September 1, 2004

FACT SHEET

I-901 SEVIS Fee: Bulk Filing Option for Selected Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors

Beginning September 1, 2004, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will collect a congressionally mandated fee to cover the costs for the continued operation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Exchange Visitor Program sponsors may elect to pay the fees for their participants and may do so by applying to participate in the Bulk Filer Program.

Participation in the Bulk Filer Program

SEVP continues to review requests from organizations interested in participating in the Bulk Filer Program and will incrementally implement the Bulk Filer Program with selected currently registered Exchange Visitor Program sponsors.

Priority for participation will be based upon the volume of exchange visitor records to be processed as well as a sponsor’s technical experience implementing extensible markup language (XML) solutions.

Sponsors interested in participating should e-mail the following information to toolbox.sevis@dhs.gov:

• Name of your organization
• Form DS-2019 volume by month for the past year and projected for the next 12 months
• Indicate if you are registered as a SEVIS batch customer
• Contact information (Responsible Officer and technical points of contact, e-mail address, phone number, and fax number)

What are the requirements to participate in the Bulk Filer Program?

• Ability to access and use XML; and
• Web access to the Internet with upload capability; and
• Ability and willingness to allow DHS to electronically debit a bank account for payment of the SEVIS fees.

Ability to access and use XML is critical to the bulk payment process. The first step in the bulk filer process is for the sponsor to write an XML schema for the transmission file using a format specified by SEVP. Then the sponsor’s system must be programmed to automatically populate this XML schema with the Form I-901 data for the exchange visitors.

Sponsors need web access from a computer that also has access to the files for transmission. After logging on to the Bulk Filer web site, a sponsor will initiate a process on the web server that will upload the files from the applicable computer or network.

DHS approval to participate is contingent upon successful system testing.

Are there additional requirements?

In addition to the technical requirements, the Bulk Filer Program requires authorization for DHS to electronically debit a bank account via an Automated Clearing House (ACH). The account will be debited only for the fees due for each successfully submitted Form I-901 data record.

How much is the fee?

For spouses and dependent children (J-2) exchange visitors	None
For exchange visitors (J-1) except those listed separately below	$100
For exchange visitor programs participating in a federally sponsored program (program codes that start with G-1, G-2, or G-3)	None
Summer work/travel program	$35
Au Pair program	$35
Camp counselor program	$35

How is the SEVIS fee collected using bulk filing?

Exchange Visitor Program sponsors that use the Bulk Filer program are able to electronically transmit a file of Form I-901 data to the I-901 Fee Collection system and electronically pay the fees for the entire batch via a single ACH debit.

What is the process?

A participating program sponsor will:

• Electronically create an XML data file containing Form I-901 information for its participants, and
• Transmit the data to the Bulk Filer web system via the Internet.

Next, the Bulk Filer system:

• Reviews the file;
• Performs edit checks on the Form I-901 data submitted;
• Electronically sends an ACH to the sponsor’s bank account to debit the fees due.

Then, the I-901 Fee Collection system:

• Generates Form I-797 receipts;
• Sends receipts via courier to the sponsor for distribution to individuals;

Program sponsors will be able to access the Bulk Filer web site and review the status of each file uploaded, as well as identify rejected I-901 forms that need to be corrected and retransmitted.

How does the interviewing Consular Officer verify this payment?

SEVIS transmits the fee payment data to the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs for its review concurrent with the visa issuance process.

# ICE #

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ICE seeks to prevent acts of terrorism by targeting the people, money and materials that support terror and criminal networks.

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