As users of an official U.S. government system, students using the SEVP Portal must keep their portal account secure. Users cannot share their passwords. If a student believes someone has learned their password or used their account, they must change their password immediately and report the incident to SEVP at 703-603-4300.

Students who share their SEVP Portal username or password violate the U.S. Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Sensitive Systems Policy Directive. Password sharing creates a security risk that can hurt the accountability, integrity and confidentiality of the SEVP Portal. Keep in mind that violating the DHS Security Sensitive Systems Policy Directive is against the law and will adversely impact the student’s nonimmigrant student status.

Secure Passwords

The SEVP Portal requires users to create secure passwords to create an account. Below is the SEVP Portal Password Policy. SEVP Portal users can also find this policy and step-by-step instructions and screenshots in the SEVP Portal User Guide and the SEVP Portal Videos.

• Passwords must be at least 12 characters in length.
• Passwords must be updated every 90 days.
• Users may not reuse the previous eight passwords.
• Passwords must contain at least one letter from the alphabet, at least one number and at least one of the following special characters: [` ~ !@#$%^&*()-_+=,.;?:’/{}<>|] .
• Passwords may not be the same as, or contain, the student’s SEVIS ID.
• Passwords are case sensitive, so if a password uses a mix of upper and lowercase letters, students must always enter it the same way.

Reset Passwords

If a student cannot remember their password, they can go to the SEVP Portal login page to request a password reset.

To request a password reset:

1. Go to the SEVP Portal log in page and click the “Reset Password” link that is located under the email and password fields.
2. The portal will prompt the student to enter their email address and SEVIS ID.
3. The portal will send the student a password reset email. This email contains a unique link the student can use to change their password.

The password must meet the criteria listed on the page and outlined in the SEVP Portal Password Policy above. After a student creates a password that complies with all the criteria, they click Update Password. The login page opens for the student to use their newly created password to access the portal. Students will not get a success message.

Manage Account (Change Passwords)

 

Students can change their passwords at any time. The new password must meet the criteria listed in the SEVP Portal Password Policy.

To change their SEVP Portal password, students should go to the Manage Account page and enter their:

• SEVIS ID.
• New Password.
• Confirm Password.

Once all fields are completed, click Update Password. The login page will open and prompt the student to log back in using their new password. They will not get a success message.   

Password Reminders

SEVP requires students change their SEVP Portal password every 90 days. When a password is set to expire, or has expired, the student will receive a prompt to change their SEVP Portal password when they attempt to log in to the system.

If a student has not logged into the SEVP Portal for 90 days, the system will lock the student out. If this happens to you, please contact your DSO to regain access.

Password Security Best Practices

As an official U.S. government system, it is important to ensure SEVP Portal usernames and passwords are secure. Use the following password security tips when creating and maintaining your SEVP Portal password:

• Do not use passwords based on personal information, which can be easily accessed or guessed.
• Do not use words found in a dictionary.
• Develop a system for memorizing complex passwords.
• Use both upper and lowercase letters.
• Use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters. 

If you are logging into the SEVP Portal for the first time, read Create an SEVP Portal Account for more detailed information.