State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles

Acceptable Forms of Identification for Non-U.S. Citizens

 
NEW PROCESS: You will not receive a permanent driver license or ID card while at a DMV office, AAA office, Milford and North Haven Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union or West Haven City Hall.   It will arrive through the mail.  You will keep your expiring license/ID and receive a temporary paper card.  For more on this, please see Central Issuance.

If you are not a United States born Citizen, you will be required to show proof of your legal status in this country.  DMV will verify your legal status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Verification of legal status with USCIS may take an extended period of time and applicants will be contacted when they can return to proceed with the credentialing process.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documents (must be valid unexpired document) as follows:

  • Certificate of Citizenship*
  • Naturalization Certificate*
  • Permanent Resident (Green) Card
  • Machine Readable Immigrant Visa (with Temporary I-551 Language)
  • Temporary I-551 Stamp (on passport or I-94)
  • Employment Authorization Card
  • I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) in Unexpired Foreign Passport**
  • DS2019 - Exchange Visitor (J-1) Certificate
  • I-20 - Nonimmigrant Student (F-1) Certificate
  • Refugee Travel Document 

* Citizens with older Certificates may have to wait several weeks to be verified through USCIS.  Please visit one of our Hubs as soon as you receive your renewal notice.  If you can provide a valid US Passport, you will NOT need to be verified through USCIS.

** Individuals arriving in the U.S. with an I-94 stamp in your passport must visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website (www.cbp.gov/I94) to obtain a hard copy of your I-94 document.

The document(s) above must be presented to the DMV along with all other required documents.  See Acceptable Forms of Identification.

Other Requirements:

  • All immigration documents must be valid at the time of Issuance.
  • Immigration checks are only valid for one year (unless you were verified with a Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship).
  • Holders of a B1 or B2 visitor status are NOT eligible to obtain a Connecticut credential.
  • Foreign students with an F1 Visa status must show USCIS document I-20.
  • J1 Visa holders are required to show USCIS document DS2019.
  • Dependents of principal, child or spouse, may have to provide principal’s documents.