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: How do I make changes to the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” during recertification?

Answer: SEVP requires school officials to submit all necessary updates to their school’s Form I-17 before the principal designated school official submits for recertification.  While all information must be current and accurate at the time of submission, sometimes school operations or staffing may change while the school’s recertification petition is pending.

If your school needs to add or remove DSOs while its recertification petition is pending, please contact the SEVIS Help Desk at 800-892-4829. The Help Desk will assist you in getting these individuals added without affecting the recertification process. If other information needs to be updated on the Form I-17, such as an addition of a new degree or a change of location, contact the Recertification Team at recert.sevis@ice.dhs.gov. An adjudicator will help you incorporate any necessary changes into the pending recertification petition. 

For more information on the process, visit our recertification resource page.