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Citizenship Policy

Sauk Valley Community College

Financial Assistance
Citizenship Policy

In order to be eligible for financial aid a student must meet one of the following eligible citizenship statuses:

  • United States Citizen
  • U.S. National
  • Citizen of a Freely Associated State
  • Other eligible noncitizen

When a student submits his/her FAFSA, the response to the citizenship question is verified through the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Primary confirmation. If a student's status is confirmed, no other documentation is required, and the student meets this eligibility requirement.

If the students status is not confirmed the student must provide the Office of Financial Assistance with one of the following appropriate documents:

United States Citizen

  • Copy of birth certificate showing birth in the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico (on or after January 13, 1941), Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands (on or after January 17, 1917), or the Northern Mariana Islands.
  • U.S. Passport
    • Current or expired
    • Not a “limited” passport
  • U.S. Passport Card issued for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda
  • Certificate of Citizenship
  • Certificate of Naturalization

U. S. National

  • Copy of birth certificate showing birth in American Samoa, Swain's Island, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
  • U.S. Passport:
    • Current or expired
    • Not a “limited” passport
    • Stamped “Noncitizen national”

Citizen of a Freely Associated State

  • Copy of birth certificate showing birth in Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau or the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Other Eligible Noncitizen

  • Permanent Resident Card (Resident Alien Card)- Form I-551 or I-151
  • Departure Record - Form I-94, with A-Number, expiration date and eligible endorsement
  • Unexpired foreign passport with eligible endorsement
  • United States Travel Document issued by USCIS annotated with “permit to Reenter Form I-327”
  • Arrival- Departure Record - Form I-94 or I-94A
  • Family Unity Status Form I-797

For students who were not verified as eligible through the primary confirmation and are believed to qualify under the Other Eligible Noncitizen status, the documentation will be sent for secondary confirmation within 15 working days. Secondary confirmation is processed through DHS and they must respond within 15 working days. If DHS does not respond, the Office of Financial Assistance will document that DHS exceeded the allotted time and the Office of Financial Assistance will determine eligibility on the basis of the provided documentation in accordance with federal regulations.

Students who are required to provide citizenship documentation must do so by the date listed on the Document Request letter (30 days from date of request). Failure to do so may result in a delay in processing.