FAQ's  

Frequently Asked Questions

 

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Are You Attending Community College?

(article also available for viewing and printing as PDF file: click here*)

Are you or your child going to a community college?
If so, you need to know the following:

In order to have Saratoga County participate in the cost of his or her community college education, a student must obtain a Certificate of Residency and submit it to the college. Military personnel on active duty are entitled to the lower “Resident” rate directly from the college; they do not need a Certificate of Residency.

You must apply for your certificate no later than 30 days after registration and no sooner than 60 days prior to the start of classes. Once classes start, you can know longer obtain the Certificate of Residency at the Town Clerk’s Office, you must go to the Saratoga County Treasurer’s Office, 25 West High Street, Ballston Spa. Certificates are valid for semesters that begin within one year from the date of issue. You must present a certificate for each community college you plan on attending. Only those who have resided at their current address for at least twelve consecutive months, without moving, can apply at the town clerk’s office. If you have moved within the last year, you also must apply at the Saratoga County Treasurer’s Office.

To be eligible for a Certificate of Residence you must be

  • Application*
  • A continuous resident of New York State for one year immediately preceding your date of application, AND
  • A resident of Saratoga County for at least one month within the six months immediately preceding the date of your application. If you have not been a resident of Saratoga County for that entire six month period, you will have to obtain a Certificate from each county in which you have resided in the past six months.

Elements of Acceptable Proof:

  1. Each document must be dated and include your name and physical street address.
  2. Documents with a post office box will not suffice.
  3. At a minimum, two proofs are required: one more than a year old and one less than a month old.
  4. Each residence on your application must be documented. We require proof within 30 days of the date of any move in the past year.
  5. Non-citizens are required to document their resident status.
  6. No claim of residency will be accepted solely on your testimony or that of parents, relatives, friends or other individuals.
  7. Examples of standard proof are the following:
  • Driver’s license, car registration, insurance card (look at issue dates, not expiration dates on these items)
  • Transcripts or report cards
  • Bank statements
  • Utility bills
  • Medical records, prescriptions
  • Formal lease or letter (on letterhead) from your landlord indicating dates of tenancy
  • Dated mail or postmarked envelopes
  • Income tax return with preprinted label or W-2

If you were born outside the United States:

  • Naturalization papers
  • Birth Certificate indicating US Citizenship of parents
  • Immigration papers indicating permanent resident status

You can go to the www.co.saratoga.ny.us website at the Saratoga County Treasurer’s Office to down load the application and directions. You can call the Saratoga County Treasurer’s Office @ 884-4724.

What can cause a rejection of application for Certificate of Residency?

The Town Clerk’s Office can not issue Certificate of Residency for the following:

  1. Foreign born or International Student on a VISA
  2. University in the High School Program
  3. Student has moved in the past year/lists more than one address within the year.
  4. Student arrives after school has started

Your application can not be accepted for one of the following:

  1. PO Box appears as physical address or is provided as proof
  2. If student is Active Duty Military (however, spouse/dependant may prove residence)
  3. A certificate was issued within the past year (unless attending a different school)
  4. Student did not provide current proof within the last 30 days
  5. Student did not provide proof of NYS residency for a minimum of 12 consecutive months
  6. Semester listed is not the one you are currently issuing for
  7. No signature on application.

Remember you can not obtain a Certificate of Residency sooner than 60 days prior to the start of classes. Once class has started, you must obtain your Certificate of Residency at the Saratoga County Treasurer’s Office, 25 West High Street, Ballston Spa, NY.

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How do I/We obtain a Marriage License?

A man and women who intend to be married in New York State must apply together in person for a marriage license to any town or city clerk in New York State. Each applicant must furnish two forms of identification when applying. The following documents will be accepted: driver’s license, certified birth certificate, passport or baptismal record. If one of the parties is not a citizen of the United States, the following identification will be accepted: passports, green card, USA alien card, work permit or naturalization papers. If either or both of the applicants were previously married, the following documented proofs would be accepted: Only the original or certified copy of the Decree of Divorce for each divorce is accepted. The marriage ceremony may not occur within twenty four (24) hours from the exact time that the license is issued and the document is then valid for sixty (60) days after the twenty four hour waiting period. The fee for a marriage license is $40.00.

How do I get a Peddler's License?

Fill out the following Application and return it to the Town Clerk:

Peddler's Licence Application*

How do I get a Passport?

The Northumberland Town Clerk’s office now carries Passport Applications. The office has a supply of “Application for a US Passport” (DS-11); and “Application for a US Passport By Mail” (DS-82).

The Saratoga County Clerk’s Office, located at 40 McMaster Street, Ballston Spa, NY 12020 process Passports from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM. The Saratoga County Clerk’s Office is opened from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, however, it takes their employees time to complete the process and many times a family comes in together. The Saratoga County Clerk’s Office now have a passport camera so that residents no longer have to stop at a photo shop in advance of coming to our office to have their passports processed. The back of the forms are very self explanatory and answers almost every question that anyone could have, however, if there are any questions residents will be directed to contact Tom at the Saratoga County Clerk’s office at 885-2213 at extension 4412

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