Principal designated school officials (PDSO) at Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools must submit for recertification by the school's certification expiration date (CED) to ensure school officials are following regulations when enrolling international students. The CED is two years from the date of the school’s initial certification or last recertification approval and can be found at the top of the School Information page in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
To begin the recertification process, 180 days before a school’s CED, SEVP will notify all of the designated school officials (DSO) approved on a school’s Form I-17 that the school is eligible to apply for recertification. DSOs will receive this notification from SEVP through SEVIS. Schools should not attempt to file for recertification unless your school has received its 180-day notice via SEVIS.
To file for recertification, a school’s PDSO at the main instructional site must:
- Submit the school’s recertification petition in SEVIS. The PDSO at the school’s main instructional site must submit the recertification petition in SEVIS.
- Upload the complete recertification filing that includes the signed Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” and other supporting documentation, through SEVIS.
Keep in mind that schools may submit Form I-17 updates while filing for recertification. However, a change of ownership or a change of location must be submitted for adjudication prior to filing for recertification.
After you submit your recertification filing in SEVIS, you will receive a “Notice of Confirmation of Complete Filing” or a “Notice of Rejection of Filing” within three business days. If a notice is not received within three business days, please email sevp@ice.dhs.gov.
If material changes occur after a school’s recertification petition is filed, your school should report the changes by email to sevp@ice.dhs.gov with 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.
SEVP’s governing regulations for recertification are found in 8 CFR 214.3(a)(2). For step-by-step instructions on how to file for recertification and additional information, visit the Getting Started with SEVP Recertification resource page or the Recertification tab on ICE.gov/SEVP.
