<p>So after I submitted all of my FA stuff, I started getting these requests for proof of citizenship papers and I don't know if that's normal or I screwed up something.</p>
<p>I called the FA office at Yale, and she told me that I had indicated on my FAFSA that I was an alien eligible to work, and that I should just send in the paperwork and then correct the FAFSA. The guy at Rice just told me that proof of citizenship is something that Rice requires. </p>
<p>Anyhow, when I went to fafsa to correct this horrendous mistake, i found none. I answered with "I am a US citizen or a permanent resident", and I even looked through all the other pages--nothing looked out of place.</p>
<p>Did this happen to anyone else? Or does life just hate me?</p>
<p>If Rice requires Proof of Citizenship for all applicants, it is possible that that request triggered the others at the other institutions. Ask them what they need, and send the paperwork. It’s just photocopies or scans anyway.</p>
<p>all they need is birth certificate or certificate of naturalization. If you are a green card holder, they will need form I-551. Finally, if you are a refugee who did not obtain green card yet, you need to present form I-94.</p>
<p>P.S. I am US citizen now, but I was a refugee and until I got married got new social security card with my new last name, my social security card contained wording (don’t remember exactly what it was) that always triggered checking of my legal status. You usually get that wording if you have I-94 (refugee status), but I could not obtain SSN card without it even after I became green card holder.</p>
<p>It is very normal, and nothing to be concerned about. Lerkin is correct - they need your documentation to prove you are eligible for aid. Your social security number is run through the database, and if you are not matched as a citizen you will be flagged & asked for documentation. Even some students who are citizens get the flag - I always encouraged them to contact the social security administration to let them know that they had become citizens - for some reason, the SSA doesn’t always get this in their database. I had some students who had it happen all four years.</p>
<p>I’m a naturalized citizen myself, and it seems that a LOT of naturalized citizens are so thrilled and relieved to get all the way through the process that after their oath ceremony and the photos and the celebration they go home with their certificate and think they’re all done with gaining US citizenship in the eyes of the US government.</p>
<p>This is a mistake. DHS/USCIS does not send your information to SSA.</p>
<p>If you are a citizen or permanent resident today, but you were previously an immigrant, you need to update your status with the SSA (unless you already did this, of course). Then when FAFSA checks your status in the SSA database, it will get the correct information, if not this year, then at least next year.</p>
<p>Find your local SSA office and go there, with your SSN card and either your permanent resident card (if a PR) or your naturalization certificate, certificate of citizenship or US passport (if a citizen) and apply for a new SSN card.</p>
<p>SSA = Social Security Administration
DHS = Dept of Homeland Security
USCIS = US Citizenship and Immigration Services (a branch of DHS)</p>
<p>mecsquared, Since you mention informing your parents, then I suspect your family naturalized. All family members who weren’t originally citizens should do the update with SSA. It’s relevant at retirement, if not before.</p>
<p>If you happen to be Georgia residents, you also need to go update your driver’s license information. Nobody tells you about this, but if the Georgia driver’s license database says you’re not a citizen, even if you have registered to vote, when you go to the polling place they will make you cast a provisional ballot. This happened to me.</p>
<p>And as I’m sending this in, I feel like I should include like some sort of ID or something with like the certificate, but I only have “student IDs” or “applicant IDs” for some schools. Any advice as to what I should include in the envelope? I’m afraid it’s just gonna get lost in a giant pile of mail that the FA office gets if I don’t put some ID on it.</p>