Embassy of the United States of America
Rome, Italy

August 3, 2004

NOTE

Important Information for International Students and Exchange Visitors to the United States

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that it is instituting a fee to cover the costs of administering the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). This is not a visa fee. Instead, it is a fee to fund a secure system for collecting, maintaining and managing information about foreign students (F-1, F-3, M-1, M-3 visas) and exchange visitors (J-1 visas) during their entry to, stay in, and exit from the United States. In general, the fee will only be paid once, but in some cases the fee will be paid again. For example, persons who later participate in a different program will pay another fee for their new program. The fee has been set at $100, with a reduced fee of $35 for a few short-term exchange visitors. Certain exchange visitor programs sponsored by the U.S. Government are exempt from the fee.

The new SEVIS fee will apply to all students and exchange visitors with Forms I-20 or DS-2019 with an issue date of September 1, 2004 and later. It may be paid by mail, on line or at Western Union Bank. It is extremely important to read the instructions on how to pay the SEVIS fee before completing the related I-901 form. Detailed information about the SEVIS program, the new fee, the I-901 form, and methods of payment is available on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website at www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/index.htm.

The SEVIS fee must be paid prior to visa issuance. A student or exchange visitor visa may not be issued without proof that the SEVIS fee has been paid. Students and exchange visitors may schedule their visa interview appointments before paying the fee, but proof of payment must be presented at the time the application is presented to the consulate. Applicants will receive a receipt, which may be presented to the consular officer as proof of payment. The student’s or exchange visitor’s SEVIS file, which is available to the consular officer, will also indicate whether the fee has been paid; but, three business days are required for the information to be recorded in the SEVIS file. For this reason, students and exchange visitors are strongly advised to present their payment receipts at the time of visa application, even if the fee was paid more than three business days in advance.

Students and exchange visitors may schedule their visa interviews by calling the toll numbers 899. 34.34.32 (within Italy) or (39) 0230.329.656 (outside Italy). Information about visa categories and application procedures in Italy is available at italy.usembassy.it/visa/ or by telephoning these numbers.