Verification of Lawful Presence
Effective Fall 2011, upon acceptance to Columbus State University, all students seeking in-state tuition are required to verify their lawful presence in the United States. The following documents are acceptable:
- A photocopied image or photo of a current Driver‘s License issued after January 1,
2008. Only the Driver's License from these states is acceptable:
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
- A limited term license--a license issued for a period of less than two years--is not acceptable.
- A current ID issued by the State of Georgia after January 1, 2008.
- A current U.S. Passport.
- A Certified U.S. Birth Certificate showing the student was born in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. A photocopy or faxed copy provided by the student is not acceptable.
- U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS form N - 550 or N - 570).
- U.S. Certificate of Citizenship (USCIS form N - 560 or N - 561).
- U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (DS - 1350) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS - 240).
- A current, valid Permanent Resident Card (USCIS form I-151 or I-551).
Acceptable photocopies and photos of lawful presence may be submitted online via our admission document upload form.
Common Questions and Answers:
No, you must submit the required documents to prove your residency in Georgia.
Yes, the policy states that anyone receiving an out-of-state tuition waiver must provide proof of lawful presence.
Yes, all incoming students must provide documentation.
The certified Birth Certificate will be held in your admission file and is unable to be returned to you.
While all U.S. citizen applicants are required to provide a social security number on their application, the card itself does not satisfy the lawful presence requirement.
You may mail or hand-deliver a copy of your acceptable documentation to our office (Birth Certificates must be the original). Please do not fax your driver's license or passport. You may also e-mail acceptable photocopied or photographed documents to Data_Entry@Columbusstate.edu.
Mailing Address:
Columbus State University
Office of Admissions
4225 University Ave
Columbus, GA 31907
If you have additional questions, please contact us at (706) 507-8800 or at admissions@columbusstate.edu.
