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The IFAP online library contains technical publications, regulations, and policy guidance on the administration of the Federal Student Aid programs.
AwardYear: 1998-1999
EnterChapterNo: 2
EnterChapterTitle: Student Eligibility and Financial Need
SectionNumber:
SectionTitle: Appendix A: Documenting Citizenship Status
PageNumbers: 71-112

hb2a-96.pdf  PDF  hb2-99.pdf  PDF
As authorized by Congress, the SFA Programs are intended to
provide needy students with financial aid if the students are 1) U.S.
citizens or nationals, 2) permanent residents, 3) certain Pacific
Islanders, or 4) persons who intend to become citizens or permanent
residents of the United States. To be eligible for SFA funds, a student
must prove that he or she qualifies under one of these categories,
which are explained here in detail.

This appendix explains when a school is required to document a
student's citizenship status and what documents are acceptable as
proof of the student's status.1 Financial aid administrators should
bear in mind that required documentation verifying a student's
citizenship status must be kept in the school's files until the record
retention period expires.

1 The rules discussed in this chapter regarding documenting citizenship
status also apply to the parent(s) borrowing a Federal of Direct PLUS Loan.



U.S. CITIZEN OR NATIONAL
---------------------------

The term "U.S. citizen" includes citizens of the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the
Northern Mariana Islands. All U.S. citizens are considered to be U.S.
nationals. However, not all nationals are U.S. citizens: Natives of
American Samoa and Swain's Island are not U.S. citizens but are
nationals and therefore may receive SFA funds.

Generally, students in the U.S. citizen or national category are not
required to provide status documentation to receive SFA funds.
(Note that if a student leaves the citizenship question blank but
provides an A-Number, the CPS will assume the applicant is an
eligible noncitizen and will forward the A-Number to the INS to
confirm eligibility.)

[[SSA citizenship match]]
The Department matches applications with the Social Security
Administration (SSA) to verify citizenship status for applicants who
report that they are U.S. citizens. All applications for federal student
aid are sent to SSA for the match. The applications of those who
report themselves as eligible noncitizens and who provide A-
Numbers are also sent to the INS match. Results from the INS match
take precedence over the results from SSA.

If the SSA cannot match an SSN, name, or date of birth, then the
student's citizenship status will not be verified, and the student will
receive a comment explaining that his or her citizenship could not be
confirmed because of a question about the SSN, name, or date of
birth (Comment 62). In this case, the student must provide his or her
school with documentation of his or her citizenship. The school
determines what constitutes acceptable documentation of citizenship.
See the list on the next page for documents the school may choose to
accept.

If the SSA did not confirm the student's citizenship status, the student
receives a comment explaining that the student needs to either
provide documents proving citizenship or make a correction to show
that he or she is an eligible noncitizen (Comment 146). The output
document will also have a "C" next to the EFC. The student must
provide the school with documentation substantiating his or her
claim to be a citizen or eligible noncitizen. If the student claims to be
an eligible noncitizen, he or she must submit a correction, which
must include the A-Number.

If the student's status as a citizen or a national must be documented,
the following are permissible forms of certification:

[[Documentation]]
- A copy of the student's birth certificate showing that he or she was
born in the United States.

- A copy of Form FS-240 ("Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of
the United States"), the FS-545 ("Certificate of Birth-Foreign
Service"), the DS-1350 ("Certificate of Birth"), or the INS Form
G-639 (the Freedom of Information Act Form). The first three
forms are generated by the State Department and include an
embossed seal with the words "United States of America" and
"State Department."

- A U.S. passport, which may be current or expired. (In the case of
nationals who are not citizens, the passport will be stamped
"Noncitizen National.")

- A Certificate of Citizenship from the INS. This certificate must
include at least the following information:

the student's name,
the certificate number (found in the upper right hand corner),
and
the date the certificate was issued.

- A Certificate of Naturalization from the INS. This certificate must
contain at least

the student's name,
the certificate number (found in the upper right hand corner),
the INS A-Number,
the name of the court that granted the naturalization, and
the date of naturalization.

Older versions of the Certificate of Citizenship and of the Certificate
of Naturalization advise the holder not to photocopy them. The INS,
however, permits photocopying of these documents if done for
lawful purposes (such as applying for SFA funds).

Note that a Social Security card or driver's license is not acceptable
for documenting citizenship or national status: Noncitizens and
nonnationals may possess these forms of identification.

[[Citizenship confirmation for U.S. citizens born abroad]]
Even though students are considered U.S. citizens when born abroad
to parents who are U.S. citizens, the SSA database is not
automatically updated to indicate the student's status even if the
student's birth was registered. Therefore, such students (for example,
those born on military bases abroad) will fail the SSA citizenship
match until the SSA database is corrected. That is, the applications of
U.S. citizens who were born abroad but who file as U.S. citizens are
automatically flagged by the SSA as ineligible foreign born, even if
the applicant has an SSN.

Such students may document citizenship by providing a "Certificate
of Birth Abroad." If the birth of the student was (before he or she
reached age 18) registered with the American consulate or embassy
in a foreign country, the student can receive a copy of the certificate
by contacting

Department of State
Passport Correspondence Branch
1111 19th St. S.W., # 510
Washington, DC 20522-1705

202-955-0737

The student should provide the following information: Name given
at birth; date and place of birth; daytime phone number; parents'
names and their dates and place(s) of birth; and a $10 check or
money order made to the Department of State. Students will receive
either form FS-240 or DS-1350. This process takes four to eight
weeks. The student may also want to contact SSA about updating its
database.

If the student is over 18 and the birth was not registered, she or he
can file a self-petition for a "Certificate of Citizenship" to any local
U.S. INS office (Form N-600). Proof of parents' U.S. citizenship at
the time of the student's birth must be provided.


CITIZENS OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
-----------------------------------

The Compact of Free Association (P.L. 99-329) created three
political entities from the former Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands. Two of these entities, the Marshall Islands and the Federated
States of Micronesia, voted in 1986 to end political ties with the
United States. Citizens of these islands are eligible for Pell Grants,
FWS, and FSEOGs but are not eligible for loans.

The third entity, Palau, voted to ratify the compact in 1994; its
independence was effective October 1, 1994. Citizens of Palau who
enrolled after that date will, like citizens of the Marshall Islands and
the Federated States of Micronesia, be eligible for Pell Grants, FWS,
and FSEOGs--but not for loans.

Note that the Northern Mariana Islands voted to become a
Commonwealth of the United States on November 3, 1986. Citizens
of these islands are U.S. citizens and are eligible for all SFA funds on
that basis.

Students who are citizens of the Marshall Islands, the Federated
States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau should check Block 2
(indicating eligible noncitizen status) in the citizenship question on
the FAFSA and leave the item about the A-Number blank. (If the
student doesn't have an SSN, he or she may leave that item blank as
well.) As long as the student's file contains consistent information on
his or her citizenship, the financial aid administrator is not required
to collect documentation.

Pacific Island residents who file through EDExpress may indicate
that they are eligible noncitizens, after which their state of legal
residence will be confirmed. If they are determined to be residents of
the Pacific Islands, they will not be required to provide an A-
Number, and EDExpress will not reject their applications.


OTHER ELIGIBLE CATEGORIES
----------------------------

[[General overview of the matching program]]
In contrast to citizens, nationals, and Pacific Island citizens--whose
documentation is needed only in the restricted instances discussed
earlier (for example, when the student's citizenship data are not
matched or when the student initially fails to check the box on
citizenship)--permanent residents and other eligible noncitizens must
always provide documentation on eligibility. For the majority of
students, the Department initiates the documentation process by
accessing the INS computer database. This computer match, known
as Primary Confirmation, produces a comment on the student's
output document indicating that the student's status was confirmed,
that it was not confirmed, or that the INS was unable to search its
records. If the student's immigration status is confirmed by INS, a
comment is printed to that effect on the output document and no
further documentation is needed.2

2 The process of documenting citizenship status should not be confused
with the process of verifying financial and houshold data. Although
verification is required only for students selected by the CPS,
documentation of immigration status (either on the output document or
on an INS document) is required of all permanent residents and eligible
noncitizens other than citizens of Palau, the Federated States of
Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands

Unsuccessful Primary Confirmations occur even when a student is an
eligible noncitizen. Primary Confirmation may not confirm the
student's status, for example, if the student did not provide enough
information when completing the application or if INS did not
respond to the Department within 24 hours, as required. Although
the student is not automatically ineligible for SFA funds if the match
does not confirm the student's status, additional procedures may be
necessary to document the student's eligibility. This subsequent
paper process is called Secondary Confirmation.

[[Details about Primary Confirmation]]
In Primary Confirmation, an applicant's noncitizen information is
electronically matched with the database kept by INS. When
application data are received by the CPS, identifying information for
all noncitizen applicants is transferred electronically to INS's
computer. The match is conducted by using the A-Number collected
for all students who indicate that they are eligible noncitizens. (The
A-Number is a unique number assigned to each legal alien by INS.)
INS is responsible for matching this information and electronically
transmitting the INS response back to the CPS within 24 hours. The
CPS then provides the appropriate comment on the applicant's output
document.

[[Comment 143]]
If the comment states "Your citizenship status has been confirmed by
the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and you meet the
citizenship requirements for Federal student aid" (Comment 143), the
student's status as an eligible noncitizen has been confirmed. The
output document with that comment serves as documentation of the
student's eligibility, and the student need not provide further
evidence of his or her immigration status.

There are four cases in which additional documentation is needed.
The student must provide further documentation if

[[Comment 142]]
1. Primary Confirmation was not attempted because certain key
information (e.g., the A-Number) was illegible or blank. In this
case, the following comment will appear:

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) could not
confirm your statement that you are an eligible noncitizen
because there is a question about your alien registration number.
You must submit proof of your noncitizen eligibility to your
school within 30 days after you give this SAR to your school. If
you fail to submit proof within 30 days, you may be found
ineligible for Federal student aid.


This comment will also appear for citizens of the Marshall Islands,
the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau because such
students are eligible noncitizens but would not have A-Numbers to
report. Again, these students are not required to provide proof of
eligible noncitizen status for the purpose of eligibility
determination for SFA funds (see "Citizens of the Pacific Islands"
in this appendix).

[[Comment 144]]
2. The information needed to perform a match was on the
application but did not match the INS database information. In this
case, the following comment appears:

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) did not
confirm your statement that you are an eligible noncitizen. You
must submit proof of your noncitizen eligibility to your school
within 30 days after you give this SAR to your school. If you fail
to submit proof within 30 days, you may be found ineligible for
Federal student aid.


[[Comment 145]]
3. The INS was not able to match the student's record within 24
hours or if the computer matching program was not in service. In
this case, the following comment will appear:

Because of processing problems, the Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) was not able to confirm your
statement that you are an eligible noncitizen. You must submit
proof of your eligible noncitizen status to your school before you
may receive Federal student aid.


[[Inconsistent information]]
4. The school has on file conflicting data that cause the school to
question the validity of the match. (The General Provisions require
that the school resolve any conflicting information before paying
the student or certifying a loan application.)

[[Jay Treaty]]
There is one unusual circumstance where the school will need to
collect documentation from the student but not submit it to the INS
for Secondary Confirmation. The Jay Treaty of 1794 (as well as
subsequent treaties and U.S. immigration law) gives Canadian-born
Native Americans with "50% Indian blood" the legal right to live and
work in the United States; such individuals are not subject to the
legal restrictions typically imposed on aliens by the INS, are not
required to obtain documentation from the INS, and are considered
"lawfully admitted for permanent residence."

Because few SFA applicants are eligible under the Jay Treaty, the
FAFSA does not include a separate response for such students.
Therefore, any student eligible for SFA funds through the Jay Treaty
should report that he or she is an "eligible noncitizen" and fill in
"A999999999" for the A-Number. The application will not be
matched with INS, and Comment 142 (see the previous page) will be
printed on the output document. The school must obtain proof that
the student has 50% Native American blood and was born in Canada.
To do so, the student should provide one or more of the following
documents:

- A "band card" issued by the Band Council of a Canadian Reserve,
or by the Department of Indian Affairs in Ottawa.

- Birth or baptism records.

- An affidavit from a tribal official or other person knowledgeable
about the applicant's or recipient's family history.

- Identification from a recognized Native American provincial or
territorial organization.

If the student can provide one of the above forms of documentation,
and is otherwise eligible, the school must document the file and can
award SFA funds.


STUDENT RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPUTER MATCH
-------------------------------------------------------

If the student's citizenship status requires resolution, the school must
first ask the student to provide documentation of his or her status. If
the documentation provided does not appear to constitute reasonable
evidence of eligible noncitizen status, the school may determine the
applicant to be ineligible for SFA funds without sending the
documentation to INS for verification. On the other hand, if the
documents submitted appear to constitute reasonable evidence of
eligible noncitizen status, the school must then submit the
documentation to INS to verify its correctness. Sending the student's
documentation to INS for verification is a procedure known as
Secondary Confirmation, and requires the school to complete a Form
G-845S.

[[Limitations on using results of match to deny aid]]
The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988
prohibits a school from suspending, terminating, or reducing SFA
funds; making a final denial of SFA funds; or taking other adverse
action against a student based on the results of an interagency data
match unless the student has been notified and has had time to
respond to the notification.

As noted on the SAR for any student who must provide further
documentation, the student is permitted at least 30 days from the
time he or she submits the SAR to provide that documentation.
During this period and until the results of the Secondary
Confirmation are received, a financial aid administrator may not
deny, reduce, or terminate aid to a student. Disbursements may be
made to an otherwise eligible student pending the INS response if at
least 15 business days have elapsed since the date on which the
documentation was submitted to INS. (Of course, the general
exclusions for inconsistent data being on file are applicable here.)

[[Liability]]
A school is not liable for an error in its determination that a student is
an eligible noncitizen if, in making that determination, the school
had no conflicting data on file and it relied on 1) an output document
indicating that the student meets the requirements for federal student
aid, 2) an INS determination of an eligible immigration status in
response to a request for Secondary Confirmation, or 3) immigration
status documents submitted by the student, if INS did not respond in
a timely fashion. The student (or parent for PLUS borrowers) is
liable for any SFA funds received if he or she is ineligible. If the
school made its determination without having one of these types of
documents, the school is held responsible for repaying SFA funds to
the Department.

[[Appeal rights for SFA recipients]]
The school should establish procedures to ensure that if SFA funds
are disbursed and the school subsequently determines (using
Secondary Confirmation) that the student recipient is not an eligible
noncitizen, the student is provided with a notice of the determination,
an opportunity to contest the determination, and notice of the
school's final determination. The student may contest the
determination by submitting to the school all additional documents
the student believes support his or her claims to be an eligible
noncitizen. If the documents appear to support the student's claim,
the school should submit them to INS using Secondary
Confirmation. The school's final determination would be based on
the Secondary Confirmation results.

[[Requirements for notification to students]]
For every student required to undergo Secondary Confirmation, the
school is required to furnish written instructions providing

- an explanation of the documentation the student must submit as
evidence of eligible noncitizen status. (The "Summary Chart of
Acceptable Documentation" found at the end of this appendix is
acceptable);

- the institutional deadline for submitting documentation (which
must be at least 30 days from the date the school receives the
results of the Primary Confirmation) and notification that if the
student misses the deadline, he or she may not receive SFA funds
for the award period or period of enrollment; and

- an acknowledgment that no determination of the student's
eligibility will be made until an opportunity to submit immigration
status documents is provided.


USING THE G-845S FOR SECONDARY CONFIRMATION
-------------------------------------------------

If the output document does not confirm the student's status as an
eligible noncitizen, the student must provide the school with
appropriate documentation (as explained in this appendix) showing
that he or she is a permanent resident or other eligible noncitizen.
The school must then initiate a Secondary Confirmation of this
documentation with INS to ensure validity.

To initiate Secondary Confirmation, the school must complete a
Form G 845S. The G-845S ("Document Verification Request") is a
standard INS form that is used to ask the File Control Office at INS
to confirm that an alien noncitizen's documentation is valid. To
complete the G-845S, fill in each item on the top half of the form.
The A-Number is provided in the first item; "Education
Grant/Loans/Work Study" must be marked in Box 8, "Benefits." You
must state your name as the submitting official and the school's name
as the submitting agency. Under Item 6, "Verification Number," the
school must provide the 13-digit number that is located in the FAA
Information section with the match flags. Secondary Confirmation
requests sent to INS without Verification Numbers will be returned
unprocessed (with one exception discussed below).

[[No Verification Number]]
There are two circumstances in which a student will not receive a
verification number:

1. No match was performed due to technical reasons. If the
student did not receive A-Number because no match was performed due
to technical reasons (Comment 145),the aid administrator must write
in large (preferably red) letters at the top of the G-845S "Comment
145 present, Application Processed on _______ [processing date from
output document]."

2. No match was performed because the student failed to
provide an alien registration number.
If the match was not
performed because the student failed to provide his or her A-Number
on the application, the school cannot initiate Secondary Confirmation
for the student. Instead, a correction should be submitted with the
student's A-Number.

Photocopies of the front and back sides of the student's citizenship
document (such as an I-94 with the appropriate stamps or an I-551)
must be attached to the Form G-845S. Be sure to submit each
pertinent visa and document along with the G-845S. The G-845S is
used only to certify the authenticity and identity of immigration
documents attached to it; the G-845S must not be submitted to INS
by itself for determining a student's eligibility for SFA funds.
Therefore, an applicant who has lost documents or surrendered these
documents when entering prison is responsible for obtaining copies
of these documents before the G-845S is submitted. (See "Replacing
Lost INS Documents" in this appendix.) Schools may request copies
of immigration documents directly from penal institutions at the
request of the applicant. The school must send the completed G-845S
and attachments to the File Control Office serving its locale (see the
list at the end of this appendix) no more than 10 business days after
receiving the documentation from the student.

A status-verifier at the District INS Office will search the applicant's
record to confirm the applicant's immigration status. The status-
verifier at the INS office completes the "INS Response" section of
the G-845S and sends it back to the financial aid administrator,
generally within 10 working days of receipt. The Department
recommends that the school document its mailings to INS. If the
school has not heard from INS, the financial aid administrator may
wish to call the INS office to make sure that the G-845S was
received. If the school does not receive a determination from INS
within 15 working days (10 working days plus 5 days mail time) of
the date the school sent the G-845S, the financial aid administrator
should review the file to determine whether he or she feels the
student meets the citizenship eligibility requirements based on the
documentation the student provided and the information in this
appendix. If the administrator believes that the student meets the
requirements, the school may make any disbursement for which the
student is otherwise eligible; the school, however, must note in the
student's file that INS exceeded the time allotment and, thus,
citizenship eligibility was determined without the benefit of INS
verification.


DOCUMENTATION OF PERMANENT-RESIDENCE STATUS
-------------------------------------------


As noted earlier, an applicant who claims to be a permanent resident
but whose status was not confirmed through Primary Confirmation
must provide copies of his or her INS documents (as described
below). The following is a discussion of the acceptable documents to
accompany the G-845S.

[[Standard documentation]]
The standard documentation for a permanent resident of the United
States is the Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-151 or Form I-
551). Both forms are referred to colloquially as "green cards,"
although the newly issued forms are most often white with blue or
pink wavy lines. The INS is replacing cards issued before 1979 with
these new, counterfeit-resistant cards. The deadline established for
permanent residents to replace their old cards was March 20, 1996.
However, the older Form I-151 cards remain acceptable as evidence
of permanent residence for the purpose of receiving SFA funds. A
passport or an I-94 is also acceptable if it has one of the following
stamps:

- A passport stamped "Processed for I-551. Temporary Evidence of
Lawful Admission for Permanent Residence. Valid until
____________. Employment Authorized."

- A Departure Record (form I-94) stamped as above or stamped
"Temporary Form I-551. Admission for permanent residence at
_______________[port] on ______________ [date] verified.
_________________ [signature of issuing officer] _________
[title]." This Form I-94 will also contain the individual's photo and
an INS seal over the photo and the stamp.

Special Circumstances

[[I-551 with baby picture]]
If the student has an I-551 with a baby picture, the financial aid
administrator should suggest that the student update the I-551 with
INS. Permanent residents are expected to obtain a new picture and to
be fingerprinted at the age of 14. However, the school may submit
the documents to INS and ultimately pay a student who has an I-551
with a baby picture, as long as the school can confirm that the I-551
belongs to the student. This confirmation may be accomplished by
comparing the I-551 to a current photo ID that has the student's
name, date of birth, and signature. (The current photo ID must also
be consistent with any identifying information in the student's file at
the school.)

[[Applicants for permanent residence]]
A student who has an approved application for permanent residence
on file with INS and who is waiting for an Alien Registration Receipt
Card may not have proof of his or her citizenship status. The
financial aid administrator should advise such a student to contact his
or her local INS office for the passport stamp or I-94 stamp
described above, as these are available to the student before the
normal permanent-residency documentation is issued. Note that an
application for permanent-resident status is not sufficient for
determining eligibility for SFA funds.

[[Conditional permanent resident]]
The Marriage Fraud Amendments established a two-year conditional
permanent-residence status for certain alien spouses and their
children. The alien spouse of a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant is
given conditional permanent-residence status if the marriage took
place less than two years before the spouse applied for permanent-
residence status or citizenship. This status may also apply to any of
the spouse's children who are aliens.

An alien who is granted conditional permanent-residence status will
be given a Form I-551. This form is the same I-551 that is issued to
regular permanent residents, except that the card will have a "C" (for
"conditional") on the front and an expiration date on the back. Once
the two-year period expires, a conditional permanent resident must
file a petition for removal of this restriction within 90 days after the
end of that period. The alien's petition will then be reviewed. If the
results of the review are satisfactory, the restriction will be dropped,
and new documents will be issued. Conditional permanent residents
holding an I-551 with a valid expiration date are eligible to receive
aid under the SFA Programs.


DOCUMENTATION FOR OTHER CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBLE NONCITIZENS
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Procedures for a student who belongs to another category of eligible
noncitizens (such as a refugee, asylee, or parolee) and for whom
Primary Confirmation did not confirm his or her citizenship status
are similar to those just described for the permanent resident. The
applicant must provide copies of his or her INS documents (as
described below). A school must then initiate Secondary
Confirmation of these documents by using the G-845S.

For humanitarian reasons, a student who has been designated by INS
as lawfully present in the United States for other than temporary
purposes is considered eligible for aid from the SFA Programs.
Evidence of this lawful presence is given on the departure record
(Form I-94). The I-94 departure record will contain one of the
following:

[[Refugee]]
- A stamp indicating that the student has been admitted to the
United States as a refugee. This stamp will read either "Admitted
as a Refugee Pursuant to Section 207 of the Act. If you depart the
United States you will need prior permission to return.
Employment Authorized," or "Status changed to refugee pursuant
to Section 207 (c)(2) of the Immigration Nationality Act, on
___________. Employment Authorized."

[[Asylee]]
- A stamp indicating that the student has been granted asylum in the
United States. This stamp will read "Asylum status granted
pursuant to Section 208, INS. Valid to ________________.
Employment Authorized." Persons who have been granted asylum
in the United States are given employment authorization for one
year. At the end of that year, they are eligible to apply for
permanent residence. Asylum status continues unless revoked by
INS or until permanent residence status is granted.

Note that a refugee or an asylee may apply for permanent-resident
status. During the period in which the application is being reviewed,
the student must surrender his or her original I-94 to INS. INS will
give the student a copy of the original I-94, which will include the
endorsement "209a (or 209b) pending. Employment Authorized."
Students with this form of documentation are eligible for SFA funds.

[[Conditional entrant]]
- A stamp indicating that the student has been admitted to the
United States as a conditional entrant. Although this status remains
valid, INS stopped using this category on March 31, 1980.
Therefore, if the school does not hear from INS within the
permissible time frame, the school should not disburse to a student
who shows an I-94 with conditional-entrant status granted after
March 31, 1980.

[[Parolee]]
- A stamp indicating that the student has been paroled into the
United States for an indefinite period of time for humanitarian
reasons. The word "indefinite" and/or "humanitarian" will be
handwritten into the stamp.

[[Cuban-Haitian]]
- A stamp across the face of the I-94 indicating that the student has
been classified as a "Cuban-Haitian Entrant (Status Pending).
Reviewable January 15, 1981. Employment authorized until
January 15, 1981." Note that a document showing that the holder
is a Cuban-Haitian entrant is valid even if the expiration date
would make the document appear to be no longer valid.

The I-94 for some Cuban-Haitian entrants who are applying for
permanent residence may be stamped "applicant for permanent
residence." (Or the student may instead be given a separate
document acknowledging the receipt of his or her application for
permanent residence.) Because the application for permanent
residence is not sufficient to make a student eligible for SFA
funds, a student who is a Cuban-Haitian entrant must request
documentation of that status from INS.

[[Suspension of deportation]]
If a person is applying to suspend deportation, he or she must request
a hearing before an Immigration Law judge who will render an oral
or written decision. If the decision is favorable, INS will give the
applicant a Form I-551, which will certify his or her lawful
permanent-resident status. Therefore, there is no special category for
persons who have been granted suspensions of deportation.

[[Family unity status]]
An approved Form I-797, "Application for Voluntary Departure
Under the Family Unity Program," indicates that the student has been
granted relief from deportation under the Family Unity Program. As
a result of changes made by the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, enacted August 22,1996,
this is no longer an eligible status.

[[IRCA]]
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) made it
possible for certain categories of aliens to receive temporary-resident
status and eventually permanent-resident status. These categories
included aliens who 1) entered the United States illegally before
January 1, 1982, resided continuously in the United States between
that date and the date they applied for temporary-resident status, and
met certain other eligibility requirements or 2) performed qualifying
agricultural employment in the United States during defined periods
and met certain other eligibility requirements. This legalization
program was colloquially called the amnesty program.

An alien who was eligible for temporary-resident status under IRCA
and applied to an INS office was issued an Employment
Authorization Card (Form I-688A), which permitted an eligible alien
to work legally in the United States while his or her application was
being processed. Although the deadline for applying for amnesty
under Section 245 of IRCA has expired, some students may still hold
amnesty-related statuses if their cases are being disputed in one of
several lawsuits. A student who has a Form I-688A is not eligible for
SFA funds. These forms expired six months from the date of issue.
Except for those applicants whose cases are still being disputed,
some time during the six-month effective period of the Form I-688A,
the holder should have been notified whether the application for
temporary-resident status was approved.

The next step in the amnesty process was the issuing of the interim
Form I-688B or the I-766. These Employment Authorization
Documents (EAD) are used for employment authorization purposes
only. None of these documents (I-688A, I-688B, or the I-766) is
sufficient by themselves to qualify the student for SFA eligibility.

[[Temporary Resident Card]]
If the application for temporary-resident status was approved, the
applicant would have received the Temporary Resident Card (Form
I-688), popularly called a "red card," which has an expiration date.
Due to changes made by the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, students with this status are
no longer eligible for SFA funds.

[[Student visas, etc., are not acceptable]]
A student with an F-1 or F-2 Student Visa; a J-1 or J-2 Exchange
Visitors Visa; L-1; or a G series Visa (pertaining to international
organizations) is not eligible to apply for SFA funds unless he or she
has a Form I-94 with one of the endorsements listed earlier. Also,
someone who has only a "Notice of Approval to Apply for
Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464)" cannot receive SFA funds.

[[Temporary protective status not eligible]]
Some students may present Forms I-94 stamped "Temporary
Protected Status." This status is used for persons who are from
countries that are in upheaval, but the status differs significantly
from "Refugee" or "Asylum" because it provides no conversion to
permanent-resident status. A student with this status is not eligible
for SFA funds.

[[Stamp and validation]]
Each of the documents described above will be stamped in a rust-
colored ink. It will normally contain a validation indicating the office
of issuance and a code that indicates what officer prepared the
document. Examples of codes are "WAS-82" (Washington District
Office, Officer Number 82) or "1/13/84 SPO.KD" (Spokane Office,
officer's initials KD).

The school must keep in the student's file a copy of the citizenship
documentation the student submits, along with the G-845S results.
Documentation provided as proof of the student's citizenship status
(such as the Alien Registration Receipt Card and the Departure
Record) may legally be photocopied by the student, as long as the
photocopies are made for this lawful purpose. The student must
understand that he or she is permitted to photocopy an INS document
ONLY for lawful purposes such as applying for SFA funds.
(Document photocopying is generally not permitted even for other
purposes.)

Financial aid administrators must always examine and copy original
documents. Sometimes the endorsement (a stamp) does not
photocopy well due to the ink color on the original document. In this
case, the financial aid administrator should hand copy the exact
endorsement on the photocopy. Because the endorsement can be
placed anywhere on the I-94, the endorsement may be difficult to
locate. Note that although the endorsement may appear on the
student's passport, the endorsement must also be on the I-94.
INS offices do not have uniform procedures or stamps. The school
should contact the local INS office with questions regarding
acceptable citizenship documentation.


INTERPRETING THE G-845S
--------------------------

A single form, INS Form G-845S, is used both for the financial aid
administrator's request for a Secondary Confirmation and for INS to
respond to the school's request. In reviewing INS's response, bear in
mind that the G-845S reflects the student's most recent status with
INS and, thus, may show a different status than the documentation
presented by the student. In this case, the school should verify that
both documents identify the same person. If so, the status on the G-
845S should be used since that status is the most current.

The following are possible INS responses and consequent
implications with respect to student eligibility. Next to each item, we
have indicated whether a check in this block by INS indicates

- eligibility, in which case payments to the student may be made;

- ineligibility, in which case the student is not eligible for payment
unless the student later provides other valid documentation from
INS showing that he or she is an eligible noncitizen; or

- inconclusive eligibility, in which case the financial aid
administrator must examine any other boxes checked by INS to
determine whether payment can be made. A check in such a box
does not indicate eligibility or ineligibility.

[[Permanent resident (eligible)]]
1. This document appears valid and relates to a Lawful Permanent
Resident alien of the United States.
Block #1 is checked when the
documentation submitted is determined to be a valid I-551, I-151, I-181,
or I-94 or a passport stamped with the notation "Processed for I-551,
Temporary Evidence of Lawful Admission for Permanent Residence."#3#
Immigration law allows this person to live and work in the United States on
a permanent basis.

[[Conditional resident (eligible)]]
2. This document appears valid and relates to a Conditional Resident
alien fo the United States.
This is checked when the documentation
submitted is determined to be a valid I-551, I-181, or I-94 or a passport
stamped with the notation "Processed for I-551, Temporary Evidence of Lawful
Admission for Permanent Residence." Immigration law allows this
person to live and work in the United States; however, INS will
reevaluate the person's status within two years. Conditional resident-
alien status is granted to an alien who marries a U.S. citizen or
national or permanent-resident alien; a conditional resident must
remain married to that spouse for two years to maintain resident
status.

[[Authorized employment (inconclusive eligibility)]]
3. This document appears vaild and relates to an alien authorized
employment as indicated below.
This is checked to indicate whether
the authorization covers full-time or part-time employment and when, if
applicable, the period of employment will expire. "Indefinite" will be
indicated if there is no specific expiration date for employment eligibility.
Employment authorization by itself does not mean that the student is
eligible for SFA funds.

[[Application pending (inconclusive eligibility)]]
4. This document appears valid and relates to an alien who has
a application pending for...:
This is checked when an alien is waiting
for a new immigration status or a change of immigration status. If a change
of status is pending, the appropriate block indicating the current status
will also be checked elsewhere on the G-845S. A pending application for an
immigration status does not (by itself) render the student eligible for
SFA funds.

[[Asylum/refugee status (eligible)]]
5. This document relates to an alien having been granted
asylum/refugee status in the United States:
This is checked when an
alien has been granted asylum or refugee status in the United States
because of persecution or because of a well-founded fear of persecution
in his or her country of nationality. These statuses are considered
temporary. Documentation presented may include either Form I-94 stamped
with "Section 207-Refugee" or "Section 208-Asylee" or a Refugee Travel
Document (Form I-571).

[[Parolee (eligible)]]
6. This document appears balid and relates to an alien paroled into
the United States pursuant to Section 212 of the I&N ACT:
This is
checked for an alien who has been allowed to enter the United States under
emergency conditions or under the determination that his or her entry is in
the public interest. This status is temporary. Documentation presented
may include Form I-94 stamped with "Section 212(d)(5) - Parolee."

[[Cuban-Haitian entrant (eligible)]]
7. This document appears valid and relates to an alien who is
a Cuban-Haitian entrant:
This is checked for Cubans who entered the
United States illegally between April 15, 1980 and October 10, 1980 and
Haitians who entered the country illegally before January 1, 1981.

[[Conditional entrant]]
8. This document appears valid and relates to an alien who is
a conditional entrant:
This is checked to indicate a refugee who entered
the United States under the seventh preference category of P.L. 89-236 or
whose status was adjusted to lawful permanent-resident alien under that
category. Documentation presented may include Form I-94 stamped with
"Section 203(a)(7)." This status was defined by Section 203(a)(7) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act but was later abolished by the Refugee Act
of 1980. Noncitizens who fall into this category had to have entered the
United States prior to the enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980.

[[Alien nonimmigrant (ineligible)]]
9. This document appears valid and relates to an alien who is
a nonimmigrant.
This is checked to indicate an alien who is temporarily
in the United States for a specific purpose. This category includes students,
visitors, and foreign government officials. Documentation presented may
include the Form I-94.

[[Employment unauthorized (ineligible)]]
10. This document appears valid and relates to an alien not
authorized employment in the United States:
This block is checked
when an alien's status prohibits employment in the United States.

[[Searching indices (inconclusive)]]
11. Continue to process as legal alien. INS is searching indices
for further information.
This block is checked if INS is withholding
judgment, pending further investigation on the status or validity of
documentation. This statement does not imply that the applicant is an
illegal alien or the holder of fraudulent documentation. Benefits should
not be denied on the basis of this statement.

The student's documentation should be accepted at face value until
INS sends final notification regarding immigration status. If the
student appears to be an eligible noncitizen based upon the school's
review of the documents, the school may pay the student any SFA
funds for which he or she is eligible. If INS later notifies the school
that the student's documentation is not valid, the school must cancel
further disbursements but is not liable for the payments already
made.

[[Invalid documentation (ineligible)]]
12. This document is not valid because it appears to be...:

This is checked when the documentation presented has expired or when
an item appears to be counterfeit or altered (there are checkboxes used
to indicate which of these apply). Notify the student that unless
corrective action is taken with INS, the case will be submitted to the
Office of Inspector General (OIG). Additional communication with INS
will allow any unfortunate mistakes in the status-verifier's review to
be corrected. Until this discrepancy is resolved, no further aid may be
disbursed, awarded, or certified. If the student does not take corrective
action in a timely manner, the case must be reported to the OIG.

The INS will initial and stamp the front of the G-845S in the
signature block.

[[Comments on back of G-845S]]
The comments block on the back of the G-845S provides further
instructions. The intended meaning of each of the following blocks
that may be checked follows:

13. No determination can be made from the infomation
submitted. Please obtain a copy of the original alien
registration documentatio and resubmit.
This is normally
checked when the financial aid administrator has failed to provide
copies of any of the INS documents. The statement is often
accompanied by a listing of acceptable forms of documentation.
The financial aid administrator should resubmit the G-845S with
copies of the original alien documentation.

14. No determination can be made without seeing both
sides of the document submitted.
Resubmit the G-845S with
copies of both sides of each document.

15. Copy of document is not readable. Resubmit the G-845S
with higher quality copies of the original alien documentation.

The comments listed under "Permanently Residing Under Color of
Law" (PRUCOL) reflect information about aliens who have applied
for special treatment (for example, by virtue of having life-
threatening medical situations) that may cause INS to refrain from
seeking their expulsion. These blocks will be checked only if a
request for evaluation for PRUCOL is made in Block 8 on the first
page of the G-845S. Comments will rarely be made in this section
because the financial aid administrator would not have asked for a
PRUCOL evaluation when submitting the G-845S. However, in all
cases, INS should check other responses on the form as well, and
these other responses should be used in the determination of the
student's status. Therefore, any INS response to Items 16 and 17
indicates inconclusive eligibility.

[[Reconciling discrepancy]]
When Secondary Confirmation results in an eligible status, the G-
845S must be maintained by the school. If a discrepancy is
discovered as a result of the INS response, the school must notify the
student that he or she must correct the discrepancy with INS and that
no certification of loans or further disbursement of funds can be
made until the discrepancy is corrected. If the discrepancy is not
reconciled with INS, the student must repay all aid except wages
earned under FWS. Whenever the student is able to provide new
information, it must be submitted to INS on a new G-845S form.

As long as the school has followed the procedures outlined here,
including notifying the student of the discrepancy and withholding
further payments and loan certifications as soon as a discrepancy is
found, the school is not liable for aid disbursed prior to Secondary
Confirmation. (This, of course, assumes that the school had no other
conflicting information prior to making the disbursement and had
reviewed the documentation and felt on that basis that the student
was eligible.)


UPDATING ELIGIBLE NONCITIZEN STATUS IN LATER AWARD YEARS
---------------------------------------------------------------

There are several cases in which the school must verify a student's
citizenship in a subsequent award year if that student again does not
receive Primary Confirmation through the application process.

[[Updating Temporary Form I-551]]
A student who presented a Temporary Form I-551 in a prior award
year should have received a permanent I-551 by the next year and,
thus, should not still be holding a temporary card. The school should
refer the student to INS to obtain a permanent I-551 or an updated
endorsement on the previous card. The documents should also be
submitted to INS on a G 845S.

The school must also document the eligible noncitizen status each
award year and obtain Secondary Confirmation if Primary
Confirmation has not produced a match for a conditional permanent
resident, a refugee, a Cuban-Haitian entrant, or a person granted
asylum. Students in any of these categories may have been adjusted
to permanent-resident status or may have had their statuses revoked.

The school does not have to perform Secondary Confirmation to
document a student's eligible noncitizen status in subsequent award
years if the school previously documented that the student is a U.S.
citizen or national; is a citizen of the Republic of Palau, the
Federated States of Micronesia or the Marshall Islands; or has a
Form I-551 or I-151.

[[34 CFR 668.133(b)]]
In addition, the school is not required to perform Secondary
Confirmation if in a previous award year a school determined the
student to be an eligible noncitizen through Secondary Confirmation
and the documents used for that Secondary Confirmation have not
expired. The school must also have no conflicting information or
reason to doubt the student's claim of having eligible noncitizen
status. Also note that the school must have confirmed the status
in a previous award year. (The school may not disburse aid just because
INS did not respond.)


REPLACING LOST INS DOCUMENTS
--------------------------------

If a student cannot locate his or her official INS documentation, the
student must request that the documents be replaced because
immigrants are required to haveÐin their possessionÐdocumentation
verifying their statuses. Requests for replacement documents should
be made to the INS District Office that issued the original
documents. (See the addresses at the end of this appendix.)

The student will be asked to complete a Form I-90, "Application to
Replace Lost Documents." A temporary I-94 may be issued while the
replacement documents are pending.

In cases of the student's undue hardship, in which the student
urgently needs documentation of his or her status, the Freedom of
Information (FOI) Act allows the student to obtain photocopies of
the documents from the INS District Office that issued the original
documents. The student may submit an INS Form G-639 to make
this request or may simply send a letter to the district office. If the
student is not sure which district office issued the original
documents, he or she may submit the request to the FOI office in
Washington, DC. (See addresses at the end of this appendix.)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
-------------------------

On the following pages, we have included several reference materials
that may prove helpful:

1. A summary chart of the documentation requirements discussed in
this appendix;

2. Examples of the principal types of documentation discussed in
this appendix;

3. A copy of the G-845S. This may be photocopied and used for
submission to INS;

4. A glossary of terms used in processing applications for
noncitizens; and

5. A list of INS offices and addresses.



SUMMARY CHART OF ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTATION

As an alternative for a student who is having trouble obtaining
replacement INS documents, the student may use a G-639 to request
photocopies of the original documentation.

CITIZEN NOT BORN IN UNITED STATES

Certificate of Citizenship
Must have student's name, certificate number, and the date the
certificate was issued.

Certificate of Naturalization
Must have student's name, certificate number, Alien Registration
Number, name of the court (and date) where naturalization
occurred.

"Certification of Birth Abroad" Form FS-545, DS-1350, or FS-240,
"Report of Birth Abroad"
Must have embossed seal "United States of America" and "State
Department."

U.S. Passport

NONCITIZEN NATIONAL

U.S. Passport
Must be stamped "Noncitizen National."

PERMANENT RESIDENT

"Alien Registration Receipt Card" Form I-151, I-551, or I-551C
The I-551C must have a currently valid expiration date.

Passport
Must be stamped "Processed for I-551" with expiration date.

I-94
Must be stamped "Processed for I-551" with expiration date, or
"Temporary Form I-551," with appropriate information filled in.

OTHER ELIGIBLE NONCITIZEN

"Arrival-Departure Record" Form I-94
Must be stamped as a Refugee, Asylum Status, Conditional
Entrant (before April 1, 1980), Parolee, Cuban-Haitian Entrant.

[[This file contains the documentation samples pictured
on pages A 2-96 through A 2-98 in Portable Document Format (PDF).
It can be viewed with version 3.0 or greater of the free Adobe Acrobat
Reader software.]]

[[This file contains the G-845S Document Verification Request
form on pages A 2-99 and A 2-100 in Portable Document Format (PDF). It
can be viewed with version 3.0 or greater of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader
software.]]




GLOSSARY

You may encounter several unfamiliar terms in processing
applications from noncitizens. The definitions in this glossary are
informational in nature and should not be used for any other purpose.
They do not represent any formal source or policy of INS. Official
definitions have been shortened or edited whenever possible.

ALIEN: Any person who is not a citizen or national of the United
States.

ALIEN FILE (A-FILE): The history file containing all data and
documentation pertaining to an individual alien. An A-file is created
or amended when any one of several actions occurs: for example,
when applications for permanent resident status or for a Certificate of
Citizenship are submitted. Alien Registration Numbers (A-Numbers)
are assigned at the local File Control Office (FCO) processing the
initial action.

ALIEN REGISTRATION NUMBER (A-NUMBER): An eight- or
nine-digit number assigned to an alien at the time the alien file is
created.

ALIEN STATUS VERIFICATION INDEX (ASVI): A database
designed for the use of entitlement benefit agencies in verifying alien
immigration status in accordance with the Immigration Reform and
Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). The database is commonly known as
"SAVE."

ASYLEE: An alien, already in the United States or at a port of entry,
who is granted asylum in the United States. Asylum may be granted
to those persons who are unable or unwilling to return to their
countries of nationality, or who seek protection because of
persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution upon returning to
their countries. Asylum is covered by Section 212 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act of 1952 (I&NA). (See also the definition for
refugee.)

CENTRAL INDEX SYSTEM (CIS): An automated system
containing information about aliens. The CIS, from which SAVE is
extracted, is INS' most complete database on aliens in the United
States.

CERTIFICATE OF CITIZENSHIP: An identity document proving
U.S. citizenship.

CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION: An identity document
proving U.S. citizenship.

CHANGE TO NONIMMIGRANT STATUS: The act of changing a
nonimmigrant's classification (for example, changing from visitor to
student status).

CITIZEN: A person born in a country or who has become a
naturalized citizen of that country.

CONDITIONAL ENTRANT: A refugee. (See definition for
refugee.)

CONDITIONAL RESIDENT ALIEN: An alien granted a two-year
period of permanent resident status based on a "qualifying" marriage
to a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident alien. Children of a
U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident alien also may have this
status. The conditional status may be removed after two years if INS
rules favorably on granting lawful permanent resident status to the
alien.

CUBAN-HAITIAN ENTRANT: The status afforded to (a) Cubans
who entered the United States illegally between April 15, 1980 and
October 10, 1980, and (b) Haitians who entered the country illegally
before January 1, 1981. This status is covered by Section 502(e) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act.

DOCUMENT VERIFICATION REQUEST (FORM G-845S): A
form designed to request secondary confirmation of alien status from
INS under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

DOCUMENTED ALIEN: An alien who is in the United States and
who is in possession of valid documents.

FILE CONTROL OFFICE (FCO): An INS field office where alien
files are maintained.

GREEN CARD: A slang term describing the Alien Registration
Receipt Card (Form I-151 or Form I-551). Many versions of these
forms are not green in color.

ILLEGAL ALIEN: A foreign national (a) who entered the United
States without inspection or with fraudulent documentation or (b)
who, after entering legally as a nonimmigrant, violated status and
remained in the United States without authorization. (See also
definition for undocumented alien.)

IMMIGRANT: An alien who has been lawfully afforded the
privilege of residing permanently in the United States. His or her
status allows authorization for work and entitlement benefits. (See
also definitions for lawful permanent resident alien and permanent
resident alien
.)

IMMIGRANT VISA: A document issued by a U.S. Consul abroad,
which authorizes an alien to apply for admission as an immigrant to
the United States.

IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT OF 1952 (I&NA):
Legislation that defined most immigration statuses now in use and
that helped form the basis for U.S. immigration law and policies.

IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986 (IRCA): Legislation that
was passed to deter illegal immigration to the United States; the
legislation uses employer sanctions and status verification and allows
the legalization of specific groups of aliens.

IMMIGRATION STATUS: The legal status conferred on an alien by
immigration law.

IMMIGRATION STATUS VERIFIER (ISV): An INS employee or
contractor that performs secondary verification duties at local INS
File Control Offices.

LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN: An alien who has
been lawfully afforded the privilege of residing permanently in the
United States. (See also definitions for immigrant and permanent
resident alien
.)

LEGALIZATION: A program whereby an illegal alien could receive
amnesty and adjustment of his or her immigration status to that of a
temporary resident. The alien was required to establish proof of entry
prior to January 1, 1982, and continuous unlawful residence since
that time. This program is covered by section 245(A) (c)(5) of IRCA.

NATIONALITY: The state or country to which a person owes
allegiance. Note that the country of birth does not necessarily
correspond to the nationality.

NATURALIZATION: The conferring of nationality of a state or
country upon a person who has been born under allegiance to
another nation.

NONIMMIGRANT: An alien who seeks temporary entry to the
United States for a specific purpose. This category includes foreign
government officials, visitors for business and pleasure, and students.
Some nonimmigrants have specialized employment privileges (for
example, foreign nationals who are employees of the U.S. office of a
foreign-owned company).

NONIMMIGRANT INFORMATION SYSTEM (NIS): INS on-line
files that store information on nonimmigrants in the United States,
such as foreign visitors, government personnel, and ship and flight
crews.

PAROLEE: An alien who appears to be inadmissible to the
inspecting officer but who is allowed to enter the United States either
under emergency conditions or under a determination that the alien's
entry is determined to be in the public interest. Although parolees are
required to leave when the conditions supporting their parole cease
to exist, they may sometimes adjust immigration status to asylee.
Parolee status is covered by Section 212 of the I&NA.

PASSPORT: Any travel document issued by competent authority
showing the bearer's origin, identity, and nationality which is valid
for the entry of the bearer into a foreign country.

PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN: A person who enters the
country with an immigrant visa or adjusts his status after entering as
a nonimmigrant, refugee, or asylee. Persons with this status are
entitled to live and work in the United States and collect entitlement
benefits, if qualified. (See also definitions for immigrant and lawful
permanent resident
.)

PRIMARY CONFIRMATION: A query to confirm alien documentation using the
ASVI database.

PRUCOL: A person permanently residing in the United States under
color of law. This is not a status as defined by the I&NA of 1952,
and persons residing under this status are not eligible for SFA funds.

REFUGEE: Any person who is outside his country of nationality and
who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of
persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Unlike asylees,
refugees apply for and receive this status prior to entry into the
United States. This status is covered by Section 207 (formerly
Section 203(a)(7)) of the I&NA. (See also definition for asylee.)

REFUGEE CONDITIONAL ENTRANT: An alien who entered the
United States or who adjusted his or her status to Lawful Permanent
Resident under the seventh preference category of Public Law 89-
236, which was enacted in 1965. This status was established by
Section 203 (a)(7) of the I&NA, but was abolished by the Refugee
Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-212).

SECONDARY CONFIRMATION: A request to validate alien
documentation, using Form G-845S, after Primary Confirmation has
been attempted. Secondary Confirmation is performed by the
immigration status verifier, using various automated and manual
sources.

SPECIAL AGRICULTURAL WORKER (SAW): This was part of
the legalization program in which an alien who had resided in the
United States and performed agricultural labor for at least 90 person-
days during the one year period prior to May 1, 1986 could apply for
temporary lawful resident alien status. The SAW status was limited
to the first 350,000 aliens that applied. Although most successful
applicants have now been converted to permanent resident status,
there are a limited number of pending cases, who may have I-688, I-
688A, or I-688B status. See the description in the text for the
eligibility of these statuses.

STUDENT/SCHOOLS SYSTEM (STSC): INS's on-line file that
contains information on foreign students in U.S. academic and
vocational educational institutions.

SYSTEMATIC ALIEN VERIFICATION FOR ENTITLEMENTS
(SAVE):
An automated or manual information sharing program
whereby institutions can certify the immigration status of alien
applicants for federal student financial aid. (See also Alien Status
Verification Index
.)

TEMPORARY LAWFUL RESIDENT ALIEN: An alien granted a
one-year period of lawful resident status based on his or her
qualifications under the legalization or SAW programs. The
temporary status may be removed after one year, when INS rules
favorably or unfavorably on granting permanent resident status to the
alien.

UNDOCUMENTED ALIEN: An alien in the United States without
proper documentation. He or she is in violation of U.S. immigration
law. (See also definition for illegal alien.)

UNITED STATES: Defined in a geographic sense as the continental
United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, United States
Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands.

VERIFICATION NUMBER: An INS tracking number which is
assigned to each noncitizen application if a match is attempted. It is
13 digits in length and can be found in the Financial Aid
Administrator section of the SAR, along with the match flags. With
one exception, it must be provided when the G-845S is submitted
(see text).




INS FIELD OFFICES DIRECTORY


ALASKA

Anchorage

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Suite 102
620 East 10th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99513

Phone: 907-271-4953
Fax: 907-271-3112


ARIZONA

Phoenix

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
2035 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004

Phone: 602-379-3255
Fax: 602-379-4009


CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
300 N. Los Angeles Street, Rm. 1001
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone: 213-526-7647

San Francisco
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Appraisers Building
630 Sansome Street, Room 300
San Francisco, CA 94111

Phone: 415-705-4206/7
Fax: 415-705-4568

San Diego
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
880 Front Street
San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: 619-557-6727
Fax: 619-557-6565

California Service Center
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
P.O. Box 30080
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607

Phone: 714-360-2800


COLORADO

Denver

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
4730 Paris Street
Denver, CO 80239

Phone: 303-371-4415
Fax: 303-361-0748


CONNECTICUT

Hartford

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
450 Main Street, Rm. 456
Ribicoff Federal Building
Hartford, CT 06103-3060

Phone: 860-240-3171


FLORIDA

Miami

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
7880 Biscayne Boulevard, Room 620
Miami, FL 33138

Phone: 305-536-5703/5704
Fax: 305-350-5708


GEORGIA

Atlanta

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
77 Forsyth Street, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: 404-331-3251
Fax: 404-331-1146


GUAM

Agana

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Pacific Daily News Building, Suite 801
238 Archbishop Flores Street
Agana, Guam 96910

Phone: 671-472-7349
Fax: 671-472-7491


HAWAII

Honolulu

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
595 Ala Moana Boulevard
P.O. Box 461
Honolulu, HI 96813

Phone: 808-532-3721


ILLINOIS

Chicago

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
10 West Jackson Boulevard, Room 222
Chicago, IL 60604

Phone: 312-886-0909
Fax: 312-353-7260


INDIANA

Indianapolis

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Gateway Plaza, Room 400
950 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Phone: 317-226-6009


LOUISIANA

New Orleans

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Postal Office Building
Room T-8005
701 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70113

Phone: 504-589-6614/6615
Fax: 504-589-4451


MAINE

Portland

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
739 Warren Avenue
Portland, ME 04103

Phone: 207-780-3443/3266
Fax: 207-780-3481


MARYLAND

Baltimore

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
NationsBank Tower 1, 12th Floor
100 South Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone: 410-962-2292
Fax: 410-962-9229


MASSACHUSETTS

Boston

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
JFK Federal Building
Government Center
Boston, MA 02203

Phone: 617-565-3879


MICHIGAN

Detroit

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Federal Building
333 Mt. Elliott Street
Detroit, MI 48207

Phone: 313-568-6012
Fax: 313-568-6014


MINNESOTA

St. Paul

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
2901 Metro Drive, Suite 100
Bloomington, MN 55425

Phone: 612-335-2235/2236
Fax: 612-335-2262


MISSOURI

Kansas City

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
9747 N. Conant Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64153

Phone: 816-891-0640
Fax: 816-891-8745

St. Louis
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Robert A. Young Federal Building
1222 Spruce Street, Room 1100
St. Louis, MO 63103-2815

Phone: 314-539-2534/2535
Fax: 314-539-2539


MONTANA

Helena

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
2800 Skyway Drive
Helena, MT 59601

Phone: 406-449-5428
Fax: 406-449-5752


NEBRASKA

Lincoln

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
850 S Street
Lincoln, NE 68501-2521

Phone: 402-437-5769
Fax: 402-437-5475

Omaha
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
3736 S. 132nd Street
Omaha, NE 68144

Phone: 402-697-9302/9305
Fax: 402-697-9064


NEVADA

Las Vegas

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
3373 Pepper Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89120

Phone: 702-388-6626
Fax: 702-388-6627

Reno
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
1351 Corporate Boulevard
Reno, NV 89502

Phone: 702-784-5186
Fax: 702-784-5899


NEW JERSEY

Newark

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Federal Building, Room 304
970 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102

Phone: 201-645-4537/4538/4539
Fax: 201-645-3543


NEW YORK

Albany

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
James T. Foley Courthouse
445 Broadway
Room 227
Albany, NY 12207

Phone: 518-431-0320
Fax: 518-472-0329

Buffalo
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
130 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202

Phone: 716-551-4741, ext. 4218/4627/4207

New York
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
26 Federal Plaza, Room 7-130
New York, NY 10278

Phone: 212-264-5872
Fax: 212-264-2189


NORTH CAROLINA

Charlotte

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
6 Woodlawn Green, Suite 138
Charlotte, NC 28217

Phone: 704-523-1704


OHIO

Cleveland

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
1240 E. 9th Street, Room 1917
Cleveland, OH 44199

Phone: 216-522-2268/2612
Fax: 216-522-7039


OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City

Contact the Dallas, TX office:
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
8101 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75247

Phone: 214-655-5384
Fax: 214-655-3052


OREGON

Portland

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Federal Office Building
511 Northwest Broadway
Portland, OR 97209

Phone: 503-326-7186
Fax: 503-326-7182


PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
1600 Callowhill Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Phone: 215-656-7184/7185
Fax: 215-656-7200

Pittsburgh
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
2130 Federal Building, Rm. 314
1000 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Phone: 412-644-4552
Fax: 412-644-6375


PUERTO RICO

San Juan

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
GPO Box 365068
San Juan, PR 00936

Phone: 787-766-5021
Fax: 787-766-5838


RHODE ISLAND

Providence

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
200 Dyer Street
Providence, RI 02903

Phone: 401-454-2865


TENNESSEE

Memphis

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
1341 Sycamore View Rd., Suite 100
Memphis, TN 38134

Phone: 901-544-0264
Fax: 901-544-4123


TEXAS

Dallas

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
8101 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75247

Phone: 214-655-5384
Fax: 214-655-3052

El Paso
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
1545 Hawkins Boulevard
El Paso, TX 79925

Phone: 915-540-1842

Harlingen
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
2102 Teege Avenue
Harlingen, TX 78550

Phone: 210-427-8922
Fax: 210-423-7147

Houston
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
509 North Belt
Houston, TX 77060

Phone: 713-847-7964

San Antonio
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
8940 Fourwinds Drive
Suite 2020
San Antonio, TX 78239

Phone: 210-967-7065


UTAH

Salt Lake City

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
5272 South College Drive, Suite 100
Salt Lake City, UT 84123

Phone: 801-265-8678


VERMONT

St. Albans

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Federal Building
P.O. Box 328
St. Albans, VT 05478

Phone: 802-951-6658

Eastern Service Center
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
75 Lower Welden Street
St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

Phone: 802-527-3160


VIRGINIA

Norfolk

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
5280 Hannamon Drive
Norfolk, VA 23513

Phone: 757-858-6292

Washington, DC Processing Center
INS: Immigration Status Verifier
4420 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203

Phone: 202-307-1501


VIRGIN ISLANDS

Charlotte Amalie

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
P.O. Box 610
St. Thomas, VI 00804

Phone: 809-774-1390
Fax: 809-776-4981


WASHINGTON

Seattle

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
815 Airport Way South
Seattle, WA 98134

Phone: 206-553-7928/2319
Fax: 206-553-2730


WISCONSIN

Milwaukee

INS: Immigration Status Verifier
Federal Building, Room 186
517 E. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Phone: 414-297-3565

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