The Complete Guide to the I-901 SEVIS Fee in 2026

The I-901 SEVIS fee is a mandatory fee paid to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by international students and exchange visitors before they can be issued an F-1, J-1, or M-1 visa. If you are starting a study program in the United States in 2026, this is one of the first official payments you will make, and getting it right matters. This guide walks through what the fee is, who pays it, exactly how much it costs, how to pay it from any country, and the mistakes that trip students up.

What is the SEVIS fee?

SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. It is the U.S. government database that tracks every international student and exchange visitor for the duration of their stay. Your school enters your record into SEVIS when you are admitted, and that record follows you from your first day until you graduate, transfer, or leave.

The I-901 fee funds the operation of that system. It is a one-time fee tied to your specific SEVIS record, and it is required by law (the I-901 form is named after the legal provision that created it). Skip it, and your visa application will be refused at the interview. Pay it, and you get an official receipt that the consular officer checks against your record.

2026 SEVIS fee amounts

These amounts are set by DHS and are the same no matter which country you pay from. Anyone quoting you a wildly different government fee is either confused or charging you their own service fee on top, which is a separate thing you should see itemised.

The SEVIS fee is not the visa fee

This is the single most common point of confusion, so it is worth being clear. The I-901 SEVIS fee is separate from the visa application fee, also called the MRV fee, which is $185 for most student and exchange visas. They go to different places, they are paid in different ways, and paying one does not pay the other. You will pay both: the SEVIS fee to DHS, and the MRV fee to the U.S. embassy or its designated bank as part of booking your interview. For a full breakdown, see SEVIS fee vs visa application fee.

Who must pay?

• All F-1 academic student applicants, including students transferring to a new school on a new SEVIS record.
• All M-1 vocational student applicants.
• Most J-1 exchange visitor applicants.
• Anyone changing status from another visa category to F-1, M-1, or J-1 inside the U.S.
• Students returning after a SEVIS record was terminated and a new initial record was created.

Who is exempt?

• J-1 applicants sponsored by certain U.S. government programs (the program code on the DS-2019 begins with G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-7).
• Some participants on U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded programs.
• F-2 and J-2 dependents. Your spouse and children who accompany you do not pay the SEVIS fee. Only the principal applicant pays. Read more in F-2 and J-2 visas: bringing your family.

When should you pay?

Pay your SEVIS fee after you receive your I-20 (for F-1 / M-1) or DS-2019 (for J-1) from your school or sponsor, and before your visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate. You cannot pay without the SEVIS ID printed on that form, and the consular officer expects the payment to already be confirmed when you arrive.

Give it a buffer. Aim to pay at least three business days before your interview so the payment has time to register against your record. If your interview is days away, that buffer matters even more, which is the situation where paying through a service that returns the receipt quickly is worth it. See when to pay the SEVIS fee before your interview for timing detail.

What you need before you pay

• Your SEVIS ID: the letter N followed by ten digits, printed at the top of your I-20 or DS-2019. Check it digit by digit. Not sure where to look? See how to find your SEVIS ID.
• Your name exactly as on your passport, which should also match your I-20 or DS-2019.
• Your date and country of birth.
• Your school or program (SEVIS) code, also on the form.
• The correct fee amount for your visa type.

How to pay the SEVIS fee

There are two routes, and which one is open to you depends partly on where you are.

1. Pay on the official U.S. system. The official I-901 payment system takes the details above and a payment. For applicants in many countries it accepts a USD-capable card. For applicants from some countries, once you enter your country of birth the card option does not appear at all, and the system offers only a U.S. money order, a Western Union Quick Pay transfer, or a certified check drawn on a U.S. bank. Those routes are slow, and arranging a U.S.-bank instrument from abroad is exactly the kind of errand that eats a week you may not have before your interview.

2. Pay through SEVISmate. This is the convenient path. You enter your SEVIS ID and program details once, pay in your local currency by card or mobile money through a secure checkout, and we take care of the rest. The official receipt lands in your dashboard, the same document you would get paying directly, ready to download or print for your interview. We support payment from 150+ countries.

What the receipt looks like

After a successful payment you get a one-page I-901 confirmation showing your name, your SEVIS ID, the amount paid, and a confirmation that the fee is received. Check that the name and SEVIS ID match your I-20 or DS-2019 exactly, because a mismatch is the main reason a receipt gets questioned. Save it in more than one place: print a copy and keep a digital copy on your phone and in your email. You will show it at the interview and again when you enter the United States. We cover the checks in detail in how to verify your I-901 receipt.

Transfers, change of status, and re-entry

You usually pay the SEVIS fee once, but there are exceptions tied to your SEVIS record:

• Transferring schools while keeping the same active SEVIS record does not require a new fee. See the SEVIS transfer process.
• Changing status to F-1 inside the U.S. creates a new SEVIS record, so the fee applies. See changing to F-1 status.
• If your record was terminated and you return on a new initial record, you pay again on the new SEVIS ID. See SEVIS record terminated.

Is the SEVIS fee refundable?

Generally no. The I-901 fee is non-refundable even if your visa is denied, so it is not a deposit you get back. The narrow exceptions and what to do if you paid twice are covered in can I get a refund for my SEVIS fee. This is also why paying the correct amount on the correct SEVIS ID the first time matters.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wrong SEVIS ID. It is N plus ten digits. One transposed digit can attach your payment to the wrong record. Read it twice.
• Name that does not match your passport. Use the spelling and order exactly as printed on your passport and form.
• Paying too late. Leave at least three business days before the interview.
• Wrong form or fee. F-1 and M-1 use the I-20 and pay $350; J-1 uses the DS-2019 and most pay $220.
• Not saving the receipt. Download and back up the confirmation the moment you have it.
• Assuming the SEVIS fee covers the visa fee. It does not. Budget for the MRV fee too.

For a deeper look at the errors that actually cause problems, read 5 SEVIS fee mistakes to avoid.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone else pay it for me? Yes. A parent, sponsor, or service can pay on your behalf as long as your correct SEVIS details are used. See can someone else pay your SEVIS fee.

What if my payment fails? Do not assume it went through. Confirm the status before trying again so you do not pay twice. See what to do if your payment fails.

What happens after I pay? You move on to booking the visa interview and assembling your documents. See what happens after you pay.