January 29, 2003
On January 1, 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) completed the deployment of its Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and over three thousand schools have been admitted to use the system. In order to accommodate schools and exchange visitor programs that are new users of SEVIS, the INS has decided to grant a grace period, until February 15, 2003.
During this period, the Service encourages schools and exchange visitor programs to enter information and issue forms through the SEVIS system as anticipated by our regulations, but we will continue to accept forms issued under the previous paper system to accommodate schools that may have initial difficulty accessing or using SEVIS. Schools that have difficulties should report them promptly to the SEVIS Help Desk so that INS and the schools may use this period effectively to work together to resolve problems and make the transition to SEVIS one that works for INS, the schools and the foreign students.
INS will not accept forms issued after February 15, 2003, unless they were issued through SEVIS.
Posted January 31, 2003 on www.NASFAA.org, Web Site of the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
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