FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROOF OF LAWFUL PRESENCE NOW REQUIRED BY MARYLAND MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION

Lawful Presence Law Takes Effect Today

GLEN BURNIE, MD (June 1, 2009) -- Effective today, June 1, 2009, the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), now requires proof of lawful presence in the United States before an individual can be granted a Maryland license or identification card.  The new requirement brings the MVA into compliance with a law passed by the 2009 Maryland General Assembly, House Bill 387 Vehicle Laws –Lawful Status in the United States – Material Compliance with Federal Requirements.  The new law is intended to increase the security of state issued forms of identification.

Applicants for a Maryland license or identification card are required to provide proof of a social security number that can be verified by the Social Security Administration.  Acceptable documents are:

• Your social security card (not a copy, the actual card itself)
  OR: W-2 form, not more than 18 months old
• SSA-1099 form, not more than 18 months old
• Non-SSA-1099 form, not more than 18 months old
• Pay stub with the applicant’s name and SSN, not more than 3 months old
• Documentation demonstrating non-work authorized status.
• Other proof if ineligible for an SSN acceptable to the Administration.

In addition, to demonstrate lawful presence, the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) will accept any of the following documents:

• A valid unexpired U.S. passport
• An original or certified copy of a birth certificate filed with a State Office of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency in the individual’s state of birth
• A consular report of birth abroad (CRBA) issued by the U.S. Department of State, form FS-240, DL-1350 or FS-545
• A valid, unexpired permanent resident card (form I-551) issued by the DHS or INS
• A certificate of naturalization issued by the DHS, form N-550 or form N-570
• A certificate of citizenship, form N-560 or form N-561, issued by DHS
• An unexpired foreign passport with a valid, unexpired U.S. visa affixed accompanied by the approved I-94 form documenting the applicant’s most recent admittance into the U.S
•  An unexpired employment authorization documents (EAD)
• Other documents may be added based on federal law

Proof of legal presence is a condition required by the federal REAL ID Act of 2005.  Licenses and identification cards from states that are not in compliance will not be accepted by federal agencies for official purposes such as boarding airplanes and entering federal buildings.

Individuals who held a Maryland license or identification card prior to April 19, 2009 but cannot provide proof that they are in the United States legally will be able to renew his or her license or identification card until June 30, 2015 but the product will be labeled “not for federal purposes.”  Any renewal on and after July 1, 2015 will require proof of lawful presence with acceptable documentation.

“The MVA's core mission is to ensure the safety of all drivers and to protect the security and integrity of the products it issues,” said MVA Administrator John T. Kuo. “The new law enhances the security of Maryland’s driver's licenses and identification cards.  It also aligns this State’s policy with that of the vast majority of states on a national level.”

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