Situations in which you DO NOT have to pay the SEVIS Fee:

The SEVIS fee DOES NOT have to be paid if any one of the following situations applies to you:

You are an F1 Student and you are:

• A continuing F1 student and your initial I-20 was issued before September 1, 2004 as shown by your SEVIS record and the issuance date of your initial I-20.
• Applying for a visa to return to the U.S. as a continuing student in a program that was already begun and not yet completed.
• Returning as a continuing student after a temporary absence from the U.S. for a period of less than 5 months in duration.
• Returning as a continuing student after working towards completion of the U.S. program in authorized overseas study (like a study abroad program).
• Maintaining continuous status and changing educational levels.
• Transferring between approved schools at the same educational level.
• Requesting/applying for an extension of stay in a single program.
• Seeking an F1 visa from an embassy or consulate abroad, were denied a visa, and are applying again for a visa for the same type of program within 12 months of the initial denial.
• Applying for reinstatement of student status, and you have been out of student status for a period of less than 5 months.

You are a J1 Exchange Visitor and you are:

• A continuing J1 in-status, nonimmigrant whose initial DS2019 was issued before September 1, 2004, as evidenced by your SEVIS record and the issuance date on your form.
• A J1 exchange visitor sponsored by the U.S. government (program designation prefix of G–1, G–2, or G–3).
• Applying for a visa to return to the US as a continuing student or a continuing exchange visitor in a program that has already begun and is not yet completed.
• Transferring between programs in the same exchange visitor category where no differential fee exists.
• Requesting/applying for an extension of stay in a single program.
• An alien who paid an initial fee when seeking a J1 visa from an embassy or consulate abroad, was denied a visa, and is applying again for a visa in the same J1 exchange visitor category within 12 months of the initial visa denial.

If you should have any questions about the SEVIS fee, please contact ISSS: foreigns@colorado.edu