Regulations require Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified institutions to report any changes to the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” or the program of study listed on the form within 21 days of the change. Failure to do so may result in withdrawal of a school’s SEVP certification.

Once a Form I-17 petition update is submitted in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the petition is locked for most edits while pending adjudication.

If the petition is locked and a material change occurs, you should:

• Report the change by email to sevp@ice.dhs.gov.
• Include in the email your school name, school code, a brief explanation of what you are requesting to do and any accompanying evidence you may have supporting your request.

To update principal designated school official (PDSO) or designated school official (DSO) information with a locked petition, you should:

• Send an email to FormI17SupportingEvidence@ice.dhs.gov.
• Include in the email an attached letter signed by the current PDSO, or by the head of school if the current PDSO is unavailable.
• Make sure the letter is on your school’s official letterhead, and includes specific information about all new PDSOs or DSOs.

Visit the Form I-17 Petition Update page in the SEVIS Help Hub for step-by-step instructions. For more information about what supporting evidence must be included based on the information being updated, download the DSO Update Process Fact Sheet.