SEVIS Fee and F-1 Visa Application

All F-1 and J-1 students, and scholars are required to pay a government fee which helps maintain the SEVIS immigration system. All eligible students should pay their SEVIS fee online (at https://www.fmjfee.com).

If you are a from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, the Gambia, please see the special instructions below.

You will be required to have the following information to pay your SEVIS Fee:

• SEVIS ID Number
• Last Name (as known as Family Name, Surname or Primary Name)
• Given Name (which is your First Name and Middle Name)
• Date of Birth
• Email Address
• Country of Citizenship
• Country of Birth
• Address
• Credit Card

*You must enter your name exactly as it appears on your passport and I-20. If you have questions, contact ISS@scu.edu

The I-901 Fee Form will ask for your School Code, make sure to enter the code correctly as below:

• Santa Clara University's main campus located in Santa Clara, California (all students except the Jesuit School of Theology) is SFR214F00607000
• Jesuit School of Theology located in Berkeley, California is SFR214F00607001

You can learn more about the SEVIS Fee Payment Process at https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/paying-the-i-901-sevis-fee

• This application should be completed online.
• You are required to keep proof of submission.
• Prepare your application here.

If the DS-160 is asking for the contact information of your school, you can use the following information:

Organization: Santa Clara University
Name: Melissa Heid
Relationship: PDSO, RO, Director of ISS
Address: 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053
Phone: (001) 408.551.3019
Email: iss@scu.edu

• The cost of the visa application varies by country. Learn more about visa fees here.
• The process to pay your visa application fee varies by country. Please visit the website of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate to learn more.
• You are required to keep proof of your visa application fee payment.

The process to schedule your visa interview appointment varies by country. Please visit the website of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate to learn more.

If the first available appointment is after the program start date listed on your I-20, you may be eligible to request an expedited or emergency appointment. Carefully follow the instructions of your U.S. Embassy or Consulate and contact iss@scu.edu if you have any questions.

Most applicants will be required to attend their visa application appointment in person. Depending on your situation, you may qualify for an interview waiver and may be eligible to apply via mail or drop-box.

Prior to your interview you should collect originals and copies of all supporting documents. We recommend that you carry:

• Proof of I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment
• Proof of DS-160 Visa Application Submission
• Proof Visa Fee Payment
• Passport
• I-20 (F-1 students)
• Proof of funding for your time in the U.S. (must be in English, must be dated within the last 3 months)
• Proof of your admission or acceptance to SCU
• Proof of your academic qualifications for your program (TOFEL scores, admission test scores, prior degree diploma / transcripts)
• Proof that you have financial, physical and familial ties to your home country

During your visa interview you will be asked several questions about your academic and financial standing. You should always be honest. Though the interview is short (most interviews are less than 5 minutes long), they are very serious. We recommend students be formal and respectful. Students should answer questions directly and keep responses brief and to the point. Here are some common topics and questions you may encounter:

Academics
Why did you apply to SCU?
How many schools did you apply to?
What do you plan on studying?
Why do you want to study in the U.S.?
How long will you study in the US?
(during COVID-19) Are your courses online?

Finances
How much does will it cost to attend your school?
Who is paying for your education?
What business is your family / sponsor in?
Have you received scholarships or loans?
What is your sponsor’s annual income?
Can you show your sponsor’s financial statements?
What is your relationship to your sponsor?
Why is your sponsor willing to sponsor you?

Family
Do you have family in the U.S.?
How many siblings do you have?
What is your brother/sister doing in the U.S.?
What does your mother/father do for a living?
Where do your parents live?

Practical Considerations
Where will you live?
What are your plans after graduation?
Do you plan on returning home over breaks?
Have you visited the U.S. before?
Why do you not want to study in your home country?
Do you plan on working on-campus while studying at your University?

Carefully follow the instructions from your U.S. Embassy or Consulate about your visa appointment. Many consulates will have limitations on how early you can arrive, instructions on how to queue, as well as limitations on what you can bring with you (most U.S. Embassy or Consulates ban cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices).

Your interview will only last a few minutes, but it is important that you are professional, respectful, and on time for your interview.

After your interview, the Consular Office will take your passport for visa issuance.

If you qualify for a visa interview waiver, please follow the instructions for submitting your documentation carefully.

Once the visa stamp has been affixed to your passport, your passport will be returned to you. Passport return process varies by U.S. Embassy and Consulate (some return via courier delivery, some via pick-up).

You are required to complete an I-901 Form and pay a SEVIS Fee. You may NOT submit any credit card payment for your SEVIS I-901 Fee.  You must pay by one of the following methods.

For more information please see: http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/faq

RECOMMENDED: Payment by Check or Money Order

• Must be an international money order or a foreign draft
• Must be drawn on a financial institution in the United States
• Must be payable in United States currency.

Checks must be from one of the following:

• Banks chartered or operated in the United States
• Foreign subsidiaries of United States banks
• Foreign banks that have an arrangement with a United States bank to issue a check, money order or foreign draft that is drawn on a United States bank.

Make checks and money orders payable to: I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee

When paying by check or money order there are two options:

1. Internet-generated coupon
   Go to the fee payment website (http://www.fmjfee.com), enter basic information, print out a coupon, and then mail a check or money order with the coupon to a lock-box address in Missouri. Once the information and fee are processed, SEVIS will be updated with the fee payment information.
2. Paper option
   Students & scholars can download or otherwise obtain Form I-901, fill it in, and mail it, with a check or money order, to the specified address in Missouri. Once the information and fee are processed, SEVIS will be updated with the fee payment information.

 The mailing addresses for paying by check or money order using the coupon or the paper Form I-901 are:

A receipt notice will be issued when the fee is processed.

Alternative Payment Option: Payment by Western Union

Beware of Western Union Scams! Instructions for paying using this option can be found on the SEVIS website: http://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901/wu-instructions

F-2 dependent applicants should always carry originals and copies of the following documents:

Proof of DS-160 Visa Application Submission
Proof Visa Fee Payment
Passport
I-20 (F-2)
F-2 Spouse: Proof of Marital Relationship (such as, marriage certificate, with translation)
F-2 Child: Proof of Parental Relations (such as, birth certificate, with translation)
Proof of additional funding for time in the U.S. (must be dated within 3 months and in English)

If an F-2 dependent is applying separate from their F-1 family member, they should carry the above documents as well as proof of the family member’s F-1 or status, including:

• Copy of F-1 student's most recent SCU I-20
• Copy of F-1 student's passport
• Copy of F-1 student's visa stamp
• Copy of F-1 student's I-94 (print here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)
• If the F-1 student is a currently enrolled in classes: 
  • Copy of the admission letter
  • Enrollment verification letter or transcripts
  • Class schedule print out
• If the F-1 student has graduated and is on OPT / STEM OPT: 
  • Copy of your OPT / STEM OPT EAD card(s)
  • Letter from company verifying the OPT / STEM OPT employment
  • 3 Pay-stubs showing the OPT / STEM OPT employment