In this post, I will show you how to pay for SEVIS fee in Nigeria. SEVIS is for people who want to travel to United States of America for study purpose. SEVIS enables schools and program sponsors to transmit mandatory information and event notifications via the internet, to the department of Homeland Security(DHS) and DOS throughout a student or exchange visitor’s stay in the U.S.

SEVIS fee payment is mandatory to all international students who want to study in the United States. Unless otherwise exempt, participants must pay a SEVIS I-901 fee. You will need a receipt confirming payment before you go for the visa interview. You will need to show the same receipt while entering the U.S. Sometimes, program sponsors include SEVIS fee as part of the program fees and you can find that out from the sponsor, and in that case, you will collect the payment receipt from the sponsor.

Even though you must pay the fee a minimum of three business days prior to your visa interview, you should pay it as soon as you receive Form DS-2019 to allow sufficient time for DHS to update your fee payment in your electronic SEVIS record.

The SEVIS fee is required only for the new J-1 visa. It is not required if you are currently in valid J-1 immigration status, or transferring to a new J sponsor, nor for J-2 dependents.

SEVIS fee cost in Nigeria

SEVIS Fee is $35 for Au Pair, Camp Counselor and Summer Work/Travel while it is $180 for others. This fee is required even for those who don’t require visa to enter the U.S. as exchange visitor. However, if you are in a Federal government sponsored program that starts with program number of G-1, G-2, G-3 or G-7, SEVIS is not requirement. The fee can be paid either by the participant, or by a third party inside or outside the U.S.

When filling the Form I-901, make sure to type your name exactly as it appears on your SEVIS Form DS-2019. Complete each section accurately.

Read Also: How to Apply For American Visa in Nigeria

Ho to pay for SEVIS fee in Nigeria

In this section, I will show you how to pay SEVIS fee for f1 visa from Nigeria. There are three ways to pay the SEVIS Fee:

1. Online:
   This is the most recommended way to pay as you can print the temporary receipt immediately.
   1. Visit FMJFee.com and complete Form I-901 online.
   2. Submit the Form I-901 electronically and make payment with credit card such as Visa, MasterCard or American Express.
      Exception: Credit card payments from Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Kenya can not be accepted. Such participants must pay by other means.
   3. Print the online receipt to use as temporary proof of payment until your receive the formal receipt in the mail. Please note that its not possible to process SEVIS fee payment by debit card from Nigeria.
2. By Mail:
   1. Complete paper form I-901.
   2. A check or money order made in U.S. dollars and drawn on a bank located in the U.S. Make it payable to “I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee”. Write the your name and SEVIS identification number on the check or money order.
   3. Mail the Form I-901 and payment to:
      • Regular mail:
        I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
        P.O. Box 970020
        St. Louis, MO 63197-0020
        Or
      • Courier/express mail:
        I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee
        1005 Convention Plaza
        St. Louis, MO 63101
3. Western Union:
   Paying SEVIS fee through western union in Nigeria is very simple. Participants in more than 130 countries can pay SEVIS I-901 using the Western Union Quick Pay^TM service in their local currency. Western Union transmit both the payment and the Form I-901 data to ICE.
   1. Print the appropriate Sample Quick Pay Form: International, US
   2. Go to the local Western Union Agent location and make the payment in the local currency.
   3. Complete a “Blue Form” at Western Union. The form may have words such as “Payment Services” or “Quick Pay” or something similar in the local language, but it will still be a blue form. Make sure to fill the form according to the sample form you downloaded.
   4. Retain the Wester Union receipt as temporary proof of payment until you receive the formal receipt which should be issued within three days from date of payment.
   5. Three business day after the payment, visit FMJFee.com to view payment status. Once you see the confirmation of payment, print out the confirmation page and it serves as proof of payment of the SEVIS I-901 fee.

How to pay SEVIS fee from Nigeria

It’s almost impossible to stay in Nigeria to pay for SEVIS fee. Therefore, its advisable for you use the services of SEVIS fee payment agents in Nigeria.

Read Also: How to Send Money through Western Union Money Transfer

SEVIS fee payment instructions

Each participants that pays the SEVIS fee will be sent a formal receipt (which will most likely be on Form I-797) within 3 days of processing fee that should be used as a proof of fee payment. It will be sent to the mailing address provided on Form I-901 via airmail at no additional cost.

However, as that may take time to arrival in the mail, you can request expedited courier delivery, by indicating this request on Form I-901, and by paying extra $35 at the time of initial payment. In case of courier delivery, you must provide a contact phone number and actual street address as couriers don’t deliver to a P.O. Box. Make sure to make copies of your receipt.

SEVIS fee is non-refundable. However, if your J-1 visa is denied, you don’t have to pay another SEVIS fee if you reapply for a new J-1 visa within 12 months of the denial.

There are no fee waivers available for SEVIS I-901 fee.

Source: http://www.immihelp.com/j1-visa/sevis.html