SEVIS Fee Expected in Late 2003
Posted Oct 24, 2003

According to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA), a new Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee rule is expected in late October 2003. NAFSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held a joint meeting on September 24, 2003, to discuss the manner in which the SEVIS fee would be collected.

As reported in our November 30, 2001 MurthyBulletin article, entitled INS Testimony on Tracking Foreign Students, and available on MurthyDotCom, Legacy INS requested government funding to cover the costs of SEVIS for its initial year. Thereafter, the intention was to fund SEVIS through fees imposed on students and exchange visitors covered by the tracking system. The maximum fee allowed is $100 per student for these tracking fees.
 
At the meeting, DHS is reported to have indicated that the fee would be close to the $100 statutory maximum. The proposed fee rule will have a thirty-day comment period following publication in the Federal Register. The starting date for the imposition of the fee is not yet determined, nor is there an established collection method for the fee. The collection method is important, as the fee will have to be paid by individuals who are not yet in the U.S. and many countries have currency restrictions preventing foreign nationals from obtaining checks payable in U.S. dollars.