Summary Chart of Acceptable INS Documentation
| Citizen Not Born in United States |
| Certificate of Citizenship must have student's name and application number, certificate
number and the date the certificate was issued. |
| Certificate of Naturalization must have student's name and petition number, certificate
number, alien registration number, name of the court and date where naturalization
occurred. |
| Certificate of Birth Abroad form FS-545, DS-1350, or FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad
must have embossed seal specifying "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; I-551C must have a currently
valid expiration date. Please send a copy of both the front and back of the card. |
| 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," appropriate information filled in. |
| Other Eligible Citizen |
| Temporary Resident Card form I-688 must have expiration date. |
| Arrival-Departure Record form I-94 must be stamped as a Refugee, Asylum Status, Conditional
Entrant (before April 1, 1980), Parolee or Cuban-Haitian Entrant.* |
| Family Unity Status form I-797 approved "Application for Voluntary Departure Under
Family Unity Program." Must also have I-797 with approved "Visa Petition for Spouse"
or "Immigrant Petition for Relative." |
Note: Institutions are required to obtain original documentation that confirms eligibility. However,
some students may not be able to present the documentation to our office easily in
person. While the reproduction of certain immigration-related documents is statutorily
prohibited, the Department of Homeland Security will allow a photocopy, scan, or other
image of the documentation for the limited purpose of applying for federal student
aid. If you are providing a copy or image of your original document, you must also send a signed, dated and officially notarized affidavit in order for our office
to accept the copy or image. We will not be able to accept your citizenship documentation without the signed, dated
and officially notarized affidavit. You may obtain such Affidavit (PDF 130kB) here.
*Effective April 26, 2013, DHS began automating the admission process. An alien lawfully
admitted or paroled into the U.S. is no longer required to be in possession of a preprinted
Form I-94. Students without I-94 documentation may have their status confirmed by
a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) stamp, showing class of admission and date admitted,
on their passport, although an I-551 is preferable, if available.
