IMMIGRATION

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a government, computerized system that maintains and manages data about foreign students and exchange visitors during their stay in the United States. For more than 50 years, U.S. educational institutions have been required to maintain such information about foreign students studying at their facilities. In the past, this was a decentralized, inefficient, and paper-driven system. SEVIS, for the first time, automates and centralizes this data. SEVIS allows for real-time access to this information and helps students comply with the terms of their visas.

Congress mandated August 1, 2003 as the deadline for all new and continuing students and exchange visitors to be entered in SEVIS.

HIGHLIGHTS ON SEVIS PROGRAM

Updating Records on Foreign Students and Exchange Visitors Within Our Borders. Congress requires the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to maintain updated information on approximately one million non-immigrant foreign students and exchange visitors during the course of their stay in the United States each year.

Providing Enhanced Capabilities. Implementation of the “Student and Exchange Visitor Information System” (SEVIS) revises and enhances the process by which foreign students and exchange visitors gain admission to the United States. SEVIS increases the ability of ICE to maintain up-to-date information on foreign students and exchange visitors in order to ensure that they arrive in the United States, show up and register at the school or exchange program, and properly maintain their status during their stay. SEVIS provides a proper balance between openness to international students and exchange visitors, and our nation’s security interest in knowing who has come into our country, and that they are complying with the terms of their entry.

The Law. SEVIS implements section 641 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996. IIRIRA requires ICE to collect current information on an ongoing basis from schools and exchange programs relating to non-immigrant foreign students and exchange visitors during the course of their stay in the United States. In addition, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, amended section 641 to require full implementation of SEVIS prior to January 1, 2003. The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 adds to and clarifies the requirement to collect information, as well as requires an educational institution to report any failure of an alien to enroll no later than 30 days after registration deadline.

IMPROVED MEASURES TO MAINTAIN UPDATED INFORMATION

Schools Will Be Required to Report a Student’s Failure to Enroll. Under the old system problems arose when a foreign student arrived in the United States and failed to report to his or her school. Individuals who never intended to attend school in the United States could obtain a student visa, enter the country, and then disappear without ever being reported as a "no-show." Before SEVIS, schools did not have an obligation to report individuals’ failure to actually enroll in the school. Schools often assumed that a student who failed to appear might have chosen to attend a different school and often have not reported a student's failure to register for classes.

SEVIS Resolves This Problem. Schools will now be notified when a student has entered using his I-20 form (Student Visa Petition), thus putting the school on notice that the individual is supposed to be destined for that campus. The school is then required by these regulations - through SEVIS - to advise ICE within 30 days of the school’s registration date whether or not the student has registered for classes. SEVIS sends a notification to the designated school official officer if he or she forgets to register.

SEVIS Progresses to an Internet-Based System. SEVIS enables schools to electronically transmit current data to ICE and the Department of State throughout the student’s stay. When a student falls out of status (i.e. failing to carry a full course load, working illegally, dropping out of the program etc.), ICE is informed and able to take appropriate action.

Other Improvements

Timely Information on Students’ Presence. Schools are required to update SEVIS on a regular basis, and ICE will receive timely information as to whether students are fulfilling school requirements in their course of study. ICE will know when students enter the country but fail to enroll at the school they are supposed to attend, or if students drop out of their programs. This process will help ICE identify those foreign students and exchange visitors who do not comply with the requirements under the law.

Timely Information of Key Changes. SEVIS will be constantly updated with other important changes, including a student’s change of address or name, or any change in the student’s field of study.

Improves the Student Process. Because SEVIS automates the process of notifying ICE of the occurrence of certain events, some filings can be eliminated (Form I-538 for instance which is the form used to certify aliens seeking off-campus employment). It will no longer be necessary to file forms and applications when an F-1 student changes or extends a program. Instead, ICE will be automatically notified through SEVIS of these events.

Better Control over Schools’ Participation in the Foreign Student Program. Schools must individually enroll in SEVIS, as well as be reviewed and re-certified for participation in the foreign student program. This will allow ICE to better monitor compliance with an educational institution’s obligations under the program.

A Better Database. SEVIS will maintain comprehensive data that will enable ICE to better identify trends and patterns to assist in planning and analyzing risks.