USCIS has just announced that it will be modifying the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to include changes to the types of personal information collected and maintained for individuals. With the launch of the new SEVIS application, SEVIS II, USCIS proposes to collect additional information on students, exchange visitors and their dependants that enter the United States under the F, M or J visa categories, and the designated sponsors of these nonimmigrants.

Similar to the original SEVIS program, SEVIS II will track and monitor F, M and J nonimmigrants throughout their stay in the U.S. educational system or an exchange visitor program. With SEVIS II, there will be updated categories of individuals, records, system purposes, and routine uses. Additionally, SEVIS II will include new policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining and disposing of records in the SEVIS system, along with new procedures to access records.

Finally, this notice includes changes that intend to simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice.

Comments regarding this notice, which is available in the January 5, 2010 Federal Register, will be accepted on or before February 4, 2010.