1. The Financial Aid C-Flag Citizenship Process
The Solution Center
The Financial Aid
C-Flag Citizenship Process

2. Objective How to identify a Citizenship C-Flag
What you will learn?
How to identify a Citizenship C-Flag
What acceptable documentation is required
How to receive documents
How to identify the C-Flag has been resolved

3. Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for federal aid a student must be:
U.S. Citizen, or
U.S. Permanent Resident or other Eligible Non-Citizen

4. FAFSA Matches
Student’s name, SSN, and DOB provide on FAFSA is matched with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify U.S. Citizenship status
FAFSA’s with an Alien Registration Number (A#) are matched against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records to verify eligible non-citizen status
Un/Successful matches results generate an ISIR Comment Code
Unsuccessful matches will also produce a C-Flag

5. Successful Match
View comment codes on FA ISIR Corrections Page, third tab
Comment Code 143: Citizenship Status was confirmed and no further action is required

6. Unsuccessful Match
Comment Code 146: Citizenship was not confirmed; student must provide appropriate documentation to the school

7. Where to Find the C-Flag
View C-Flag on FA ISIR Corrections Page, fourth tab

8. C-Flag Checklist
Checklist Assign Mod assigns “Citizenship Documentation” checklist to students with a unsuccessful match
View checklists on FA Status Page

9. Acceptable Documentation
Acceptable documentation include, but are not limited to:
A copy of the student’s birth certificate showing the student’s place of birth
U.S. Passport, signed, current or expired
A Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561) issued by USCIS to individuals who derive U.S. citizenship through a parent
A Certificate of Naturalization (N-550 or N-570), to those who are individually naturalized
A Permanent Resident (Alien) Card
Students with an I-94 or I-94A with the endorsement “Processed for I-551", also, students with these who have refugee or asylee status may be eligible
Please refer to the Federal Student Handbook, pages 1-20 to 1-29, for additional acceptable documentation

10. Original Documents Only
Original citizenship documents must be signed and presented in person
Paperwork from every situation may be carried forward from year to year
Copy of the Permanent Resident Card and G-845 may be sent to USCIS every year, but we do not need a new copy of the card from the student
Note: Students who live out of state and are unable to come in person to the office, may submit an actual notarized copy of the necessary document

11. Notifications
Missing Information Letter (MIL) notifications are generated from Financial Aid Office requesting proof of Citizenship
MIL notifications are sent to the Student’s UMass Lowell Account every 21 days until completed
Students may also view missing items under iSiS self-service “To Do List” at anytime

12. How to Receive the Document
Team member must:
Review original document for validity
Confirm document is signed
Photo copy original document (Perm Resident card must copy both front and back side)
Stamp “date” and “copy of orig”
Team member must initial copied document
Update Checklist status to “received”

13. Verify C-Flag Cleared by FAO
Checklist status is “Completed”
SSA / DHS override flag checked
Comment indicating type of documentation provided and reviewed
Note: Some documentation must be submitted to DHS for secondary verification. Comments are placed on student account when document is sent and received back from DHS.