****EDIT: I now see the original topic was posted back in 2005. My apologies for responding. Nontheless, I'll leave my post as is--just in case.********
Hi, peops!
Yes, I'm really a DMV dude. The evil part is just an embellishment. However, my feelings won't be hurt if you address me as such.
I'm rushing this, so bare with me. Spelling errors and confusion were not intended:
I work in one of the Sacramento field offices where I process applications for DLs, IDs and registration eight hours of the day. I've been doing this for a little over nine years.
Just a few things right off.
On your receipt, where it says you'll receive your licence/ID in approximately 60 days...
Absolute, 100% BS. It states 60 days merely to keep people from calling or coming into the field offices to inquire about their license/ID. The aim is to not overburden the wait times/lines.
Someone who has already had a license and is simply coming in to renew, or someone who is a citizen and is applying for the first time--they'll typically get their license in a week or two. Now if you're a resident alien or of the Asylum/Refugee/Parolee status, there's no telling how long the wait can be, but it's usually much quicker than those who hold Employment Authorization cards or I-94s only. Speaking from experience--as I see people coming up to me all the time simply to inquire about their application.
When you bring in your immigration documents, they are verified by
two employees. The employee who keys in your application has to copy the immigration documents relevant to your application. These copies are sent to our Legal Presence unit, and thereafter to the Feds for "Secondary Verification." Before that, though, during the keying of your application, if there is no "hit" on the applicable "A" or "I" number, the system will flag the application and explicitly require "secondary verification." This means the DMV hasn't received an "electronic" confirmation of the applicant's residence status. Quite common, especially among those who don't hold green cards. If there is no hit--if secondary verification is required--the wait can be quite a long one.
Sixty, 90, or 120 day extensions can be issued in the field offices. If one year passes since you first applied, you will have to return to the field office to reapply. Bring in all of your original documents, fill out another application, and they'll need to retake your photo. (No tests or fees, though.)
One error that I see my fellow DMV employees occasionally make is keying in the "I" or "A" number incorrectly, keying the wrong expiration date from the document, or keying in the wrong document code. (Resident Alien cards are one code; Certificate of Naturalization another; and so on.)
One other very important thing to keep in mind: The name on your DL application, your immigration document, and your Social Security card should all match. Some cultures (Vietnam, for instance) use the last name first, first name last. Sometimes this gets keyed in as such by immigration officials, and then maybe differently by SSA.
If the wait has been many months since finalizing your application and you want to be certain no one screwed up keying in your info, either call (see the alternate number below) or come in to a field office and ask that someone pull up your record to verify that the BD/LP document code, document number, and document expiration date have all been keyed correctly.
A simple as the task may
seem, you'd be surprised how intricate the procedure is, and how simply a mistake can be made.
An alternate telephone number to inquire about your license status is (916) 657-7790. This is DMV headquarter's Issuance Unit. Where your licenses are "issued" out of.
Have a good day, all!
