Crime & Law
Noncitizen Illinois Residents Can Now Get a Standard Driver’s License: Here’s What You Need to Know
Examples of a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License and the new standard driver’s license for Illinois residents without U.S. citizenship on display during a news conference on July 1, 2024. (WTTW News)
Starting Monday, Illinois residents without U.S. citizenship can receive a standard driver’s license or state ID.
The move comes as the result of a new law that aims to reduce instances of discrimination by police, while also offering a form of identification to help undocumented immigrants receive certain essential services.
The standard driver’s license replaces the Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, which sported a purple banner and the words “Not Valid for Identification” that became synonymous with an individual’s immigration status, said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias during a news conference on Monday.
“That purple marker has become a ‘Scarlet Letter,’ potentially exposing them to judgment, discrimination or immigration enforcement,” Giannoulias said.
More than 300,000 residents in Illinois have a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License (TVDL), according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, which began issuing the documents in 2013.
Many motorists opted not to obtain a license due to the stigma associated with having a TVDL, Giannoulias said. The office expects the new standard driver’s license will encourage more motorists to obtain a license, making roads safer, according to Giannoulias.
The new four-year standard driver’s licenses for non-U.S. citizens in Illinois will have the words “Federal Limits Apply” printed on them. The license does not make an individual eligible to receive a REAL ID nor eligible to vote in elections.
The measure to replace the TVDL with a standardized state driver's license for undocumented immigrants was signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last year.
Unlike a TVDL, the standard driver’s license can be used as a form of identification to help Illinois residents without U.S. citizenship perform essential tasks like filling prescriptions, opening a bank account or applying for an apartment, officials said.
The new law in effect also restricts Illinois from sharing driver information and prohibits the use of data for immigration enforcement purposes. Immigration agents must provide a court-issued warrant, order or subpoena to request information, according to a news release.
How to Apply
First-time applicants must visit a DMV facility to present required documents. Those eligible for a standard driver’s license must have lived in Illinois for more than a year and provide a passport or a consular card, proof of residency and proof of insurance.
Applicants seeking to renew or replace their existing TVDLs can apply online at www.ilsos.gov/TVDL or visit a DMV facility.
Additional staff training has been conducted to allow the office to offer applications for the new standard license at all of its non-express DMV facilities statewide, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.
In addition, undocumented residents in Illinois have the option to apply for an ID if they choose not to drive.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]
