Driver's License

ILLINOIS TEMPORARY VISITOR DRIVERS LICENSE

What is the Temporary Visitor Driver's License?
The Secretary of State's Office issues a "Temporary Visitor Driver's License" (TVDL) for non-citizens of the United States who have been granted temporary, legal entry into this country and are temporarily residing in the State of Illinois and ineligible for a Social Security number.

Who is eligible?
To be eligible for a Temporary Visitor Driver's License, a foreign national must:

• Be a non-citizen of the United States residing in the State of Illinois;
• Be authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to be present in this country, and provide documentation verifying such authorization;
• Not be required to obtain a driver's license issued by the U. S. Department of State, Office of Foreign Missions;
• Be ineligible for a Social Security number, and present documentation, dated within 90 days of the date the individual is applying for a TVDL, issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA) verifying such ineligibility;
• Be authorized to be in the country for at least one year and have at least six months remaining on an authorized stay;
• Provide acceptable documentation that proves name, date of birth, Illinois residency and verification of written signature;
• Pay the appropriate fee, and successfully complete a vision screening, and the appropriate written and road tests.

A Temporary Visitor Driver's License will only be issued in a class D, L, M, DL or DM, authorizing operation of a personal car, motorcycle or motor driven cycle. A TVDL is valid for three years, or for the period of time the individual is authorized to stay in this country, whichever ends sooner.

Individuals eligible for a Temporary Visitor Driver's License may obtain an instruction permit allowing them to practice driving before taking their road test. To obtain an instruction permit, the applicant must visit one of the designated Secretary of State Driver Services facilities listed below and meet the requirements outlined above regarding obtaining a license for the first time.

Where are Temporary Visitor Driver's Licenses and permits available?
There are six Driver Services facilities authorized to issue Temporary Visitor Driver's Licenses. Applicants must visit one of the following facilities during the business hours listed below. Appointments are not accepted.

Facilities

• Bloomington facility (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
• Champaign facility (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
• Rockford Central -- not Rockford Express (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
• Springfield Dirksen Parkway facility - not Klein and Mason (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)
• Carbondale facility (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday)
• Chicago West facility (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)

How is eligibility for a TVDL tied to authorized length of stay in the country?
A TVDL is valid for three years, or for the period of time the individual is authorized to stay in this country, whichever ends sooner.

The applicant must be authorized to be in the country for at least one year and have at least six months remaining on an authorized stay.

There is an exception to maximum possible three year expiration: The TVDL of individuals 81 years of age or older will expire in accordance with existing Illinois law, which may be two years, or one year for anyone 87 years of age or older, or when that individual's authorization to remain in this country expires, whichever ends sooner.

Under 21 TVDLs will be valid for the authorized length of stay or three years, whichever ends sooner.

What identification documents are required to obtain a TVDL?
Applicants will be required to provide acceptable documentation that proves name, date of birth, Illinois residency and verification of written signature.

For required documents, details are available on the Driver's License Acceptable Documents page. TVDL documentation includes:

• documentation verifying authorization from the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services for the applicant to be present in this country, and
• documentation, dated within 90 days of the date the individual is applying for a TVDL, issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA) verifying Social security number such ineligibility. This documentation can be obtained from a local SSA office. SSA office locations can be found at http://www.ssa.gov.

Will there be document verification?
SOS will verify documents from the Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, using the on-line document verification system.

On-line verification will be done as the first step in the application process. If the response is not received immediately, the facility will initiate a secondary inquiry and await the response prior to issuance of the TVDL. A secondary verification could take several days, and will require a second visit to the facility. Applicants will receive notification by mail of when to return to the facility to complete the application process.

If verification cannot be done by a secondary inquiry, written notification will ask the applicant to go to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resolve any discrepancies that might be preventing issuance.

What tests are required?
The first-time TVDL applicant will take the same vision, written/oral and road tests as other Illinois applicants.

As noted, individuals eligible for a Temporary Visitor Driver's License may obtain an instruction permit allowing them to practice driving before taking their road test. To obtain an instruction permit, the applicant must visit one of the designated Secretary of State Driver Services facilities and meet the requirements outlined above regarding obtaining a license for the first time.

How is a TVDL renewed?
A Temporary Visitor Driver's License may be renewed if the holder has been granted an extension to his/her stay in this country by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. To renew the license, the holder must bring in documentation as required for first-time issuance and take the appropriate renewal examinations.

Renewal can occur no more than ninety days prior to the expiration date of the current driver's license.

A person who has been granted a temporary extension to remain in the U.S. pending a decision on his or her request for a status change may be issued a TVDL for the period of the temporary extension, upon presentation of the extension documents issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Since no assumptions can be made regarding the extension of stay in this country, renewal notices will not be routinely sent out. The TVDL holder is not eligible for Safe Driver Renewal.

What if the applicant does not speak or read English?
The written drivers license exam is available in Spanish, Polish, Korean, and Chinese at Chicago area metro sites. At other downstate sites, written and automated tests are currently available in Spanish and Polish.

An applicant can also use an interpreter, who should be a non-related, non-interested person if at all possible, but it can be a relative if required. The name of the interpreter is recorded on the application.

What are the fees for a TVDL?
Fees are the same as any other original, renewal, duplicate or corrected driver's license issued in Illinois, regardless of expiration date.

Will the TVDL look different than other driver's licenses?
Yes. TVDLs will have three distinguishing features. First, the text indicating card type will state that it is a Temporary Visitor Driver's License or TVDL.

Second, the color bar indicating card type is different. On cards issued beginning in 2005, the color is green. As new designed cards are phased in throughout the fall of 2007, the color is purple. Third, the TVDL contains the following text "Not Valid for Identification" on the front of the card.

Expiration dates on TVDLs appear in the same manner that these dates appear on other driver's licenses. However, those dates of expiration will vary. On a TVDL, the expiration date will indicate that it is valid for three years, or for the period of time the individual is authorized to stay in this country, whichever ends sooner.

View Samples of Driver License Designs PDF

Will law enforcement be able to tell it is a valid TVDL?
Yes. On LEADS, the data system used by law inforcement to access driving records, there will be an indicator that it is a TVDL, just as there are indicators for DLs, IDs, and CDLs.

Can foreign nationals who are temporarily in the U.S. drive on their licenses from their home country?
Yes. This new law does not change the fact that a foreign national who is temporarily residing in Illinois may continue to drive on a valid driver's license from his/her home country.

What about international drivers permits or licenses?
There is no known legitimate "international driver's license". This is often confused with an international driver's permit.

There are international driver's permits. An international driver's permit does not give a person the right to drive, but provides a translation of the valid home country DL. One cannot get an international driving permit unless the home country DL is valid.

International driving permits are obtained in the driver's home country. When leaving the home country, a person should obtain a translation of the home country DL in the spoken language of the country to be visited. While lack of a translation does not invalidate a home country license, having one makes it easier for law enforcement to assess the home country DL's validity.