The SEVIS I-901 Fee: How to Pay It Before Your F-1 Visa Interview

What the I-901 SEVIS fee is

The I-901 SEVIS fee funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the U.S. government database that tracks international students and exchange visitors. It is a distinct, mandatory step in the F-1 process — separate from your university's fees and separate from the visa application (MRV) fee you pay to apply for the visa itself.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sets the I-901 SEVIS fee at US$350 for F and M students. This is paid once for your SEVIS record and is not the same as the fee you pay to book the visa interview.

Regulation requires prospective F and M students to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the Department of State issues the visa. In practice, applicants pay it after receiving the Form I-20 and before the visa interview. This is general information, not immigration or legal advice — always confirm the current amount and rules on the official ICE and Study in the States pages.

• Funds SEVIS (the U.S. student-tracking system)
• US$350 for F and M students (verify current amount on ICE)
• Separate from tuition and from the visa application/MRV fee
• Must be paid before the visa is issued — pay it before your interview

You need your Form I-20 first

You cannot pay the I-901 fee until your SEVP-approved school has issued your Form I-20, because the payment is tied to your SEVIS record. Your Form I-20 carries the SEVIS ID number (it begins with the letter N) and your school's information, and you enter these when you complete the SEVIS Form I-901.

Before you start, have your Form I-20 in front of you and check that your name and date of birth match your passport exactly. Any mismatch between your I-20, your payment and your passport can cause problems later, so fix errors with your school's international office before paying.

Note that F-2 dependents (spouse or children of an F-1 student) do not pay the I-901 SEVIS fee — it applies to the principal student. Verify who must pay on the official ICE page for your specific situation.

How to pay at FMJfee.com

You pay the I-901 SEVIS fee online at the official site FMJfee.com, which hosts the SEVIS Form I-901. Complete the Form I-901 with the details from your I-20 — including your SEVIS ID and school code — then choose a payment method and submit.

Official payment options include paying in U.S. dollars by credit or debit card, or by check, money order, or Western Union Quick Pay. If you pay online by card, you can typically print your receipt immediately. If you use Western Union, you first complete the Form I-901 on FMJfee.com to generate a unique coupon number, then pay at a Western Union location; the payment links back to your Form I-901.

From India, paying by an international credit or debit card is usually the fastest route because it confirms instantly. Whichever method you choose, use only FMJfee.com and the official ICE resources — do not pay through third-party sites.

Your payment confirmation — keep it safe

After payment, you get a payment confirmation. According to official guidance, the confirmation you print from FMJfee.com replaces the mailed I-797C receipt, and you can reprint it at any time by entering your SEVIS ID, last name and date of birth on FMJfee.com.

Timing of the confirmation depends on how you paid: by card it is available to print immediately after the transaction; by Western Union, certified check or money order it becomes printable once the payment has been received and processed. So if you are not paying by card, allow extra time before your interview.

Print the confirmation, save a digital copy, and carry a printout to your visa interview along with your I-20 and DS-160 confirmation. The consular officer needs to see that the SEVIS fee is paid, so this small piece of paper matters.

Where the I-901 fee sits in the F-1 timeline

The order for most F-1 applicants from India is: receive the Form I-20 from your SEVP-approved school, pay the I-901 SEVIS fee at FMJfee.com, complete the DS-160 online visa application (which asks for the SEVIS ID from your I-20), pay the visa application fee, book the interview, and attend it.

Because paying the I-901 fee is a prerequisite to the visa being issued, do it early — as soon as you have a correct I-20 and have decided to proceed. Card payment gives you an instant receipt, which keeps the rest of the timeline moving.

At the interview, bring your I-901 payment confirmation, your signed I-20, your DS-160 confirmation page and your passport, plus your funding evidence. Keep the I-901 confirmation even after you receive your visa; you may need to show proof of payment when you travel or if your SEVIS record is later reviewed.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most frequent slip-ups are paying too late, paying on the wrong site, and mismatched details. Pay early enough that a non-card method has time to clear before your interview; use only the official FMJfee.com; and make sure the name and SEVIS ID on the payment exactly match your I-20 and passport.

Another is confusing the I-901 SEVIS fee with the visa application fee. They are two different payments — one activates/records your SEVIS obligation, the other lets you apply for the visa. You generally pay both, at different steps.

If your visa is refused or you change schools, rules on whether an I-901 payment can be transferred or reused vary by situation. Do not assume — check the official ICE I-901 FAQ or your school's international office. Amounts, methods and rules change, so verify current details on the official government sources before you pay.