THE SEVIS PROBLEM

You problem does not end after getting the visa. You may get a letter after two days from the US consulate saying that you have to re apply because you don’t have an entry in the SEVIS database. This is a new concept being implemented, so this problem may not occur in the future. SEVIS is a database maintained by USA for all international students. Your college should put all your details in the database. This will be cross checked by the authorities when your visa is being given. Sometimes a college may miss out a student. Since the number of students enrolling is very high it happens once in a while that one or two candidates are missed out. Sometimes the university may be simply delayed in updating everyone’s entry in the SEVIS. Whatever is the reason, you should be aware and cautious that you are not stuck.

If you are the victim of such a problem then first thing is you should have sufficient time in hand to take actions. That’s why its recommended that you should have around one month of time in hand between your first visa interview and the date of admission. According to our timeline you have one month in hand. The first thing you have to do is contact your university and inform them about your missing SEVIS entry. They will take immediate action and notify you that your entry has been done. Next you have to book another day for the interview and re-appear again. The rules might have changed over time but keep these things in mind, this is what used to happened a couple of years back.

You will come to know if SEVIS is a big problem for that particular year from the group mails in the yahoo groups that I mentioned earlier. Many students will discuss their experiences with the visa problems. These students will also discuss the steps they are taking to resolve the issue.