As the winter Olympics kick off in Sochi, Russia, athletes from around the world strive to bring home a gold medal for their country. Just as athletes have an important responsibility to represent their countries at the Olympic Games, designated school officials (DSOs) and principal designated school officials (PDSOs) have an important job as representatives for their schools during Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification and recertification.

Unlike Olympic athletes, all DSOs can be winners. Follow these instructions for recertification success:

1. After receiving the school’s 180-day notice regarding its certification expiration date (CED), you will be eligible to apply for recertification through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). You should first review the Form I-17, "Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Students," to make sure all information is accurate and updated.
2. If information has changed, file an update to the Form I-17 immediately. Please note that a pending update does not affect the school’s CED, so be sure to respond to any requests for evidence (RFEs) regarding your update in a timely manner. A school that files for recertification with an accurate and up-to-date Form I-17 is more likely to be recertified promptly.
3. Once the Form I-17 is accurate and up-to-date, print a copy of it and the attestation statement and ensure that all required school officials sign them, as follows:
   • The petitioning PDSO must sign the Form I-17.
   • All DSOs (including the PDSO) must sign the Form I-17A to certify knowledge of and intent to comply with relevant regulations.
   • The president, owner, or head of school or school system must sign the Form I-17A to certify that the listed P/DSOs are a part of the school and that they will receive necessary resources to fulfill their duties.
   • The PDSO must complete and sign the attestation statement.
4. Review the attestation statement instructions regarding additional evidence to determine if any supporting documentation is needed depending on your school type. If so, compile the additional evidence before moving on to the next step.
5. After completing the steps above, submit the Form I-17 for recertification electronically in SEVIS. Be sure to click “submit” on page 5 to ensure your petition is successfully submitted.

Immediately after submitting the recertification petition in SEVIS, you must email scanned, signed copies of the Form I-17, Form I-17A, and attestation statement, along with any necessary supporting documentation, to SEVP at recert.sevis@dhs.gov.

For more information on how to file for recertification, as well as copies of recertification forms, visit the SEVP website.