Not all states in the United States issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.
Photo: Bas Peperzak/Unsplash
Since January of this year, undocumented immigrants residing in Virginia can apply for a valid driver’s license known as a “Driver Privilege Card”.. This document is strictly aimed at all those people who cannot provide proof of nationality or legal status in the country and is equivalent to other similar licenses such as the AB-60 that exists in California for the same purpose.
Despite being aimed at undocumented immigrants to solve one of their needs, the Driver Privilege Card does not provide the possibility of obtaining other documents such as the identification card or business licenses and, much less, a license with Real ID, a form of identification that requires compliance with a series of federal requirements that are not present in undocumented immigrants.
How to get a license in Virginia being undocumented?
The application process for a Driver Privilege Card is slightly different from the one used to apply for a standard driver’s license in Virginia.. In accordance with Cars in USAthe steps to be followed are as follows:
1. Schedule an appointment at official website of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of the state of Virginia. These appointments can be scheduled Monday through Friday, at a time most convenient for the applicant.
2. Collect and bring on the day of the appointment each and every one of the requirements that the state DMV requires:
– Two documents that serve as proof of identity (foreign passport, consular identification document, etc.)
– Two documents that serve as proof of residency in Virginia (mortgage statements, utility bills or other service that show the exact address).
– A document that serves as proof of Social Security, whether a Social Security Number (SSN) has been processed or has a Personal Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). A Form W-2 may also be used for this purpose.
– Some document that serves as proof of the income statement (Virginia residency form, income statement form).
3. Complete a form DL 10 the day of the appointment, at the time of consigning the documents. Minors must present a written consent of the parent or legal guardian.
4. Pay the $50 document fee.
According to Elizabeth Guzmán, a Democratic state legislator interviewed by the Los Angeles Times in this regard: “We need an identification document to buy a car, to rent an apartment, to open a bank account, to pick up a prescription and even to enroll our children in school.”
Driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Virginia have a duration of 2 years and expire once this time has elapsed, on the bearer’s birthday.. Like other similar documents, it cannot be used as a form of identification and does not represent a guarantee of legal presence at the federal level.
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