FAFSA rejecting application with undocumented spouse - what options exist?

omg my cousin went through the EXACT same thing last year. does your husband file taxes with an ITIN number? thats what finally worked for them!!

This is actually a common situation with mixed-status families. Your husband should be included on the FAFSA, and here's what you need to do: 1. Use zeros (000-00-0000) for your husband's SSN on the FAFSA application 2. For tax filing status, select "Will file" if he files taxes with an ITIN 3. Enter all requested financial information accurately 4. Be prepared for verification - they'll likely request additional documentation The system might still flag it initially, but this is the correct way to proceed. Your daughter absolutely qualifies for aid as a US citizen regardless of her parent's status.

I had this EXACT issue when I was filling out my FAFSA in 2024! My stepdad doesn't have papers and the whole thing was a NIGHTMARE. I ended up having to do a special circumstances appeal with my school's financial aid office after submitting the FAFSA with zeros for his SSN. They made me bring in extra documents proving my mom's income and they adjusted everything manually. It took FOREVER but I finally got my aid package sorted out.

As someone who has worked with many mixed-status families, I want to clarify a few things about FAFSA and undocumented parents: 1. Federal law requires ALL parents in the household to be included on FAFSA regardless of immigration status 2. Use 000-00-0000 for the SSN field for an undocumented parent 3. If your husband files taxes with an ITIN, indicate this on the application 4. Income information must be accurate for ALL parents 5. The Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation requires both parents' information when they're part of the household The FAFSA system has specific protocols for this situation. Your daughter will likely be selected for verification, which means submitting additional documentation to prove the information is correct. This is routine, not a punishment.

this hapend to my brother he tryed for 3 months to fix his fafsa and gave up. ended up not going to college cuz of it and now works construction with my dad. the whole systems rigged I swear

Have you tried reaching Federal Student Aid directly? I had to call them multiple times for a similar issue (though not exactly the same). They can sometimes provide guidance that school advisors don't know about. The problem is actually getting through to someone - I spent HOURS on hold before eventually giving up most times.

BTW did u try submitting a paper FAFSA instead of doing it online?? My cousins college adviser told them the paper version sometimes works better for complicated situations like this

UPDATE: We tried the suggestions here and were able to submit the FAFSA using zeros for my husband's SSN and including his ITIN tax return information! The application went through but now shows we're selected for verification (just like many of you predicted). I've helped my daughter start gathering the extra documentation and she has an appointment with the financial aid office next week. Thank you all for the help - at least we're moving forward now!

So glad to see this update! This is exactly how the process is supposed to work for mixed-status families. The verification step might seem intimidating, but it's really just the school's way of confirming the information is accurate. When your daughter goes to her appointment, make sure she brings copies of everything rather than originals (tax returns, W-2s, bank statements, etc.) and don't be surprised if they ask for additional documents later - it's all part of the normal process. You've already overcome the hardest part by getting the application submitted correctly!

I'm so relieved to see this thread! My daughter and I have been dealing with the exact same situation for weeks now. My partner is undocumented and we kept hitting walls with the FAFSA system. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me hope that we can actually get through this process. I'm going to try the zeros approach for the SSN field tomorrow and gather all the tax documents with his ITIN. It's honestly been so stressful wondering if my daughter would be able to get financial aid because of our family situation. Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice - it means more than you know to families like ours who are just trying to help our kids get an education.

I'm a new college student going through this exact situation right now! My mom is a citizen but my dad is undocumented, and we just went through the whole FAFSA process last month. What really helped us was calling the school's financial aid office and specifically asking to speak with someone who handles "special circumstances" cases - that's the key phrase that gets you to someone who actually knows how to deal with mixed-status families. They walked us through everything step by step and even helped us submit some of the verification documents directly through their system. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to doesn't know what to do - we had to ask to speak to a supervisor twice before getting to someone with the right expertise. The whole thing took about 3 weeks from start to finish, but we got our aid package approved! Your daughter will get through this too.