Immigration Resources
FAQs / Help Submit Help Ticket
How Do I File Reports?
What are the parts of the report and how do I file each part?
There are 4 parts to the report:
- General Information/e-Verify
- Contractor
- Business License
- Public Benefits
For General Information/e-Verify and Public Benefits, you should just enter the data requested. For Contractors and Business Licenses, you may either enter the data requested or submit a data file.
Where do these reports need to be submitted?
Go to https://www.audits.ga.gov/auth to create a login/password and then request access to the immigration collection system.
If I choose to submit a data file to submit data for contractors or business licenses, is there a a specific format/layout I must use?
In prior years, Excel spreadsheets were accepted. Will Excel spreadsheets be accepted?
There are multiple departments for my organization responsible for maintaining the information that will need to be reported. Does the collection system allow for multiple users or will one person have to submit all the information required to complete the report?
The system allows for multiple users. This will allow each person responsible for their part of the report to upload their information separately. For example, if your government has one person who is responsible for collecting the E-Verify Contractor report information yet another is responsible for collecting the Business License information, then both people will be allowed to separately access and submit their part of the report.
There are multiple parts of the report. How can I find what has been submitted by my organization?
The collection system allows the user to see each section of the report and the status for that section. For example, if nothing has been submitted for that section, the status will read “Need Response.” If the section of the report has been completed, the status will read “Confirmed” and will display a blue check mark next to that section of the report.
How can I find who submitted which section of the report?
The collection system shows the person who has submitted each section of the report and the last time and date that each section was accessed.
I have started the reporting process but I will not be able to finalize that section of the report at this time. Can I save the work provided or will I have to start over when I have all the report information?
The collection system allows the user to save their work, even if they have not completed all the requirements of that section.
How can I be sure that every part of the report has been submitted?
The collection system has an overview page which will list each component of the report. If that part of the report has been completed, you will see a blue check mark and a the status will read “Confirmed.”
There is a red flag next to the information that I have submitted. What does this mean?
If you see a red flag next to the requested information, then it means that there is something wrong with the information that you have submitted. You will need to correct that information to move forward with the report. Once the error has been corrected, the red flag will be replaced with a green flag.
Is there a certain order in which the report must be completed in that there are multiple sections?
No. The user can start with any section. However, it is recommended to start with the first section, especially if the report will be submitted by a single user.
Can I amend a section after it has been confirmed?
Yes. But once the user hits confirm on a section, that section will be locked. The user will have to email immhelp@audits.ga.gov to get their status set back to Started so they can modify this section and reconfirm.
I only have a few records to submit and I do not want to use the upload feature. Is there an alternative?
Yes. The collection system allows the user to either upload a report file or to manually enter the information into the system. As a reminder, DOAA will not accept reports sent by email, fax or mailed as a hard copy. All reports, uploaded or manually entered, must be submitted through the online collection system.
My organization does not have numbered contracts or business licenses but there is a report field for this information. How should I respond?
While not required by law, the DOAA has requested this information for future auditing purposes. If your government does not have this information, it does not impact your report. This is not a required field.
E-Verify
I entered an E-Verify number and the system has flagged it. What's wrong?
The E-Verify numbers should be between 4-7 digits long and should not contain any letters. For example, if the number submitted has numerals and letters MLN123, then this is the username and not the actual E-Verify number. Make sure that all E-Verify numbers entered meet the proper criteria.
Is the E-Verify number the same as the Federal Employer Identification Number? If not, how do I get an E-Verify number?
No. The E-Verify program is operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. If you need to register for the program or have registered but don’t know your user identification number or date of authorization, information is available on the USCIS website. The Department of Audits and Accounts is unable to provide assistance with E-Verify program registration.
What date should I use for the authorization date of the E-Verify number?
The authorization date should be in the letter you received the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Please contact USCIS by telephone at 888-464-4218 or e-mail E-Verify@dhs.gov.
We can't find our E-Verify number and date of authorization. Is this information available from the Department of Audits and Accounts?
No. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) maintains this information and can provide assistance. You can contact USCIS by telephone at 888-464-4218 or e-mail E-Verify@dhs.gov.
Contractors (Title 13 Reporting)
I uploaded a file with my contractor information, but I realized that some of the contractors were left off. What should I do?
You have 2 choices:
- Enter the information for the omitted contractors individually
- Contact us at immhelp@audits.ga.gov for instructions for how to submit a new file that includes all of the information. Uploading a new file directly is not supported.
Are contractors with fewer than 10 employees exempt from the contractor affidavit submission requirements in O.C.G.A. §13-10-91?
No, a contractor with NO employees and no intent to hire employees shall, in lieu of the affidavit required by O.C.G.A. §13-10-91(b), submit a copy of their state issued driver’s license or identification card. The driver’s license or identification card is acceptable only if it is issued by a state that verifies lawful immigration status prior to issuance.
My contractor insists they do not have to provide an E-Verify contractor affidavit because they have less than 10 employees. Where are they getting this information and is it true?
According to Georgia law (OCGA §13-10-91), before the city or county can contract with a business for the physical performance of services (as that term is defined in OCGA §13-10-90), the contractor must submit an affidavit that they have registered for and use E-Verify. The ONLY exception to this is if you are working with a contractor with no employees and no intent to hire employees. In this case, instead of the affidavit, they must provide you with their driver’s license (and a driver’s license is only acceptable IF it is issued by a state that verifies lawful immigration status prior to issuance).
This contractor is confusing the above requirements in OCGA §13-10-91 with the requirements for getting or renewing a business license from a city or county. The business license requirements are in a different Code section (OCGA §36-60-6). Under the business license provisions, private employers with more than ten employees are required to provide an affidavit (this is a different affidavit from affidavit referred to above) to the city or county stating that they use E-Verify. Private employers with fewer than eleven employees submit a separate affidavit stating that they are exempt from E-Verify. So, although a private employer with ten or less employees may be exempt from registering for E-Verify for the purpose of getting their business license, if they want to contract with a public employer, they are going to have to register for E-Verify if they have ANY employees.
Do we have to comply with the contractor reporting provisions of O.C.G.A. §50-36-4(d)(2) and (3) if all of our contractors are native born Americans?
Yes. A contractor is defined in O.C.G.A. §13-10-91 as “a person or entity that enters into a contract for the physical performance of services”.
Are nonprofit contractors exempt from the affidavit submission requirements in O.C.G.A §13-10-91(b)(1)?
No. A contractor is defined in OCGA §13-10-91 as “a person or entity that enters into a contract for the physical performance of services”.
I am with a local government and when I tell my contractor that I need a contractor affidavit, my contractor says he is exempt. Why would he be exempt from this requirement?
Contractors, subcontractors, or sub-subcontractors with no employees and no intent to hire employees for the purpose of completing the terms of the contract can instead provide a copy of their state issued driver’s license or state issued identification card.
It is important to note that a driver’s license or identification card is only accepted in lieu of an affidavit IF it is issued by a STATE within the United States that VERIFIES LAWFUL IMMIGRATION STATUS prior to issuing the driver’s license or identification card. A listing of the states that verify immigration status is available on the Georgia Attorney General’s website.
It is also important to note that if a contractor, subcontractor, or sub-subcontractor later determines that a need exists to hire employees to satisfy or complete the terms of the contract, he or she will first be required to comply with the affidavit requirements of O.C.G.A. §13-10-91(b).
Will I need to report on contracts that were entered into in previous years?
No. You only need to report on contracts that were entered into or renewed in the current reporting period.
What if the contracts that I am entering information for have E-Verify numbers that have alpha characters and/or are longer than 6 numbers?
All E-Verify numbers should be 4-7 digits (numbers), but we realize that some organizations were not aware of this when they got the affidavits. This year you can use the information you received (with the alpha/numeric combination, or more than 6 digits) but you will get a warning message when you submit the information. Your submission will go through – it is only a warning message.
Next year, you should attempt to get the correct E-Verify number (4-7 digits). If you are uploading a file with incorrectly formatted E-Verify numbers, the file may be rejected. If this happens, you should delete the lines with the incorrectly formatted E-Verify numbers from your file and re-submit. You will need to enter the information for the remaining contractors individually through the system.
Can the contract number field be left blank?
My contract is with another government entity. Must I report information for that contract?
I used the statewide contract administered by the Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) to obtain services. Must I report that contract?
Yes. However, DOAS has obtained contractor affidavits for these contracts. As a courtesy to state and local users of statewide contracts, DOAS’s State Purchasing Division is providing E-Verify affidavits for those statewide contract suppliers providing services over $2,499.99.
To view the list, please log into Team Georgia Marketplace™ using your personal credentials or the public Team Georgia Marketplace™ “tgmguest” login credentials. Once you log into the system, click on the Home/Shop tab and look to the left under the Announcements section. Click on the link “State of Georgia E-Verify Affidavits are here”. You should then search for the desired supplier and click on the .PDF document to access the affidavit.
Business Licenses (Title 36 Reporting)
If my organization does not issue business licenses or certificates, am I still required to submit a report for that section?
Yes. Even if your government does not issue business licenses or certificates, you are still required to complete that section by confirming that you do not.
Business Licenses (Title 36 Sanctuary Policy Reporting)
How do I know if my organization is a sanctuary policy?
O.C.G.A §36-80-23(b) states that no local governing body shall enact, adopt, implement or enforce any sanctuary policy. Sanctuary Policy is defined as any regulation, rule, policy, or practice adopted by a local governing body which prohibits or restricts local officials or employees from communicating or cooperating with federal officials or law enforcement officers with regard to reporting immigration status information while such local official or employee is acting within the scope of his or her official duties.
Other
I will not be able to submit the annual immigration compliance report required by O.C.G.A. §50-36-4 by the December 31st deadline. Can I get an extension?
I have entities that no longer exist. What do I do?
For local authorities, if you are in the Department of Community Affairs database, your authority registered with DCA for 2015. This means you will need to report immigration information for 2015. All other entities should contact immhelp@audits.ga.gov with your specific information.
Need help with something else on your audit?
Submit a help ticket using this online form for DOAA assistance.