Driver license, naturalization and immigration status proof or notification

H

Huracan

Registered Users (C)
Hello,

This is something somewhat connected to the social security notification. I am not aware that we need to update the Department of Motor Vehicles when we naturalize. However I seem to remember that a few years ago DMV was tasked with verifying immigration status when issuing driver licenses. When I got my first driver license I didn't have the Green Card yet. When I got the renewal online I already had a GC, but wasn't asked to show anything. I was able to renew the license (same as my wife) without having to show immigration status. Now we have naturalized. I think next renewal we'll have to go in person to DMV, should I take the passport with me as proof of status, should I notify them now? On the other hand, as the driver license is linked to the Social Security Number and I updated my SSN record to show that I am a citizen perhaps DMV also gets updated, or they can update whenever they do an inquiry.

Any thoughts about this?

Thanks.
 
You still can make an unsolicited visit to your DMV - a change of status that does not require a change of the Driver's License is usually at no charge. Visiting the DMV is also a good opportunity to register to vote for newly naturalized citizens who do not want to stay in line at the Oath Ceremony.
 
McMahon,

Thanks for your comment. With the SSA I decided to be proactive, because otherwise I didn't have any visit planned in the future to tell them about my new citizenship status. However, with the driver license I'll have to go to DMV to renew in less than a couple of years. I'll probably wait until then and I'll go with my passport.

I am still curious to see whether anyone has gone out of their way to update DMV with their new citizenship status, and how the experience went.

I found this link with some info about legal presence proof and requirements. It doesn't say anything about updating. My driver license has always been full term. This is perhaps because my original license was obtained before the new requirements.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl32.htm

Thanks.
 
I didn't think the DMV kept records at all with citizenship. I just thought they used the passport or GC etc just to verify your identity in order to issue the DL and that was it.

I don't think I'll bother changing it if in fact they do have a record. I just got my DL renewed last year and it won't expire till 2016. Once every 7 years is enough of waiting in line at the DMV for me...
 
It depends on the state. Some just give you the standard 6 years (or whatever) regardless of immigration status, as long as you can show legal status. Others tie the DL expiration date to the expiration date on your immigration papers.

You shouldn't have to do anything with the DL just because you became a citizen. The license doesn't show your citizenship, and as far as I know, states will treat citizens and green card holders equally when it comes to the expiration period of the license. Don't worry about it until your current license is about to expire.
 
Yes, DMV is silently at the forefront of immigration enforcement. They are supposed to check your legal status in the U.S. and only give you the license for as long as your legal status lasts in case it is less than the usual 5 or 7 years or whatever it is in each state. I am also planning not to do anything until it is necessary for me to go to DMV to renew my license.
 
Now I recall hearing about some TN status people in some states getting a 1 year only DL which expires the same time as the TN status. So yeah they might tie it in with the GC if your GC was about to expire within those 5 years.

Now that I did think about it I know there was some debate at one time talking about having the citizenship being able to be read on the magnetic strip by police and it was another way to check illegal immigrants or terrorists that way. Not sure if it ever got beyond the initial stages or not...
 
warlord said:
Now I recall hearing about some TN status people in some states getting a 1 year only DL which expires the same time as the TN status. So yeah they might tie it in with the GC if your GC was about to expire within those 5 years.
Click to expand...
They are not supposed to tie anything to expiration of the green card. Green card status doesn't expire, only the physical card does. Yes, GC status can be revoked if you violate the conditions for keeping it (like you commit a crime or stay too long overseas), but GC status will not expire just because time has passed.
 
Yes, warlord, I think the GC is on the clear. However, I would understand that DMV, not being experts on immigration could give trouble to someone who's GC is about to expire, not knowing that just the document expires but not the status. Yes, for a while there was a lot of talk about adding immigration information on the card, magnetic stripe, etcetera. I don't think any state did anything with it. Then there is Real ID coming to us next year if nothing stops it. For us, it doesn't make much difference, we have already been inspected, background checked, fingerprinted, health checked and everything, so it doesn't matter if they give us a national ID card in all but name. However, for the rest of the U.S. citizenry it's going to be a bit of a shock. I believe the U.K. has tried something similar to sneak a national ID card, they claim it is not mandatory, but if you don't have one you cannot do anything with the government. That seems pretty cynical to me. Anyway, I am straying from my original post, which is if someone has ever cared to inform DMV of having changed status to citizen :)
 
Yes I remember years of carrying around the GC, so why not another ID card to take its place. I read on a number of places after I got my citizenship of things to do like Social Sec, Passport, I-9 etc. None of them mentioned Drivers Licence at all. So I would think that it won't matter and as Jack pointed out the GC won't expire just the card, then I think the only reason they ask for it is to just visually check if you are legally allowed in the country and if so they they proceed with the DL.

Anyways I hadn't heard of anyone changing it with them, but yeah each state does stuff so differently I wouldn't be surprised if one might mark down the A# or something somewhere...
 
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