Student-visa fees for international students could double this October, but some MSU students who could be affected said the increase won’t break their bank.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to increase the visa fees from about $100 to $200 to help fund a federal surveillance program that monitors international students.
The database, called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, was created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to track foreign students and exchange visitors.
Mamud Dako, vice president of MSU International Students Association, said a $100 increase doesn’t mean much considering what the students are already paying.
“Keep in mind, international students pay over $20,000 per year,” he said. “If you’re willing to pay that much, $100 wouldn’t change much, realistically.”
Although the increase will be strictly to fund a tracking database for students like her, Hanna Wihodo, an advertising senior, said that’s the price students have to pay to live overseas.
“In my humble opinion, if you have to live in another country, you have to follow the guidelines,” she said. “I think we’ll just have to pay it.”
Peter Briggs, director of the Office of International Students and Scholars, said MSU had 3,869 international students enrolled in the fall.
The real effect probably won’t be on current students, he said, but on potential international students.
“It’s a competitive world out there. Australia, Britain, Canada — there are lots of players. If we make the obstacles too high or unfriendly, it makes it harder,” Briggs said.
The United States is already behind some countries in marketing for international students, he said, and a fee increase, especially to pay for a tracking system, doesn’t help the country’s reputation.
“Everyone’s chasing global brainpower,” he said. “Britain has a plan how to market themselves, the United States doesn’t. And then you get this.”
Dako said he would likely support a fee increase if the money directly benefited international students.
“I shouldn’t be paying for it. It’s not the responsibility of international students to pay for the government to check our activities,” he said.
“We don’t get any additional benefits, it doesn’t aid in our education in any way.”
Briggs said he doesn’t think the fee will have much of an impact.
“It’s an annoyance. It’s one more thing that’s there, but the U.S. higher education system has a very good reputation in the world,” he said.
As for government outreach, Briggs doesn’t think student or faculty opinion will be consulted.
“The government calls the shots. This is what’s going to come,” he said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
