My SAR report says that SSA was not able to verify my citizenship status. Anybody has any insight into the reasons? Do I need to now contact every single school on my FAFSA list?
Did you become a citizen through birth or through another avenue? If not from birth, did you go to (GO, not call, write, email) the SSA and change your status? If not, you need to do that. Even if you did, there is something wrong and you’ll have to straighten it out with the SSA. When you do that and the SSA finally changes your status, you will still need to prove to the final school that you are a citizen. The FA officer will need to see your passport or Certificate of Citizenship. They have to see the original. Until you can get it to them, most will accept a copy to process your aid, but then put a hold on it until you bring in that original document.
If you are under 18, a parent must go to SSA. If you are over 18, only you can go. You will need the document that made you a citizen. SSA will accept a US passport but it will not accept a green card or adoption certificate. It needs proof from Department of State (passport) or USCIS (certificate of naturalization or citizenship).
This mismatch happens a lot. The advice above is excellent. Each school will need documentation - they have to see it in person, but most will allow you to send a copy for awarding purposes (then, if you attend, you will be required to bring the original to the aid office). Most school computer systems will put an automatic hold on the processing - they won’t even award the student - until a copy of the document is received. For this reason, it is important to comply with all requests for documentation as soon as possible.