<p>can i apply for FAFSA if im us citizen but my parents are not (and they dont pay us tax)? btw im also wondering if im born in california and lived there for almost a year but moved away afterwards, how can i get residency?</p>
<p>As a US citizen, you can file the FAFSA. When you file that form, you need to convert your parents’ financial information into US dollars and then use those converted figures. [FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/]FAFSA”>http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/) It doesn’t matter if they aren’t US citizens. What matters is your status. In the line where the FAFSA asks for your parents’ social security numbers, you just put in 000000000 instead. If you don’t have a social security number, you will need to get one before you file the FAFSA. Contact the closest US consulate and ask the Citizens’ Services representative to help you. If you are male, you also need to register with the Selective Service (military draft).</p>
<p>In order to establish residency, you need to choose the state where you would like to study, move there, and get a job. After you have lived there and worked there and paid state taxes there for a year, you can apply to college there as a resident. Even then, some states might not consider you a resident unless you are fully self-supporting. You also need to know that until you can be considered an independent student for financial aid purposes (age 24, military veteran, married, etc.), your parents’ financial information will be taken into consideration when you apply for financial aid. </p>
<p>Each state has its own residence requirements, so you need to investigate them carefully. In Maryland you would be in-state for tuition and fees at the community colleges after living and working here for 3 months, but the public universities require 12 months residence. I don’t know what the rules are in California.</p>
<p>You should take the time to read through everything at [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.state.gov/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.state.gov/) Then make an appointment with the counselors at the advising center closest to where you live. If you can’t go in person, they should be able to give you some help by email or over the phone. If no one in that office has worked with a US citizen educated in your country of residence, they can contact colleagues in other offices for advice specific to your situation.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>happymomof1,</p>
<p>thanks so much for the information!! its very helpful!!! but ive got a question…when im filing FAFSA it asks if my parents are going to file IRS income tax, and i select “not going to file” since my family lives outside of state and earns income and pays tax in another country. but then it says my father’s income is over the minimum amount required to file tax return and asks me to fix the information that i provided on the form… what should I do? thanks!</p>
<p>I’m in exactly the same boat! I’m a US citizen, I live with my mom, who’s not a US citizen, and I’m not in contact with my dad, who IS a US citizen (LOL, he doesn’t pay his taxes anyway…). My mom, even though she’s not a US citizen and doesn’t pay taxes, has a social security number, so it’s a little weirder. What I’m gonna do is call right now.
I see this post is from 2010. What did you end up doing, man? Haha… you probably don’t check this, that’s for sure :P</p>
<p>You need to talk to the financial aid officer at the school where you are applying and have one work your way through the FAFSA because it does get tricky when you have that situation.</p>
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<p>What your mom has is a tax ID # which allows her to legally work in the US. She cannot use this number to fill out the FAFSA.In the SSN field for your mom you will use all 0"s (000000000). IF your mom works, then she needs to put her income on the fafsa. She should also be filing taxes. Since she has a tax ID #, she will have to get either a transcript from the IRS if she files taxes or a non-filers statement if she doesnot file taxes. </p>
<p>IF she says that she has no income, the school will request a low income verification statement (because they will want to know how you eat everyday and keep a roof over your head). She will have to submit supporting documentation (budget letters for food stamps/public assistance, award letters for social security, etc.).</p>
<p>She is also not eligible to apply for a PIN. While you can sign your part electronically, she must print the signature page, sign and submit her stuff in the mail. This will now make your process more time consuming as when your do the FAFSA electronically, it takes a couple of days. When everything has to be mailed, it can takes weeks to process. Keep in mind that any changes you make to the FAFSA, your mom will have to fill out a new signature page and mail that in also.</p>
exactly same situation! what happened in the end?
Please make a new post for any specific questions you have. Those people have not been posting for a long time==several years.