Georgia Residency Verification of Lawful Presence

Georgia Residency / Verification of Lawful Presence

Acceptable Documents for Determining Residency:

• Student graduated from an Eligible High School located in the State of Georgia (student

must be age 24 or younger)

• Utility bills in their own name (electricity, water, cable, telephone; not cellular phone).

• Proof of ownership of primary residence in Georgia/property tax document

• Complete lease document with signatures (12month requirement)

• Notarized letter on company letterhead indicating length of employment (12month

requirement)

• Address on driver’s license and state of issuance (12month requirement from issue date)

• Georgia voter registration (https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do My Voter’s Page)

• Georgia automotive registration (12month requirement) (2 recent years)

• Parent/guardian’s Georgia Driver’s license (student must be age 24 or younger)

• State for which the individual filed and paid state income taxes (GA-500)

• State of issuance of business, professional, or other licenses.

Eligible Out-of-State Tuition Exemptions (appropriate documentation required)

• Employees and their children who move to Georgia for employment with a new or

expanding industry as defined in OCGA 20-4-40; (must provide documentation)

• Full-time employees of the Technical College System of Georgia, their spouses, and

dependent children;

• Full-time teachers in a public school, a military base, or a public postsecondary college,

their spouses, and dependent children; (must provide documentation of employment

and spouse/dependent status)

• United States military personnel stationed in Georgia and on active duty and their

dependents living in Georgia;

• United States military personnel, spouses and dependent children reassigned outside

Georgia, who remain continuously enrolled and on active military status;

• United States military personnel and their dependents that are Domiciled in Georgia, but

are stationed outside the State;

• Students who are Domiciled in out-of-state counties bordering on Georgia counties and

who are enrolled in a Technical College with a local reciprocity agreement;

• Career consular officers and their dependents that are citizens of the foreign nation

which their consular office represents, and who are living in Georgia under orders of their

respective governments. This waiver shall apply only to those consular officers whose

nations operate on the principle of educational reciprocity with the United States.

• Members of a uniformed military service of the United States who, within thirty-six (36)

months of separation from such service, enroll in an academic program and demonstrate

an intent to become domiciled in Georgia. This exemption may also be granted to their

spouses and dependent children or individuals eligible for GI Bill benefits.

Non-Citizen Eligibility for In-State Tuition

Any non-citizen student requesting to pay at the in-state tuition rate will be required to provide

verification of their lawful presence in the United States in order to be classified as an in-state

student or awarded an out-of-state tuition waiver.

TCSG Procedure 6.2.2p: “Each college shall be responsible for the verification of the lawful

presence in the United States of every successfully admitted student applying for Georgia

resident tuition status as required by state and federal immigration laws.”

How can a student verify lawful presence?

• Students who file a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and are eligible for

federal student aid will have their lawful presence verified as part of the FAFSA process.

• A clear copy of an original or certified U.S. Birth Certificate showing the student was

born in the U.S. or a U.S. territory, A U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the

Department of State (DS-1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240). The copy

must very clearly show the raised or written seal to be acceptable.

• 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 current U.S. Passport.

• Unexpired Georgia and select out of state Drivers licenses and state ID cards can be

accepted under certain conditions. It must be a Real ID and not contain any of the

verbiage in the chart below. If the copy received has the top portion of the card cut off

the document will not satisfy lawful presence.

• A current military ID (service member only, not dependent). Documented using the

confirmation of Review of Military ID Worksheet - A photocopy is not acceptable.

• A current, valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS form I-151 or I-551). We require both

the front & back sides of your Permanent Resident Card to be submitted. It must not

expire before the first day of class of the term the student will start classes.

• Students admitted on an F, J or M Visa will have their lawful presence verified through

the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

• Students admitted on any other Visa will have their lawful presence verified through the

Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program.

State DL/ID Requirements for Acceptance

Alabama Must NOT be marked “FN”

Alaska Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

California Must NOT be marked “Limited Term.” Instruction Permits, Commercial

Learner’s Permits, and temporary licenses cannot be accepted.

Delaware Must NOT be marked “Limited Term” or “Temporary”

Florida Must NOT be marked “Temporary”

Georgia Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Idaho Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Iowa Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Kentucky Must NOT be marked “Not for REAL ID purposes”

Louisiana Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Maryland Must NOT indicate “T” restriction

Missouri Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Montana Must NOT be marked “Limited Term” or “Temporary”

Nevada Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

North Carolina Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Ohio Must NOT indicate that it is “nonrenewable and nontransferable”

Oklahoma Must NOT be marked “Temporary”

South Carolina Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Tennessee Must NOT be marked “Temporary”

Texas Must NOT be marked “Limited Term” or “Temporary”

Vermont Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”

Wisconsin Must NOT be marked “Limited Term”