How to Find Your SEVIS ID Number (and What It Means)

Before you can pay the I-901 SEVIS fee, you need your SEVIS ID. It is a small number that causes a surprising amount of trouble, mostly because people mistype it or look in the wrong place. Here is what it is and where to find it.

What a SEVIS ID looks like

A SEVIS ID is the letter N followed by ten digits, for example N0012345678. It is assigned to you, not to your school, and it stays with you across your whole program. Every F, M, and J student or exchange visitor has one.

Where to find it

• F-1 and M-1 students: look at the top of your Form I-20. The SEVIS ID is printed near the top, labelled "SEVIS ID" and starting with N.
• J-1 exchange visitors: look at the top of your Form DS-2019, again labelled with the N number.

If you have not received your I-20 or DS-2019 yet, you do not have a SEVIS ID yet. Your school's international office issues the form and the number together, so contact them if it is overdue.

Why getting it right matters

When you pay the SEVIS fee, the payment is tied to this exact number. A single wrong digit means the payment attaches to the wrong record, or no record at all, and the receipt will not match your I-20 at the interview. Check it character by character before you pay.

Got your number ready? Pay your SEVIS fee here and we will make sure the receipt comes back with your details correct.