Since the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) launched the SEVP Portal on March 23, SEVP has collected the most common questions about the portal from its stakeholders.

The following questions are among the top questions from designated school officials (DSOs) about the SEVP Portal.

Can I be held accountable for fraudulent information entered by a student into the SEVP Portal?

You cannot be held accountable for fraudulent information entered by a student into the SEVP Portal. When logging into the portal, students are directed to an Attestation page that requires them to agree that they will not provide false, fictitious or fraudulent information in the SEVP Portal. By clicking “Continue” and accessing the portal, the student signifies that they agree to the terms and conditions outlined on the page.

How can I reset a student’s locked SEVP Portal account?

The SEVP Portal will lock a user’s account if the user does not log in to the portal for 90 days or after three failed attempts to log in to the system. If a student is locked out, the portal will email the student and direct them to contact their DSO. To unlock a student’s portal account, you should:

• Navigate to the Student Information page in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.
• Click the “Reset Portal Account” link under the Actions menu on the left side of the page. A “Reset Portal Account” link will appear.
• Click “Submit” to send the request.

You can also follow these steps to request that the portal re-send the Initial Account Creation email to the student.

Am I required to reprint Forms I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” when students update their employer information in the SEVP Portal?

You are not required to reprint Forms I-20 when students update their employer information via the SEVP Portal. However, SEVP encourages DSOs to ensure their students have a copy of the most up-to-date Form I-20, when possible.

Read the full list of top SEVP Portal questions from DSOs and the answers to those questions on the SEVP Special Report Webinar: SEVP Portal page.

For additional SEVP Portal resources, including step-by-step instructions, visit the SEVP Portal Help section.