AwardYear: 1996-1997 EnterChapterNo: 2 EnterChapterTitle: Student Eligibility and Financial Need SectionNumber: SectionTitle: Appendix A: Documenting Citizenship Status PageNumbers: 69 - 89 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. Chapter 2, Section 1 summarizes these four categories. 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. Appendix A 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* Note that for the 1996-97 award year, in certain circumstances institutions are no longer required to perform Secondary Confirmation. Exceptions to the Secondary Confirmation requirement are also discussed in this appendix. 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. 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. [[Documentation]] 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 Alien Registration Number [A-Number], the Central Processing System [CPS] will assume the applicant is an eligible noncitizen and will forward the A-Number to the Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] to confirm eligibility.) [[NEW]] Beginning with the 1996-97 academic year, the Social Security Number (SSN) match with the Social Security Administration (SSA) was expanded to verify citizenship status for applicants who report themselves as U.S. citizens. (Previously, the SSA conducted a match that verified only SSNs.) All applications for federal student aid are sent to SSA for the SSN match. The applications of those who report themselves as eligible noncitizens and who provide A-Numbers will also be sent to the INS match. Results from the INS match take precedence over the results from SSA. Note that the INS match process has not changed from prior years. If the SSA does not verify an SSN, name, or date of birth, then the citizenship status will not be verified, and Comment 62 will appear on the SAR and ISIR. 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 below for documents the school may choose to accept. Under the expanded match, citizenship information reported by the student is matched with SSA database information. Comment 146 is printed if the SSA did not confirm U.S. citizenship status, and-- again--Comment 62 is printed if the SSA could not verify citizenship because there was no match with the student's SSN, name, or date of birth. On the ISIR, only the comment code is printed. The result of the SSA match is reported differently on the student's SAR than on the institution's ISIR. A comment code and a comment explaining the result are printed on the student's SAR. (See Action Letter #8, March 1996, "A Guide to 1996-97 SARs and ISIRs," for more information.) When a student's reported data conflict with the SSA database--or when no citizenship match can be performed--he or she will receive Comment 146 on his or her SAR, along with a SAR flag "C" printed next to the EFC. A student who receives this comment must provide the school with documentation substantiating his or her claim to be a citizen or eligible noncitizen. Again, a student claiming to be an eligible noncitizen must resubmit his or her SAR, 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: - 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 and the application number, 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 and petition number, 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, now permits photocopying of these documents if done for lawful purposes. 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. 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 Federal Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Student Equal Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs) but are not eligible for loans. Under the original law, eligibility was to have been limited to four years after the compact was signed and was allowed only for students who had begun postsecondary education prior to the signing of the compact. P.L. 100-369 extended eligibility and removed the provision requiring prior postsecondary training. The third entity, Palau, voted to ratify the compact in 1994; its independence was effective October 1, 1994. Citizens of Palau who enroll 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 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and leave the item about the A-Number blank. 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. 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 status. For the majority of students, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) initiates the documentation process by accessing the INS computer database. This computer match, known as Primary Confirmation, produces a SAR comment, as well as an ISIR comment code 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 citizenship status is confirmed by INS, a comment is printed to that effect on the SAR and no further documentation is needed.*2* [[Details about Primary Confirmation]] 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 rendered ineligible for SFA funds if the computer 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. 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 prints the appropriate comment on the applicant's SAR. [[SAR Comment 143]] If the SAR 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 SAR with that comment serves as documentation of the student's eligibility, and the student need not provide further evidence of his or her citizenship status. If Comment 143 appears on the student's SAR, the required documentation has been provided, and the SAR may serve as proof of the student's eligible noncitizen status. (Note that the ISIR sent to the school may also serve as proof.) There are four cases in which additional documentation is needed, however. The student must provide further documentation [[SAR Comment 142]] 1. if 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 on the SAR: The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) could 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. 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, proof of citizenship is not required in determining eligibility for SFA funds for citizens of these areas. [[SAR Comment 144]] 2. if 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 on the SAR: 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. [[SAR Comment 145]] 3. if 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 on the SAR: 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. if 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.)*3* 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) a SAR 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 Federal 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 on the SAR) 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 SAR (or ISIR) 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. [[No Verification Number]] There are three 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." 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, the SAR should be resubmitted for correction with the A- Number. 3. THE STUDENT'S ELIGIBLE NONCITIZEN STATUS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE MATCH. A school is not allowed to initiate Secondary Confirmation for such students unless it has conflicting information about the student's status or has reason to believe the status reported is incorrect. However, the school will not be able to use Secondary Confirmation to help resolve the conflict unless it has a verification number from a prior or subsequent transaction. The school must still resolve the conflict before paying the student, and the school may request that the student submit either the documentation normally required for Secondary Confirmation or any other documentation necessary to determine his or her correct status. 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. 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. In order to qualify for SFA funds, the student must also be the beneficiary of an approved "Immigrant Petition for Relative" or "Visa Petition for Spouse." These statuses are documented on the Form I-797. Note that such a student may receive aid even if he or she has not yet received a visa. [[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. Students who have valid Forms I-688 are 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, however, 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. After 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."*4* 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 OF 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 VALID 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 AN 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 APPEARS VALID AND 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 VALID AND RELATES TO AN ALIEN PAROLED INTO THE UNITED STATES PURSUANT TO SECTION 212 OF THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION 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 (eligible)]] 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 document 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 ALTERED OR COUNTERFEIT: This is checked when the documentation presented has expired or when an item appears to be counterfeit or altered. 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 INFORMATION SUBMITTED. PLEASE OBTAIN A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL ALIEN REGISTRATION DOCUMENTATION 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 should render a decision of 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 the Federal Work-Study Program. 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 CITIZENSHIP 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 the 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 citizenship 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 citizenship 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. EXCEPTION TO THE SECONDARY CONFIRMATION REQUIREMENT [[NEW]] The December 1, 1995 regulations added a new exception to the Secondary Confirmation requirement (34 CFR 668.133 [b]). Schools are not required to perform Secondary Confirmation if in a previous award year a school determined the student to be an eligible noncitizen after it performed Secondary Confirmation and if the school does not have 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 have--in their possession--documentation 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. 5. A list of INS offices and addresses. [[The "Summary Chart Of Acceptable Documentation" on page 2-89 is currently unavailable for viewing. Please reference your paper document for additional information.]] [[The examples of the principal types of documentation on pages 2-90 through 2-92 are currently unavailable for viewing. Please reference your paper document for additional information.]] [[The copy of the G-845S on page 2-93 and 2-94 is currently unavailable for viewing. Please reference your paper document for additional information.]] 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 to 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. FAMILY UNITY STATUS: Individuals who have been granted relief from deportation by INS under the provision of the Family Unity Program and who are the beneficiaries of an approved "immigrant petition for relative" or "visa petition for spouse" are eligible noncitizens for purposes of the SFA Programs. 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: 907-271-4519 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 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Phone: 213-894-6285 / 6286 Fax: 213-894-6660 San Francisco INS: Immigration Status Verifier Appraisers Building 630 Sansome Street, Room 300 San Francisco, CA 94111 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: 303-361-0617 CONNECTICUT Hartford INS: Immigration Status Verifier 450 Main Street Ribicoff Federal Building Hartford, CT 06103-3060 Phone: 203-240-3166 Fax: 203-240-3214 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 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 Service 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 Equitable Tower 1, 12th Floor 100 South Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: 410-962-2436 / 2437 Fax: 410-962-9229 MASSACHUSETTS Boston INS: Immigration Status Verifier JFK Federal Building Government Center Boston, MA 02203 Phone: 617-565-3046 / 3048 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: 816-891-7006 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 68508 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, Room 104 Las Vegas, NV 89120 Phone: 702-388-6626 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 U.S. Post Office & Courthouse 445 Broadway Room 220 Albany, NY 12207 Phone: 518-431-0320 Fax: 518-472-4531 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 Stemmons Freeway Dallas, TX 75247 Phone: 214-655-3073 / 3080 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 1000 Liberty Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: 412-644-4552 Fax: 412-644-6375 PUERTO RICO San Juan INS: Immigration Status Verifier GPO Box 5068 San Juan, PR 00936 Phone: 809-766-5276 / 5021 Fax: 809-766-5838 RHODE ISLAND Providence INS: Immigration Status Verifier 200 Dyer Street Providence, RI 02903 Phone: 410-454-2865 TENNESSEE Memphis INS: Immigration Status Verifier 1341 Sycamore View Memphis, TN 38134 Phone: 901-544-3089 Fax: 901-544-4123 TEXAS Dallas INS: Immigration Status Verifier 8101 Stemmons Freeway Dallas, TX 75247 Phone: 214-655-3073 / 3080 Fax: 214-655-3052 El Paso INS: Immigration Status Verifier 1545 Hawkins Boulevard El Paso, TX 79925 Phone: 915-540-1776 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 Sam Houston Parkway Houston, TX 7707 Phone: 713-847-7964 San Antonio INS: Immigration Status Verifier 8940 Fourwinds Drive Suite 2020 San Antonio, TX 78239 Phone: 210-871-7065 / 7037 / 7038 / 7039 UTAH Salt Lake City INS: Immigration Status Verifier 5272 South College Drive, Suite 100 Salt Lake City, UT 84123 Phone: 801-265-8892 VERMONT St. Albans INS: Immigration Status Verifier Federal Building P.O. Box 328 St. Albans, VT 05478 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: 804-858-6292 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 *1* The rules discussed in this chapter regarding documenting citizenship status also apply to the parent(s) borrowing a Federal PLUS Loan. *2* The process of documenting citizenship status should not be confused with the process of verifying financial and household data. Although verification is required only for students selected by the CPS, documentation of citizenship status (either on the SAR 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. *3* The school may not be able to use Secondary Confirmation to resolve the conflict if the student's status was confirmed through Primary Confirmation. *4* The term "temporary" as used here refers to the documentary evidence. It is not intended to imply that the immigration status itself is temporary. |