Are Electronic Processes Always Better than a paper process?

Change is good, so they say. I’m often conflicted with change. I love one click ordering on Amazon yet am enraged my new car has data ports instead of a CD player. Maybe that’s why my hairstyle has barely changed in the past decade.

Like all things, Financial Aid processes change and evolve into their own beasts. Recently the verification process for students that appear to be non-eligible citizens has moved (or should I state attempting to move) to an electronic process. The new electronic process is bumping along but to understand where we started and how far we have come we must look back to the past.

Out with the Old

Photo by Fischer Twins / Unsplash

Originally, an applicant indicated on the FAFSA that he/she is an eligible noncitizen and provided their Alien Registration Number (ARN), this information is sent to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for primary confirmation. Also, if primary confirmation fails, there is an automated secondary confirmation that occurs. The success or failure of this match is represented on the students ISIR. If the match is successful no further action required (game, point, and MATCH you are done). If the match was not successful and the DHS Match flags on the ISIR indicate G-845 is necessary, paper process begins. The paper process included:

1. Notify student of the requirement for a third step verification process of eligible noncitizen status;
2. Student must provide to you his/her unexpired documentation proof. If you’re like me you start wondering when the last time you updated your drivers’ license.
3. You must evaluate the documentation and determine if it demonstrates the student is an eligible noncitizen:
   a. If documentation does not demonstrate eligible non-citizenship status, no further action is needed. The student is not eligible for federal student aid. So, there’s a potentially awkward meeting you get to have later.
   b. If documentation does demonstrate eligible non-citizenship status, move to next step.

I won’t lie, those pictures in the Student Eligibility guide are certainly handy!

4. Complete G-845, attach documentation provided by student and mail to USCIS. Luckily the instructions from DOE are easy to follow.
5. Wait for mailed response from USCIS confirming or denying.
   a. Once the form is received back you check for a response from INS. Their response should clearly show if the student is eligible for Title IV or not. Unfortunately, we’ve all received an incomplete or blank response before.
   b. If you do not receive a response from USCIS in 15-days, you may proceed as long as you are confident in the documentation provided by the student. Documentation of your decision is a must and should include the timeframe between mailed and received, and results of the G-845 once received back from USCIS. Retaining a copy of the postage date of the envelope sent to INS was most helpful.

The paper process was a straightforward process that all of us were comfortable with after many, many, many award years of practice. The frustration was in the “snail mail” approach to determine student’s correct status – there were attempts electronically to confirm eligible noncitizen status and still failure.

In with the New

Photo by Laurent Peignault / Unsplash

We are entering a new phase that will eliminate the last step (Step 3) of this confirmation by moving the snail mail G845 document to an online confirmation process through DHS’ Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system.
The rollout of this change was announced in April 2018 with a go live date of May 1, 2018; which was apparently meant to be a suggestion and not a real date. There were delays in the financial aid community receiving their assigned SAVE user ID and temporary password. Low and behold the receipt of these items came on May 18th and allowed our Primary Destination Point Administrators (DPA’s) to get us set up to utilize the new third step verification process via SAVE. The DPA is gate keeper who grants access to SAVE for anyone at your institution that needs it

So how do I use this new thing?
Once your password is created, you are ready to embark on the following new electronic adventure of Third Step Verification (some of it will feel familiar):

1. Notify student of the requirement for a third step verification process of eligible noncitizen status;
2. Student must provide to you his/her unexpired documentation proof;
3. You must evaluate the documentation and determine if it demonstrates the student is an eligible noncitizen:
   a. If documentation does not demonstrate eligible non-citizenship status, no further action and student is not eligible for federal student aid; or
   b. If documentation does demonstrate eligible non-citizenship status, move to next step.
4. Once you have determined the documentation supports the student’s eligible noncitizen status, you have 10 days to submit the third step verification process. That’s right you have a deadline of 10 days!
5. Enter the SAVE system and select “Search Case” button and then enter the applicable items and submit;
6. One of the following screens will appear:
   a. Re-submit Document – review the information populated in the screen, if errors exist make any necessary corrections using the Special Comments box, upload the documentation to support eligible noncitizen status and submit. You should check the SAVE system for your response within 3- 5 days.
   b. Case Under Review – appears once documentation is submitted and will appear until a result is received. The results received in this screen will be used to proceed as an eligible noncitizen or provide you with the reason student did not clear the process; or
   c. No Cases Found – if this message is received, check the accuracy of the DHS verification number, date of birth and resubmit. If this message is received again, the case has been closed by SAVE and you are unable to view it due to a known, but unfixable SAVE system issue. Request a new DHS Verification Number to resubmit the record.
7. Retain the required documentation from the SAVE system to support the approval or failure to confirm Third Step Verification process.

Additional Resources may be obtained on IFAP:
https://ifap.ed.gov/DHSSAVEEligibleNoncitizen/ElectThirdStepVerfi.html
2018-2019 Federal Student Aid Handbook, Volume 1, Student Eligibility
Save Helpdesk at 1-877-469-2563

In closing, I leave you with - Are electronic processes always better than a paper process? I would state yes, it takes time to embrace with confidence that we can still meet our student’s needs timely and efficiently.