Certification
Citizenship / Immigration Status
Citizens and non-citizens who are lawfully present in the United States are eligible for Permanent, Professional, or Teaching Assistant Level III Certification
New York State Education Law and the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education permits individuals with United States Citizenship, Permanent Resident status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, and those with other similar relief from deportation statuses, to qualify for a Permanent, Professional or Teaching Assistant Level III certificate (Education Law ยง3001(3), 8 NYCRR 80-1.3).
To satisfy this requirement, candidates must submit ONE of the following with your application:- A photocopy of your Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card") showing the front and back of the card; or
- A photocopy of your birth certificate, United States (U.S.) Passport, Certificate of Citizenship, or Naturalization Certificate; or
- A certified and sealed copy of a letter from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) verifying your Permanent Residence or United States Citizenship; or
- A copy of a document that verifies your eligible immigration status, generally through an employment authorization document (EAD) card as issued by USCIS or other satisfactory documentation. Eligible immigration categories include:
- DACA;
- International student with F-1 status;
- Asylee;
- Refugee;
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS);
- Persons residing in the U.S. pursuant to an Order of Supervision;
- Persons granted a stay of deportation/removal;
- Persons who have filed an application for adjustment of status to permanent resident;
- Persons granted suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal;
- Cuban/Haitian entrants;
- Persons with a pending application for asylum, withholding of removal or deportation, protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), cancellation of removal, or TPS; or
- Other persons living in the U.S. who are lawfully present
As of January 1, 2022, OTI will be going paperless with this process. All citizenship documents must be submitted electronically to tcert@nysed.gov with the subject line "ATTN: Citizenship."