Paying the SEVIS fee and filling in the DS-160 from Ghana
Once your I-20 arrives, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee online, $350 for F-1 students as of 2026, using the SEVIS ID and school code on your I-20, and print the receipt. Then complete the DS-160 visa application online, with a recent photo and every social media account you use, and print the confirmation page. Pay the visa fee and book your interview at the US Embassy in Accra.
How do I pay the SEVIS fee and fill in the DS-160?
In order, once your I-20 arrives. First pay the SEVIS I-901 fee online, $350 for F-1 students as of 2026, using the SEVIS ID and school code on your I-20. Then complete the DS-160, the online visa application. Then pay the visa fee and book your interview at the US Embassy in Accra.
Each step uses information from the one before, so the order matters. Set aside a quiet afternoon, with your passport and I-20 beside you.
What do I need before I start?
Five things:
- Your passport, valid well beyond your intended stay.
- Your signed I-20, with your SEVIS ID and school code.
- A way to pay online, such as a card that works for international payments. Check with your bank first.
- A recent digital photo that meets the US visa photo rules.
- Your history: schools attended, addresses, travel and every social media account you have used.
How do I pay the SEVIS fee?
On the official SEVIS I-901 fee website, using the details on your I-20. Enter your name exactly as on the I-20, your SEVIS ID, which begins with N, and your school's code. Pay the fee, then print or save the receipt.
Pay it at least a few days before your interview, so the payment shows in the system. Keep the receipt in your interview folder. Use only the official website; never pay an agent or a lookalike site to do it for you.
How do I fill in the DS-160?
Online, in one or more sittings, saving as you go. The form asks about:
- Your identity: name, date and place of birth, passport details.
- Your travel: your intended arrival date and US address, usually the university's.
- Your study: your SEVIS ID and school, from the I-20.
- Your family: your parents' names and details.
- Your education and work: your schools and any jobs.
- Security and background questions: answer each one truthfully.
- Social media: every platform and username you have used in the past five years.
Gather the history before you begin: the names and dates of your schools, your addresses over recent years, any previous travel abroad and any past visa applications. Having them on one sheet saves time and avoids errors.
Write down the application ID the form gives you, so you can return to it if your session times out. At the end, upload your photo, sign electronically and print the confirmation page with its barcode.
How do I pay the visa fee and book the interview?
Through the US Embassy in Ghana's visa appointment system. The visa application fee is $185 as of 2026. A new visa integrity fee has also been introduced; check its amount and how it is paid on the embassy's site. Once the fee is paid, book the earliest interview that suits you, using your DS-160 confirmation number.
How do we pay from Ghana?
With a card that works for international online payments, in the student's name where possible. Many Ghanaian bank cards can pay online in dollars, but some are blocked for international payments until you ask. Call your bank before you start, and ask it to allow the payment.
If no family card works, a relative abroad can pay on the student's behalf, as long as the payment carries the student's own details and SEVIS ID. Whoever pays, print the receipt in the student's name and keep it in the interview folder. Never hand money to an agent to "pay for you".
How long does it all take?
The forms themselves take an afternoon or two. The SEVIS payment usually shows quickly, but give it a few days before the interview. The DS-160 takes one to three hours, depending on how much history you need to gather. The longest wait is usually for the interview appointment, so complete both forms as soon as the I-20 arrives.
What if my start date changes?
Tell your university, which may issue an updated I-20. Whether your SEVIS payment carries over depends on whether your SEVIS ID stays the same. If the university issues a new I-20 with the same SEVIS ID, your payment usually still counts. If the SEVIS ID changes, you may need to pay again. Ask the international office and check the SEVIS fee website before paying twice.
What is the DS-160 confirmation page for?
It proves you have submitted the application. The barcode on it links the embassy to your form. You need its number to book the interview, and you bring the printed page to the interview itself. Keep a copy, and save the application ID in case you need to return to the form.
What about the photo?
It must meet the US visa photo rules: recent, in colour, a plain white or off-white background, your full face looking straight at the camera, and no glasses. The DS-160 checks the photo when you upload it. If it is rejected, take a new one rather than editing it.
What if I make a mistake?
On the SEVIS fee, contact the SEVIS fee service through its website with your receipt, and ask how to correct it. On the DS-160, if you have not yet submitted, return to the form with your application ID and fix it. If you have submitted, you can usually start a new DS-160 and use its confirmation number for the interview. Ask the embassy if you are unsure.
What should I do first?
When your I-20 arrives, check and sign it. Then pay the SEVIS fee the same week, and start the DS-160 with your passport beside you.
If you get stuck on any question, send us a message on WhatsApp.
Questions people ask
How much is the SEVIS fee for F-1 students?
$350 as of 2026, paid online on the official SEVIS I-901 fee website. Check the current amount there before paying, and keep the receipt for your visa interview.
What do I need to pay the SEVIS fee?
Your I-20, which shows your SEVIS ID and your school's code, and a way to pay online, such as a card. Enter your name and details exactly as on the I-20.
What is the DS-160?
The online application for a US non-immigrant visa, including the F-1 student visa. You fill it in from your passport, I-20 and personal history, upload a photo, and print the confirmation page for the interview.
What order should I do things in?
Check and sign the I-20, pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160, pay the visa fee, then book the interview. Each step uses information from the one before.