I-901 SEVIS Fee for J-1 Summer Work and Travel: Amount, How to Pay, Receipt

For a Summer Work and Travel season the SEVIS fee is one of the smallest bills you will pay, and one of the easiest to miss. This page covers the amount, the steps to pay, the receipt and the common mistakes, using the ICE SEVIS fee page and the ICE fee FAQ. The apply hub shows where the fee sits in the whole process.

The short version

1. Ask your sponsor if you pay the SEVIS fee or if it is already in your program fees.
2. Get your DS-2019 first, because you must have it before you pay.
3. Pay the $35 fee on fmjfee.com with a card, the fastest route.
4. Print the receipt right away.
5. Pay before your visa interview, and allow at least three business days for processing.

How much is the SEVIS fee for Summer Work and Travel?

The fee for a Summer Work and Travel participant is $35. ICE lists it as a reduced fee for a special J-visa category. The standard J-1 fee is $220, and the table below shows who pays what.

Some sponsors collect the fee from you and pay it for you. Sponsors have the option of paying the I-901 fee for participants, but are not required to. Your sponsor tells you whether you pay it or if it is already part of your program fees. If your sponsor pays, it provides a receipt confirming payment.

A sponsor’s own administration fee is a different charge. If a fee does not go to SEVP, you must still pay the SEVIS I-901 fee yourself. Fees vary by sponsor, so ask for the full breakdown of costs.

What the SEVIS fee is, and what it is not

Congress mandated the I-901 fee in 2004 for all nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors. It funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and SEVIS. It is separate from visa fees and school SEVIS administration fees.

It is not a visa fee. There is a separate non-refundable fee for anyone seeking a nonimmigrant visa. On the State Department fee table, captured in 2025, the application fee for a non-petition-based nonimmigrant visa, a group that includes J exchange visitors, was $185. Applicants for J visas in US Government-sponsored educational and cultural exchanges pay no application fee. Bring a receipt showing the visa fee has been paid to your interview.

DHS published a final rule on July 17, 2026 that sets a fixed time period of admission and an extension-of-stay procedure for J exchange visitors, among others. The eligibility page gives its effective date and court status. The fee amounts above come from the ICE pages fetched on October 20, 2026. The State Department’s exchange visitor visa page lists the other visa steps.

When to pay

Pay before your visa interview. If you must pay and need a visa, you must pay before you go to the embassy or consulate. If you must pay and do not, the State Department will deny your visa application.

The payment does not have to be finished until you appear for the interview, and you can book the interview before you pay. Allow at least three business days for the payment to be received and verified. You also cannot pay before you have a form: you must have a DS-2019 before you pay. The DS-2019 page explains who issues it.

The State Department lists the SEVIS fee as the step after your sponsor registers you in SEVIS and notifies you the registration is active. Applicants from visa-exempt countries must pay and allow processing time before reaching the port of entry, because the fee cannot be paid there.

How to pay the SEVIS fee

You can fill in Form I-901 online at fmjfee.com or on paper. You need the details from your DS-2019, including the SEVIS ID. Three payment methods exist: credit or debit card online, check or money order, and Western Union Quick Pay.

• Card: Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit cards, and Visa or MasterCard debit cards. Cards work only when you file the form online.
• Check or money order: international money order or a check drawn on a US bank, in US currency. Print the coupon from the online form, or use the paper form.
• Western Union Quick Pay: an accepted method. Fill in the form online first to get a coupon number.
• Not accepted: cash.

Mailed payments must be for the exact amount. Mail takes time: allow at least two weeks for a payment to reach SEVP. Pay only on fmjfee.com, the site the Department of Homeland Security runs for Form I-901. You will never get an email from ICE asking for banking or card details.

To pay the SEVIS fee online: step by step

1. Get your DS-2019 from your sponsor and find the SEVIS ID, which starts with the letter N and sits at the top right of the form.
2. Go to fmjfee.com and fill in the Form I-901 with the details from your DS-2019.
3. Choose credit or debit card as the payment method.
4. Print the receipt right away.
5. Allow three working days for the payment to post to SEVIS and the State Department system.

Online with a card is the fastest route. ACH, the Automated Clearing House bank transfer, is not available for individuals. Some sponsors may be authorized to pay in bulk by ACH, and your sponsor tells you if it does.

What if I have more than one Form I-20 or DS-2019?

Pay for one form. You only need to pay the fee for one Form I-20 or DS-2019, unless you are entering to take part in more than one exchange visitor program. Use the form from the sponsor or school you will attend. A payment belongs to one SEVIS ID.

If you paid on the wrong form and the fee is the same, do not pay again. Keep the receipt and both forms. If you change your mind about the program before you enter the US, you can email a fee transfer request to fmjfee.sevis@ice.dhs.gov with both SEVIS IDs.

Plan for later seasons. A returning participant must pay the fee every time they start a new program. A transfer between programs in the same exchange visitor category needs no additional fee. If a visa application is denied, you do not pay again when you reapply within 12 months in the same category, but a different SEVIS ID needs a fee transfer.

Print a receipt

The receipt is proof that you paid. The receipt, with the electronic record in SEVIS, proves payment. Bring a copy to your visa interview, because it speeds up verification, even though the embassy can usually check payment electronically.

You can print it from fmjfee.com at any time. Enter your SEVIS ID, last name and date of birth. After a card payment you can print it immediately. The SEVIS ID on the receipt must always match the SEVIS ID on your most current DS-2019. If it differs, email fmjfee.sevis@ice.dhs.gov. The ICE customer service line is 703-603-3400.

Who does not pay, and what happens if you skip it

Spouses and minor children with J-2 status do not pay. Government-sponsored exchange visitors with codes beginning G-1, G-2, G-3 or G-7 pay nothing. You also do not pay again once you are a continuing exchange visitor with the same SEVIS ID and maintained status. The sponsor can confirm which applies. In some cases the fee is not required, so ask your sponsor.

There are no fee waivers. If a required fee is unpaid you will be denied a visa or entry to the United States. If you find the error later, pay as soon as you discover it. Failure to pay is not a basis for removal, but not paying may jeopardize your status. Read the visa interview page for what to bring on the day.