What's this background?

Show/Hide

Certification Application Process

To be granted Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certification, schools must first apply for certification, pay required fees and complete a site visit before the application is adjudicated. Click on each step below to get more information. 

Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student”

  • Complete the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” online using the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and pay all required fees at Pay.gov. Currently, the filing fee is $1,700, and the site visit fee is $655 per campus location.
  • To get access to SEVIS and complete the online petition, register for a temporary user ID at egov.ice.gov/sevis. After completing and electronically submitting the Form I-17, print a copy, obtain all required signatures and scan or fax the complete, signed form to SEVP. Don’t use traditional mail to submit your signed copy.

Site Visit

  • SEVP will not begin processing the petition or schedule the required site visit until after payment and receipt of the signed Form I-17 are verified. 
  • The site visit will be scheduled with an inspector within 20 days of the date SEVP verifies payment and receipt of the signed Form I-17. The inspector will contact school officials to schedule and conduct the site visit.
  • During the visit, the inspector will gather evidence on school eligibility for certification, review the facilities and interview personnel nominated on the petition to become designated school officials (DSOs), including the person nominated to be principal designated school official. All nominees must be available to the inspector.
  • Once the on-site inspector submits the site visit report, an SEVP case analyst will review the package for completeness. The analyst has the discretion to submit an electronic request for evidence (RFE) to the school if any of the required information is missing. However, school officials are responsible for ensuring the completeness of the submission. Further evidence from school officials sent in response to an RFE will be added to the package. Then the petition moves forward to an adjudicator.

Adjudication

  • The adjudicator reviews the petition and supporting documentation to decide school eligibility. The adjudicator may email an RFE to school officials if any of the information is unclear.
  • Based on whatever evidence school officials have submitted, the adjudicator makes a decision to approve or deny certification.

Notification

  • DSOs will receive a notification from SEVIS that details the decision. This notification is sent to the primary email address listed on the school’s Form I-17. If the school is certified, each approved DSO nominee receives a permanent user ID and password for SEVIS by email within seven business days.
  • If SEVP denies the petition, school officials will receive a notification by SEVIS that will detail the reasons for the denial and will indicate if the school can appeal the denial and the process for doing so.

See Also: