Student and Exchange Visitor Program: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Program to manage foreign students and exchange visitors in the United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

The '''Student and Exchange Visitor Program''' ('''SEVP''') is a program within [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]], which is under the [[U.S. Department of Homeland Security]], to manage foreign students and exchange visitors in the United States through the '''Student and Exchange Visitor Information System''' ('''SEVIS''').<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thiede |first=Dana |last2=Griswold |first2=David |date=2025-04-04 |title=International students at St. Cloud State, Metro State have computer records terminated |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/records-terminated-for-some-international-students-at-st-cloud-state-university-less-than-10/89-4b78e0a1-61ba-41d9-8f75-2664afdb121a |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=KARE11 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=official>{{cite web|url = https://www.ice.gov/sevis|title = Student and Exchange Visitor Program|access-date = January 29, 2017|publisher = [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Seminera |first=Makiya |last2=Ma |first2=Annie |last3=Har |first3=Janie |date=2025-05-19 |title=The US is reinstating records for international students. For some, it's too late |url=https://apnews.com/article/international-students-visas-terminated-trump-sevis-9f85c3c58a4b74c354df0d7d993cf34c |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> The SEVP encompasses the [[F visa|F status]] (for foreign students in the United States in academic programs and their dependents), [[J-1 visa|J status]] (for exchange visitors in the United States and their dependents), and [[M-1 visa|M status]] (for foreign students in the United States in vocational programs and their dependents). The exchange visitor part of the program (J visa) is managed by the [[U.S. Department of State]], although the SEVIS system is maintained by ICE.<ref name=official/>

The SEVP does not manage the issuance of the visas themselves. Visas are issued at United States consulates and embassies in other countries, which fall under the [[United States Department of State]]'s [[Bureau of Consular Affairs]]. However, having the correct status and information in the SEVIS system is necessary for a person to be able to receive a F, J, or M visa.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/study-exchange/student.html|title = Student Visa|publisher = [[U.S. Department of State]] Bureau of Consular Affairs|access-date = January 29, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160603231159/https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/study-exchange/student.html|archive-date = June 3, 2016|url-status = dead|df = mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/study-exchange/exchange.html|title = Exchange Visitor Visa|publisher = [[U.S. Department of State]] Bureau of Consular Affairs|access-date = January 29, 2017|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170129071309/https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/study-exchange/exchange.html|archive-date = January 29, 2017}}</ref>

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In the [[1993 World Trade Center bombing]], a [[truck bomb]] was detonated below the North Tower of the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] in [[New York City]]. In the aftermath of this incident, the student visa came under increased scrutiny when it was discovered that [[Eyad Ismoil]], one of the terrorists involved was in the United States on an expired student visa.<ref name="cis1">{{cite news | last = Suhler | first = Jayne Noble | author2 = Timms, Ed | title = Security worries putting spotlight on student visas | url = http://www.cis.org/articles/Katz/katz1999.html | work = [[The Dallas Morning News]] | date = September 20, 1998 | access-date = 2007-05-21 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070512122504/http://www.cis.org/articles/Katz/katz1999.html | archive-date = May 12, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="cis2">{{cite news | last = Suhler | first = Jayne Noble | author2 = Timms, Ed | title = Cases highlight flaws in federal visa system | url = http://www.cis.org/articles/Katz/katz1999.html | work = [[The Dallas Morning News]] | date = November 8, 1998 | access-date = 2007-05-21 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070512122504/http://www.cis.org/articles/Katz/katz1999.html | archive-date = May 12, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=shareok>{{cite web|url = https://shareok.org/bitstream/handle/11244/917/3187222.PDF?sequence=1|title = A Descriptive Case Study of the Impact of 9/11 on International Student Visa Policy in the 20 Months Following the Attacks|author = Mary Helen Reeves|access-date = February 10, 2016}}</ref><ref name=ins-fsp-report>{{cite web|url = https://oig.justice.gov/special/0205/chapter6.htm|title = CHAPTER SIX. THE INS'S FOREIGN STUDENT PROGRAM|date = May 20, 2002|access-date = February 10, 2016}}</ref>

A memorandum from the [[U.S. Department of Justice]]'s Office of Investigative Agency Policies to the Deputy Attorney General dated September 24, 1994, mentioned the need to subject foreign students to thorough and continuing scrutiny before and during their stay in the United States. On April 17, 1995, the Deputy Attorney General asked the Immigration and Naturalization Service(INS) Commissioner to address this issue. This led to the formation of an INS task force in June 1995 to conduct a comprehensive review of the F, M, and J visa processes. Besides the INS, the task force included members from the State Department and the United States Information Agency, and experts in the administration of international student programs.<ref name=ins-fsp-report/> The task force report, issued on December 22, 1995, identified problems in the tracking and monitoring of students by schools, problems in the certification of schools by the INS, and problems with INS receiving and maintaining up-to-date records from schools.<ref name=ins-fsp-report/> As a result of these findings, the [[Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996]] directed the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to develop and conduct a program to collect certain information on nonimmigrant foreign students and exchange visitors from approved institutions of higher education and designated exchange visitor programs.<ref name=shareok/><ref name=ins-fsp-report/>

In June 1997, the INS launched a pilot program for a centralized electronic reporting system for institutions, called the Coordinated Interagency Partnership Regulating International Students (CIPRIS). The CIPRIS pilot officially ended in October 1999, as the INS felt it had gathered enough data from the prototype to start working on the nationwide system.<ref name=ins-fsp-report/> The INS began working on a new system that would be called the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) with the associated information system called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Service (SEVIS). During the rollout, CIPRIS and SEVIS met with considerable opposition from the [[NAFSA: Association of International Educators|Association of International Educators]] and the [[American Council on Education]]. However, they claimed that the opposition was not against the programs in principle but due to the concern that a botched rollout by the INS could result in many students suffering.<ref name=shareok/><ref name=ins-fsp-report/>

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The new change was criticized by students, schools, and states alike, as with the pandemic worsening in most of the United States at the time, many schools did not have plans to commit to opening to physical classes in the fall semester, leaving these international students at risk of deportation.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/06/politics/international-college-students-ice-online-learning/index.html | title = International students may need to leave US if their universities transition to online-only learning | first1 = Priscilla | last1 = Alvarez |first2= Catherine E. | last2= Shoichet | date = July 6, 2020 | access-date = July 13, 2020 | work = [[CNN]] }}</ref> At least three separate lawsuits were filed against ICE on the changed within the week on the basis that the decision was [[arbitrary and capricious]] and failed the [[Administrative Procedure Act (United States)|Administrative Procedure Act]]: A joint suit by [[Harvard University]] and [[MIT]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/us/f1-student-visa-lawsuit.html | title = As Universities Seek to Block Visa Rules, Trump Threatens Tax Status | first1 = Anemona | last1 = Hartocollis | first2= Miriam | last2 = Jordan | date = July 10, 2020 | access-date = July 13, 2020 | work = [[The New York Times]] }}</ref> the state of California,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-becomes-first-state-sue-trump-administration-over-student-visa-n1233381 | title = California becomes first state to sue Trump administration over student visa policy | first = Alicia Victoria | last = Lozano | date = July 9, 2020 | access-date = July 13, 2020 | work = [[NBC News]] }}</ref> and a separate collation of 17 states and the District of Columbia.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/13/21322780/ice-lawsuit-states-universities-international-students-visa-pandemic-trump | title = Seventeen states sue Trump administration over new student visa guidelines | first = Monica | last = Chin | date = July 13, 2020 | access-date = July 13, 2020 | work = [[The Verge]] }}</ref> Prior to a second hearing where it was expected that a preliminary injunction was to be placed on the new ruling on July 14, 2020, ICE affirmed it would rescind the new rule and continue to allow international students to participate in online classes.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/507293-trump-administration-rescinds-policy-to-strip-visas-from-foreign |title = Trump administration rescinds foreign students rule | first = John | last= Kruzel | date = July 14, 2020 | access-date = July 14, 2020 | work = [[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] }}</ref>

=== 2025 revocation of Harvard's SEVP===

{{Further|Education policy of the second Donald Trump administration}}

In 2025, the Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration announced the "revocation" of [[Harvard University]]'s SEVP certification, banning the university from enrolling international students and forcing existing foreign students to transfer to other institutions.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trump administration ends Harvard's ability to enrol international students |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05768jmm11o |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=www.bbc.com |date=22 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Michael S. |last2=Bender |first2=Michael C. |title=Trump Administration Says It Is Halting Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/us/politics/trump-harvard-international-students.html |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=22 May 2025}}</ref> Harvard sued the Trump administration within 24 hours.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harvard sues Trump administration for blocking foreign student enrolment |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cje7ledqvyqo |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=www.bbc.com |date=23 May 2025}}</ref>

== Fee ==