As a designated school official (DSO), it is important to remember that each F and M international student must have only one active record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).  It’s important to ensure the SEVIS ID number on a student’s active record matches the ID number found on all government documents.

An F or M student with more than one active SEVIS record or more than one SEVIS ID on government documents may encounter issues when they arrive at a U.S. port of entry or apply for student benefits. The DSO should also ensure the student’s SEVIS ID associated with their active record matches the I-901 SEVIS Fee receipt and the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.”

To avoid issues, DSOs should always transfer or correct a student’s SEVIS record when necessary and not create a new record for an existing student with an active SEVIS record.

In addition, if a student receives a Form I-515A, “Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor,” at a U.S. port of entry, their DSO should ensure the student submits all paperwork to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) within 30 days.

It is important the DSO does not attempt to resolve a Form I-515A by generating a new SEVIS record after the date the Form I-515A was issued. If the new SEVIS record is created after an international student’s entry, the SEVIS record will not be valid without the student departing and entering on the new record. Rather than creating a new SEVIS record, the DSO should assist the student in complying with the Form I-515A by requesting a correction to the student’s entry record either by a correction request or reinstatement. The exception to this is if the student plans to depart within 30 days and re-enter on a new SEVIS record.

Do you have questions about maintaining student records in SEVIS? Visit the SEVIS Help Hub for more information.