INS implements foreign student tracking regulations

The Immigration and Naturalization Service has implemented regulations requiring any higher education institutions wishing to enroll non-U.S. citizens to apply for listing those students in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS).

SEVIS is an Internet-based system linked to the State Department that enables the government to track foreign students in the United States.

Under the INS rules, any school that has not applied to SEVIS by Jan. 30, 2003, will not be allowed to accept foreign students. Schools must electronically complete the application and pay a certification fee of $580.

To date 2,163 schools are in various stages of adopting SEVIS, while 483 schools are awaiting approval to use the system.