On July 21, 2017, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) will deploy its next release [PDF version]. This release is called SEVIS Release 6.35. SEVIS explains that SEVIS Release 6.35 will include updates related to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recertification process. The SEVIS news release details some of the changes that users will find in SEVIS Release 6.35.

First, actual certification expiration dates (CEDs) will be included in SEVIS Release 6.35.

Second, SEVIS Release 6.35 will allow users to edit a Form I-17, Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student, as part of the recertification process.

Third, a school official will be able to indicate receipt of the 12-month self-evaluation from STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) students in SEVIS Release 6.35.

Fourth, in SEVIS Release 6.35, the STEM OPT end date for students engaged in STEM OPT will be calculated to match the end date approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

SEVIS explains that once the SEVISE Release 6.35 is implemented, “school officials will see their school’s actual CED in SEVIS.” Nevertheless, principal designated school officials will not be able to apply for recertification prior to 180 days before their CED. Principal designated school officials should still file for recertification no later than 30 days prior to the applicable CED.

To guide users through the implementation of the new release, SEVIS provided the following chart showing what is affected in SEVIS Release 6.35 and what is not affected [PDF version]:

Functionality Affects F/M SEVIS Affects J SEVIS Affects Batch
Certification expiration date changes Yes No No
Edit petition, as a part of recertification Yes No No
Upload evidence for initial Form I-17, petition updates, and recertification (TBD) Yes No No
Upload evidence for correction requests (TBD) Yes No No
STEM OPT Changes:

Adding checkbox for DSO to indicate receipt of student’s STEM self-evaluation
Changing SEVIS’ calculation of STEM end date to match USCIS’ approved end date		 Yes No No

As the chart indicates, SEVIS Release 6.35 “does not include any updates that involve changes to the Batch schema.” Nevertheless, SEVIS states that “[s]chools and sponsors that use third-party software to push data to SEVIS must plan their batch uploads carefully.” It adds that schools that cannot deploy their batch vendor’s updates by the release date “will still be able to submit registration events via batch.”

The system will be unavailable for both regular users and Batch users from 8:00 PM (ET) to 11:59 PM (ET) on July 21, 2017, while SEVIS Release 6.35 is being implemented.