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What is Lawful Presence Verification?
In accordance with University System of Georgia policy, all students admitted to Georgia Tech and residing in the United States must verify their lawful presence prior to registering for classes. Please see below for acceptable documentation to satisfy this requirement. You will not be allowed to register for classes until your lawful presence is verified.
Which Students Do Not Need To Submit Documentation?
The following students do not need to submit lawful presence documents.
- F-1 or J-1 students sponsored by Tech. You will meet with the Office of International Education upon arrival for mandatory immigration check-in. They will verify your immigration documents at that time.
- Non-U.S. citizens located outside of the U.S. If you will complete an online or distance learning program abroad, you do not need to provide lawful presence documentation. If you move to the United States during your program, you will be required to provide proof of Lawful Presence at that time.
What Are Accepted Documents for Lawful Presence?
U.S. Citizens
- A current U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card
- A current front and back copy of a REAL ID Driver's License or REAL ID state-issued ID card from an approved state
- We can only accept a Real ID from the U.S. states listed here: list of eligible states and requirements (PDF). Unless explicitly listed in this document, Real IDs from other states will not be accepted.
- A front and back copy of an Original or Certified U.S. Birth Certificate
- The scanned copy must be clear and complete with a legible official seal on it from a U.S. state, county, municipal authority, or territory.
- A current U.S. Military ID (service member only, not dependent)
- Cannot be photocopied, scanned, emailed, or uploaded per Dept. of Defense rules.
- Must be presented in person only.
- A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application
- A FAFSA applicationmay satisfy this requirement. You do not have to accept financial aid. This simply allows the U.S. government to verify your lawful presence.
- You must list Tech’s school code as a recipient, 001569.
- The FAFSA year must correspond with your term of admission (i.e. A 2026-2027 is valid for Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027).
- Tech won’t receive your FAFSA citizenship info until after we complete your verification and evaluation process. This can take several weeks.
- There is a small chance that FAFSA will not verify your lawful presence. If that occurs, you will be asked to submit an approved lawful presence document.
- A signed U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS form N-550 or N-570)
- Student signature must be present on the item.
- A signed U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (USCIS form N-560 or N-561)
- Student signature must be present on the item.
- A front and back copy of a U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (DS-1350). The seal should be legible.
- A front and back copy of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240). The seal should be legible
U.S. Permanent Residents
If you are an approved U.S. Permanent Resident, please provide a front and back copy of your current, valid Permanent Resident card.
Pending U.S. Permanent Residents
If you have applied for U.S. Permanent Residency, please provide a copy of your pending I-485 receipt notice or I-797.
Please note that applicants for Permanent Residency are not exempt from the proof of English Proficiency requirement. Only USCIS approved US Permanent Residents with a valid Permanent Resident card are exempt from the proof of English Proficiency requirement.
Non-U.S. Citizens
If you are U.S. Visa holding applicant, please provide a copy of your current, valid Visa and/or other immigration documentation. These may include:
- I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record)
- I-797 form
- I-766 (Employment Authorization Card)
- I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant [F-1] Student Status)
- I-327 (Reentry Permit)
- I-571 (Refugee Travel Document)
- Machine Readable Immigration Visa (with Temporary I-551 Language)
- Temporary I-551 Stamp (on passport or I-94)
- DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status)
How Do I Submit Lawful Presence Documentation?
If you have not already provided it with your admission application or in a previous upload, you may upload approved lawful presence documents to your Applicant Experience Portal. Use the Upload Application Materials option under Self-Service. If the specific document you are uploading is not listed in the dropdown menu, please select any document type listed under "Identification Documents."
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What is Legal Name Verification?
Beginning with the Fall 2025 semester, University System of Georgia (USG) mandates that all students admitted to Georgia Tech must submit documentation to verify their legal name prior to registering for classes.
Per policy, a legal name is the first name (or given name) and last name (or surname) listed on an approved "state or government-issued document". Although students are permitted to provide a preferred name, which may appear in some Tech systems, the name listed in your main Georgia Tech record must match your verified legal name.
What Are Accepted Documents for Legal Name Verification?
U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and Non-U.S. citizens can submit a lawful presence document listed above to satisfy this requirement. If you already submitted a valid lawful presence document, Tech will use that to satisfy the legal name verification requirement. If anything else is needed, we will email you with further instructions prior to class registration.
If you do not have an approved lawful presence document listed here, you may submit an official government-issued document from your country that lists your full first and last name, such as:
- Birth certificate
- Driver’s license
- Passport
- Government or State-issued Identification
- Government-issued citizenship or immigration documentation
If your name has changed, please submit one of the documents above plus one of the following:
- Official court-ordered name change documentation
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce decree
What is the deadline for submitting this documentation?
This documentation must be submitted prior to class registration for the term you intend to enroll. To allow ample time for processing, it is best to submit this document with your application for admission or at least 45 days prior to class registration. Registration dates can be found on the Academic Calendar on the Registrar's website.
What happens if I cannot submit this information?
You will not be allowed to register for classes until you provide this documentation. A registration hold will be placed on your account until the approved document is submitted and reviewed by Tech.
Why do I need to submit this documentation?
The Legal Name Verification process was mandated by the University System of Georgia (USG). It applies to all 26 public higher education institutions under the USG, across the state of Georgia.
How Do I Submit Legal Name Verification Documentation
If you have not already provided it with your admission application or in a previous upload, you may upload approved documents to your Applicant Experience Portal. Use the Upload Application Materials option under Self-Service. Select Legal Name Verification document from the dropdown menu. If you do not see that option, please select any document type listed under "Identification Documents."
Processing times can vary based on volume. It may take several weeks to review and approve your submitted documents. Be assured that your document will be processed prior to class registration. Once processed, your application checklist in the Applicant Experience Portal will show Legal Name Verification as received.