UM system to check citizenship status of students
The requirement will make Registrar's office system more complicated.
Published Dec. 12, 2008
The UM system has begun checking students' citizenship or immigration status to comply with a new state law passed during the last legislative session.
The law, which became effective Aug. 28, has changed the law regarding illegal aliens and immigrant status verification. It states that students who receive "a public benefit under which payments, assistance, credits or reduced rates or fees are provided" must be in the country legally.
Registrar Brenda Selman said her office has checked for legal status in accordance with other laws, primarily for federal financial aid and international student status.
"There was no requirement to check status on all students," Selman said.
Students have a few ways of confirming their legal status. If a student has applied for financial aid through FAFSA, his or her social security number has already been verified through that process, which confirms citizenship. When a student goes to pick up a student identification card, he or she is required to show some sort of government-issued ID, such as a driver's license, military ID or passport.
Acceptable forms of identification include any domestic state-issued driver's license or ID card, U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport and certificates of citizenship or naturalization.
When applying, international students are required to present their student visas. Sophomore Sara Han, an international student from South Korea, said getting a student visa is a long process.
Han had to go in for an interview and provide bank statements to receive a student visa. She also transferred from Southeast Missouri State University this year, but getting her visa to carry over from SEMO to MU was not complicated at all, she said.
If for any reason a student does not have a student ID card, did not apply for financial aid or is not an international student, the university places a hold on his or her account. Once that student has either faxed or brought in proof of citizenship, he or she will be able to register for spring 2009 classes.
While the process provides a check for the university, Selman said it is more complicated for the registrar's office.
"We are verifying the status of more students, which obviously is more complex," she said.
Selman said although the system might be more complicated, the registrar has worked to automate it as much as possible using student information they have already collected. This, she said, would minimize the number of students who have to provide additional information.