SEVIS Fee vs Visa Application Fee: What's the Difference?

If you are applying for an F-1, M-1, or J-1 visa, you will meet two different payments with similar names: the I-901 SEVIS fee and the visa application fee. They go to different places, cover different things, and are paid at different stages. Mixing them up is a common reason students arrive at an interview unprepared.

The I-901 SEVIS fee

The SEVIS fee funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, the database the U.S. government uses to track international students and exchange visitors. You pay it once, after your school issues your I-20 (F and M visas) or DS-2019 (J visas), and before your visa interview.

• Amount: $350 for F-1 and M-1 students, $220 for most J-1 exchange visitors.
• When: after you receive your I-20 or DS-2019, before the interview.
• Proof: the official I-901 payment receipt, which you bring to the interview.

The visa application fee (MRV fee)

The visa application fee, also called the MRV fee, pays for processing your nonimmigrant visa application at the U.S. embassy or consulate. It is separate from the SEVIS fee and is collected by the embassy or its designated bank, not by the SEVIS system.

• Amount: $185 for F, M, and J visas as of 2026. Check the current rate on your embassy's website, since fees change.
• When: when you complete the DS-160 form and schedule your interview.
• Proof: the MRV fee receipt from the embassy's payment portal.

Which order do you pay them?

Most students pay the SEVIS fee first, as soon as the I-20 or DS-2019 arrives, then complete the DS-160 and pay the MRV fee when booking the interview. Both receipts need to be ready by interview day.

Ready to handle the SEVIS side? You can pay your I-901 SEVIS fee here in your local currency, and we will send you the official receipt. For the full picture, read The Complete Guide to the I-901 SEVIS Fee in 2026.