Homeland Security seeks fees to fund SEVIS

fficials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have proposed charging international students a one-time fee of $100 to fund ongoing support and maintenance of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Beginning this year, individuals entering the United States on student visas must be entered into SEVIS, which was developed to keep tabs on visiting students. Asa Hutchinson, DHS undersecretary for border and transportation security, said SEVIS has not received funding from Congress since fiscal 2002, when $36 million was used to develop the system. Since that time, SEVIS has been criticized for technology problems and for being behind schedule, and Hutchinson said the new fee could be used to upgrade the system and address concerns raised. Colleges and universities have expressed reluctance to be responsible for collecting the fees, a position the U.S. State Department shares. DHS will therefore have to develop a system to collect the fees.