Questions from Designated School Officials is a blog series on Study in the States for designated school officials (DSOs). Each month, we will answer a question that will help you advise your F and/or M students. If you are a DSO and would like to submit a question, you can email us or ask us via social media, your Field Representative or the SEVP Response Center. We may edit questions for clarity and consistency and may not feature all submissions on Study in the States.

Question: What does SEVP analyze during the certification process?

Answer: During the certification process, we analyze all of the information submitted from school officials for schools applying for SEVP certification, including the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student.” After you complete the Form I-17, you must pay the filing fee and submit the printed and signed Form I-17 to officially begin the certification process. A petitioner must submit different types of evidence (e.g., proof of citizenship or legal residence for all DSO nominees, school catalogs or a copy of your accreditation certification) depending on school type.

Remember that we only accept scanned and e-mailed copies of the signed Form I-17. Also, we will only file the petition after verifying reception of the proof of payment and the signed Form I-17. We will cancel a petition if we do not receive either of these (along with all other required documentation) in the requested amount of time.

Next, an SEVP representative will visit your school to conduct a site visit to determine eligibility for certification. During the visit, the SEVP representative will examine your facilities and interview personnel you nominated on your Form I-17 to be DSOs.

If you have not already submitted all required evidence when an SEVP adjudicator reviews your certification package, you may also receive a request for evidence that will list additional items you must submit.

If you have any questions about SEVP certification, you can contact SEVP via phone or e-mail at 703-603-3400 or sevp@ice.dhs.gov.