEVIS can potentially create problems for any of your future visa applications or travels to the U.S.