Lawful Presence

Effective Fall 2011, all applicants who are accepted for admission or readmission to South Georgia State College, and who seek to be classified as in-state for tuition purposes, will be required to provide validation of residency and lawful presence in both the State of Georgia and the United States.

South Georgia State College will do all we can to verify a student's citizenship or lawful immigration status without causing additional stress or paperwork.

Students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) have their citizenship status checked by the US government. If you have your FAFSA sent to South Georgia State College we can use that to verify your status.

If your FAFSA is not yet on file at South Georgia State College, or if you choose not to complete the FAFSA, you will be responsible for verifying your lawful presence based on documentation. By submitting proof of lawful presence to South Georgia State College Office of Admissions, you may ensure your tuition status accurately reflects your standing.

To verify Lawful Presence, submit one of the following documents:

• A Certified U.S. Birth Certificate showing the student was born in the U.S. or a U.S. territory.A photocopy is acceptable so long as it shows the raised or written seal.
• 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 U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (DS-1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240).
• A current U.S. Passport.
• A current (unexpired) Driver’s License/ID issued by the states listed below and containing the REAL ID symbol.
  • Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
  • Driver’s Licenses and state-issued IDs marked “FN”, “Limited Term”, “Temporary”, “Not for REAL ID purposes”, “Federal Limits Apply” or “nonrenewable and nontransferable” are NOT ACCEPTABLE.
  • REAL ID acceptable symbols include the following: Gold Star, Black Star, Star cutout in gold circle, Star cutout in black circle, and Star cutout in gold grizzly bear.
• A current military ID (service member only, not dependent).
  • Document using the Confirmation of Review of Military ID Dynamic Form.
  • Copies of military IDs are NOT ACCEPTABLE.
• A current, valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS form I-151 or I-551)
• An F, J, or M visa
• Verification through the SAVE program

If you have questions about the verification process or concerns about the ability to provide documentation, contact the Registrar's Office at 912.260.4200 or submit a Hawk Helper ticket as soon as possible.