Verification Of Lawful Presence Policy Information
Please note that new or returning graduate level students should visit the UGA Graduate School's website for information on Verification of Lawful Presence.
4.3.4 Verification of Lawful Presence
Each University System institution shall verify the lawful presence in the United States of every successfully admitted person applying for resident tuition status and of every person admitted to an institution referenced in Section 4.1.6 of this Policy Manual.
4.1.6 Admission of Persons Not Lawfully Present in the United States
A person who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible for admission to any University System institution which, for the two most recent academic years, did not admit all academically qualified applicants (except for cases in which applicants were rejected for non-academic reasons).
Based on these policies, an enrollment flag will prevent enrollment for anyone who has been admitted, but has not provided proof of lawful presence.
Instructions for providing proof of lawful presence:
If a student has already completed and submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and named UGA as a recipient, then the student may not need to take further action. Students who are either U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (does not apply to international students on a visa) for federal student aid purposes can submit a FAFSA.
If a student is not currently a U.S. citizen and not residing in the U.S., or is present in the U.S. as an immigrant on a visa, the office will be able to confirm lawful presence through the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Information System (SEVIS) for students on an F, J or M visa or the Systematic Alien verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. The documents provided prior to an official acceptance at UGA should be sufficient for this.
If a student is not an immigrant on a visa, does not submit a FAFSA or the FAFSA process, and does not confirm citizenship status, the student will need to provide citizenship documentation. The following documents may be used for verification purposes. The office will accept photocopies of the first eight types of documents, but a certified birth certificate must be original. Only one document is required.
- A U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS form N-550 or N-570)
- A U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (USCIS form N-560 or N-561)
- A Certificate of Birth issued by the Department of State (DS-1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)
- A current U.S. passport
- A current driver’s license issued by the state of Georgia after January 1, 2008
- A current state-issued ID issued by the state of Georgia after January 1, 2008
- A current military ID, submitted in person (service member only, not dependent)
- A current, valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS form I-151 or I-551)
Clear and complete copies of original and certified US birth certificates may be accepted by mail or electronically.
Mail or fax documentation for verification of lawful presence to:
Office of the Registrar
Holmes/Hunter Academic Building
Athens, GA 30602-6113
Fax: 706-583-0319
This requirement applies to all newly admitted students at the University of Georgia beginning fall 2011 including students who have been previously enrolled at UGA and are returning to a degree program or applying for a new degree program. If students have specific questions regarding registration flags or documentation, they should contact return2@uga.edu via their UGA email account.