Georgia SAVE Affidavit: Form, ID, Notarization, and Filing

The Georgia SAVE affidavit is a one-page, notarized sworn statement confirming your lawful presence in the United States, and Georgia law requires it from anyone applying for a state or local “public benefit” — a category that covers most professional licenses, business permits, occupational tax certificates, alcohol permits, and state-administered assistance programs. O.C.G.A. § 50-36-1 makes the affidavit mandatory for every natural person applying, and submitting it incorrectly or without the right supporting ID will hold up your application.¹

When the Affidavit Is Required

Georgia defines “public benefit” broadly. Professional and occupational licenses, business registrations, tax certificates needed to operate a commercial business, gaming licenses, and state-funded housing or assistance programs all fall inside the definition.¹ Nursing licenses, real estate licenses, alcohol permits, and occupational tax certificates are typical triggers. Businesses themselves don’t sign the form; the individual owner, officer, or applicant behind the application does.

Applicants under 18 get a narrow break. They don’t have to complete the affidavit at the time of application but must execute one within 30 days of turning 18.²

Benefits That Don’t Require the Affidavit

If your application falls into one of these categories, the agency should not ask for a SAVE affidavit:¹

Emergency medical treatment as defined under federal Medicaid law, excluding organ transplants
Short-term, noncash, in-kind emergency disaster relief
Immunizations and testing or treatment for communicable disease symptoms
Soup kitchens, crisis counseling, short-term shelter, and similar community services not conditioned on income
Prenatal care
Postsecondary education benefits administered by the Board of Regents, the Technical College System of Georgia, or the Georgia Student Finance Commission, consistent with federal law

Where to Get the Right Form

There is no single universal version of the affidavit. Each agency and local government prints its own with its name and the specific benefit filled in — the Georgia Department of Community Affairs uses one for housing and loan programs,³ the Department of Early Care and Learning uses another for its food program,⁴ and county tax offices, the Secretary of State, and municipal licensing departments each have theirs. The sworn language is nearly identical across versions. Use the one your agency provides in the application packet or as a PDF on its website; don’t substitute a copy from another agency.

Completing the Form

The form does one thing: it asks you to check one of three status boxes and sign under oath.

Pick One Status Box

Every version lists the same three options:³

United States citizen, by birth or naturalization. No number required.
Legal permanent resident. You must write your alien number (the A-number on your green card) in the space provided.
Qualified alien or non-immigrant with a valid status under the Immigration and Nationality Act, such as a work visa, student visa, asylee, or refugee. You must enter your alien number issued by DHS or another federal immigration agency.

Check only one box. If you select the second or third option, the alien number field is not optional — a blank line will get the affidavit rejected. Your A-number appears on your I-551 (green card), Employment Authorization Document, or approval notice. If you entered the U.S. on a passport with an I-94, the I-94 number does not go on the affidavit line, but you may need the passport and I-94 as your supporting identification.⁵

Match the Name on Your ID

Write your full legal name exactly as it appears on the identification document you plan to submit. A mismatch between the affidavit and the ID will slow processing and can trigger a manual verification step later. Print clearly if completing the form by hand.

The ID You Must Submit With It

O.C.G.A. § 50-36-2 requires a “secure and verifiable document” alongside the affidavit.⁶ The Georgia Attorney General publishes and updates the official list every year.⁷ Common qualifying documents include:

An unexpired U.S. passport or passport card
An unexpired driver’s license from any U.S. state or territory, if it has a photograph or sufficient identifying information
An unexpired tribal ID card from a federally recognized tribe, with a photograph or identifying details
An original or certified birth certificate with an official seal, issued by a U.S. state, county, or territory
A certification of report of birth, certification of birth abroad, or consular report of birth abroad from the U.S. Department of State

A foreign passport alone does not qualify. It must come with a valid I-94, I-94A, or I-94W, or another federal document establishing lawful immigration status.⁶ Consular ID cards issued by foreign governments, sometimes called matricula consular cards, are excluded regardless of the holder’s status. Expired documents will not be accepted. Check the Attorney General’s current list before you submit.

Notarization

The affidavit is not valid until it is notarized. Sign it in the physical presence of a Georgia notary public, who will apply their seal and commission expiration date.⁴ Don’t sign the form beforehand. A pre-signed affidavit defeats the point of the notarization, and most notaries will refuse to notarize it.

Georgia caps notary fees at $2.00 per notarial act. If the notary also needs a certificate from the Clerk of Superior Court confirming their commission is in effect, the total can reach $4.00.⁸ Banks, shipping stores, and many licensing offices have notaries on staff, and some agencies notarize on-site when you apply in person.

How to Submit It

Submission method depends on the agency. Some want the original notarized paper document mailed or delivered in person; others accept a high-resolution scan uploaded through an online portal. The agency’s instructions will spell out which method it expects. Call and confirm before mailing an original you can’t easily replace.

Submit a copy of your secure and verifiable ID with the affidavit. If you’re applying in person, bring the original ID for inspection and a photocopy the agency can keep.

What Happens After You Submit

The agency runs your information through the federal SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database, which USCIS maintains. The initial check is automated and returns a result within seconds in most cases.⁹ If the databases confirm your status, your application moves forward.

When the automated check can’t confirm your status, the agency submits your case for additional verification. That step takes roughly 20 federal workdays as of early 2026, and a third step requiring the agency to upload photocopies of your immigration documents can follow.¹⁰

If SAVE Can’t Verify You Right Away

A delay does not mean you are ineligible. SAVE responses sometimes come back inconclusive because of name mismatches, data entry errors, or federal records that haven’t been updated. USCIS guidance tells agencies they cannot rely on an initial “no match” — they have to complete the follow-up steps.⁹

Your job during a delay is to cooperate with document requests. The agency may ask for front-and-back photocopies of your green card, EAD, or passport with I-94 to upload to SAVE. Having clean copies ready shortens the wait. If you believe your federal immigration record itself contains an error, contact USCIS directly to request a correction. The Georgia agency processing your application cannot fix federal records for you.

Penalties for a False Affidavit

The affidavit warns, right above the signature line, that false statements carry criminal penalties under O.C.G.A. § 16-10-20. Knowingly submitting false information to a state agency can bring a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for one to five years, or both.¹¹ Because the form is executed under oath, a false filing can also support a false swearing charge under O.C.G.A. § 16-10-71, which carries the same sentencing range.

A license or benefit obtained through a false affidavit can be revoked. If you checked “U.S. citizen” when you are not, or claimed a status that doesn’t match your federal record, the SAVE check will flag the discrepancy and the agency is required to deny the application. There is no grace period for a deliberately false affidavit. If you made a genuine mistake, contact the agency right away about submitting a corrected form before the verification process closes out.

1
Justia. Georgia Code 50-36-1 – Verification Requirements, Procedures, and Conditions; Exceptions; Regulations; Criminal and Other Penalties for Violations
2
Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Code 50-36-1 – Verification Requirements, Procedures, and Conditions
3
Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Georgia Immigration and Public Benefit Affidavit
4
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. Georgia SAVE Affidavit Form
5
Technical College System of Georgia. Verification of Eligibility for Public Benefit Affidavit Directions
6
Justia. Georgia Code 50-36-2 – Secure and Verifiable Identity Document; Applicability
7
Office of the Attorney General, Georgia. Secure and Verifiable Documents Under O.C.G.A. 50-36-2
8
Justia. Georgia Code 45-17-11 – Fees of Notaries
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guide to Understanding SAVE Verification Responses
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. SAVE Verification Response Time
11
Justia. Georgia Code 16-10-20 – False Statements and Writings, Concealment of Facts, and Fraudulent Documents in Matters Within Jurisdiction of State or Political Subdivisions