I have finally got in contact with my father and my aunt who used to be my guardian, I found out that I was in guardianship since my aunt was receiving benefits from the government, the county wanted her to adopt us and my parent’s said that she was our legal guardian. However, it was issued in the Philippines and sadly, on fafsa they only take documents that are issued in the united states so I cant be an independent. Therefore I would have to put my fathers income which is incredibly low. The last time he was working & filed for tax was in 2005, right now he is a farmer and has not been filing tax since he’s only making an estimate amount of $10,000.
My question is, should I apply for dependency appeal or should I just put my father’s income, which one would help me most on fafsa? If I put my father’s income, do I just put 10,000 because he doesn’t know the exact amount and do I put all my siblings on the family size (which is 5)? And one more thing, no one claimed me on their tax this year, nethier my guardian no my relative who I live with right now. Any help would be much appreciated.
So…if your father is a citizen, why aren’t you? Was he a naturalized citizen who lost his status for some reason?
I would contact a college that you are interested in applying to, and discuss this situation with their financial aid folks. Maybe they can make a good suggestion.
I don’t believe that U.S. citizens can be “deported,” unless there was some kind of fraud in obtaining citizenship, which would mean they weren’t really a citizen in the first place.
If OP’s father became a citizen and OP wants to claim citizenship under the father, he still has to apply for it, it is not automatic. OP has a green card, so I’d guess that his father wasn’t a citizen, at least when OP came into the country.
However, there is an “A” number on the green card and you can check to see if you are, indeed, a citizen. A friend had an adopted child and although she came into the country on a foreign passport, she became a citizen under the child’s citizenship act of 2000 when she entered the country. He didn’t know that, I told him to check, he did, and she was indeed a citizen.
It looks like the OP has a green card, and the father used to until being deported. Once the OP turns 18, he/she can file the citizenship application independently of a parent.
That said, the OP needs to use the father’s financial information for the FAFSA, and then ask the individual financial aid offices for professional judgment.
Yes I know that I was supposed to be a citizen I am aware of that but there was a lot of mishaps with my family, he does not file tax because he doesn’t have a job, he is self employed in the Philippines and it was my mistake for putting 1000$ I forgot to mention that it’s in pesos (Philippine money) I was supported by the government but I cannot identify myself as ward of court or legal guardianship because the court decision was issued in the Philippines. So i guess i have to put my dad’s income? Anyone agree?
Yes I am in the US. I have been living with her since I was eight which is the time I moved here. My parents were the ones who issued the guardianship in the Philippines and later on sent it to my aunt.
Parents cannot issue legal guardianships, only courts can. There is no “it” for them to send. What do you think"it" was that they sent and do you have a copy of it? Your aunt should have some U.S. paperwork showing your legal guardianship and likely she may have been getting payments for fostering you. Did you have a social worker? The kids I know who are in guardianships have those things. In that case you are independent. I doubt you would be able to be in the US so long otherwise.
I guess it was just guardianship that allowed my aunt to make education and medical decisions if that’s the case. My aunt doesn’t have the documents anymore and if it was issued in the Philippines im pretty sure they wont have a copy of the documents, but if they do I will ask for it just in case.
Brownparent, parents do issue ‘gardianship papers’ all the time, but that’s why fafsa and colleges awarding instate tuition require court ordered guardianship, or at least court approved. My brother lived with me when he was 17 and in high school. No papers, but I signed a lot of things for him. Amazing how often no one questions a signature. People give medical POA to temporary caretakers all the time, and that is a form of guardianship.
The only thing that makes this case a little different is the OP says he has a green card and that means at some time either his parent was in the country legally or there is some legal documentation for another relative to have guardianship. It doesn’t mean he was ever in the custody of the state.
From what you’ve said, OP,I think you can use your father’s information for fafsa. Expect to be selected for verification.