What is the SEVIS Fee and How to Pay for an F1 Visa in Nepal?

The SEVIS fee is one of the most important — and most confusing — costs in the F-1 student visa process for Nepali students. This guide explains exactly what it is, how much it costs, how to pay it from Nepal step by step, which banks accept it, and what happens if your visa is denied.

SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System — a database managed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that tracks and monitors all international students, exchange visitors, and their dependents in the United States.

The SEVIS fee (officially called the I-901 fee) is a mandatory, one-time payment that funds the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). This program maintains the SEVIS database, verifies school compliance, monitors student visa status, and supports security screening processes.

Every Nepali student applying for an F-1 visa must pay the SEVIS fee before their visa interview at the US Embassy in Kathmandu. Without confirmed SEVIS fee payment, the consular officer will not process your visa application — there is no same-day remedy if you arrive at your interview without it.

The SEVIS fee is not the only government fee you pay for an F-1 visa. Here is the total cost breakdown for Nepali students:

The timing of your SEVIS fee payment matters. Here is the correct sequence:

• Step 1: Receive your Form I-20 from the US university (you need the SEVIS ID from this form to make the payment)
• Step 2: Pay the SEVIS fee at FMJfee.com — do this at least 3 business days before your visa interview to ensure the payment registers in the system
• Step 3: Pay the MRV fee ($185) and schedule your visa interview at the US Embassy in Kathmandu
• Step 4: Print your SEVIS I-901 payment confirmation receipt and bring it to the interview

The fastest way to pay is online through the official DHS portal using a dollar card or international credit/debit card:

• Step 1 — Go to FMJfee.com and click “Pay I-901 Fee.” This is the only official payment portal.
• Step 2 — Select “Start a New Form I-901” and choose your visa category (F-1 for student visa).
• Step 3 — Enter your personal information: full legal name (must match your passport exactly), date of birth, country of citizenship, country of birth.
• Step 4 — Enter your I-20 information: SEVIS ID number (starts with N, found in the top right corner of your I-20), school code, and program level (bachelor’s, master’s, etc.).
• Step 5 — Choose your payment method: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. You can use a dollar card issued by a Nepali bank or any international credit/debit card.
• Step 6 — Review and submit: Double-check every detail — especially your name spelling and SEVIS ID. Errors cannot be corrected after payment.
• Step 7 — Print your receipt: After successful payment, your I-901 payment confirmation will be available on your FMJfee.com dashboard. Print at least two copies — one for the visa interview and one as a backup.

If you do not have a dollar card or international credit card, you can pay the SEVIS fee through select Nepali commercial banks. The banks most commonly used by Nepali students for SEVIS payment are:

• Nepal Investment Mega Bank (NIMB)
• NMB Bank
• Siddhartha Bank
• Nabil Bank
• Global IME Bank

What to bring to the bank:

• Your passport (original)
• Your Form I-20 (bring physical copies — the bank will keep one)
• Sufficient local currency — approximately $350 equivalent in local currency plus exchange rate differences and bank processing charges (budget around $370–$380 total)

Processing time: Bank transfers generally take 3–5 working days to process and reflect in the SEVIS system. Plan accordingly — do not visit the bank the week of your visa interview.

Alternative payment methods from Nepal:

• Dollar card — issued by most Nepali commercial banks. Apply at your bank branch; it typically takes 3–5 business days to receive. Once you have it, you can pay online at FMJfee.com instantly.
• Western Union — accepted by FMJfee.com, though less commonly used by Nepali students due to higher fees.
• Someone else’s card — a family member, friend, or relative (including someone in the US) can pay on your behalf using their card. The payment must be linked to your SEVIS ID.

Have the following ready before you start the Form I-901 payment:

• Form I-20 — issued by your US university. Contains your SEVIS ID number and school code.
• SEVIS ID number — starts with “N” followed by 10 digits (e.g., N0012345678). Found in the upper right corner of your I-20.
• School code — printed on your I-20. Format varies (e.g., SFR214…).
• Passport — your full legal name must match exactly between your passport, I-20, and SEVIS payment form.
• Payment method — dollar card, international Visa/Mastercard/Amex, or local currency (if paying at a bank).

• Waiting until the last minute. If you pay via bank, it takes 3–5 working days. If you pay online the night before your interview, the payment may not reflect in the system yet. Pay at least 3 business days before your interview.
• Entering the wrong SEVIS ID. The SEVIS ID on the I-901 form must match the one on your I-20 exactly. A single digit error means your payment is linked to the wrong record and will not be found during your interview.
• Name mismatch. Your name must be identical across your passport, I-20, and I-901 payment form. Do not use nicknames, abbreviations, or different name orders.
• Confusing SEVIS fee with MRV fee. The $350 SEVIS fee (paid at FMJfee.com) and the $185 MRV visa application fee (paid to the US Embassy) are two separate payments. You need both.
• Using unofficial payment sites. Only FMJfee.com is the official payment portal. Third-party sites may charge extra fees or be outright scams.
• Forgetting to print the receipt. Your I-901 payment confirmation must be presented at the visa interview. Print at least two copies. You can reprint it anytime from FMJfee.com using your SEVIS ID, last name, and date of birth.
• Not checking payment status. After paying, verify your payment status on FMJfee.com before your interview. The status should show as “paid” — if it shows “pending,” your interview will not proceed smoothly.

At Edwise Foundation, we have been guiding Nepali students through the US visa process since 2005. As Nepal’s first AIRC-certified education consultancy, our US-educated advisors help you with university selection, I-20 processing, SEVIS fee payment guidance, DS-160 preparation, visa interview coaching, and every other step in the F-1 visa journey.

With a 96% acceptance rate across 150+ partner universities, we know what works. For a complete overview of studying in the USA — including eligibility, costs, test requirements, and timelines — visit our Study in the USA from Nepal service page.