Obtaining a PA Drivers License

Visit a DMV Office:

801 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Columbus Blvd., 1530 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19147

A DMV Official will verify your information in the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE System

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Who is eligible for a driver's license or ID?

Any F, H or J nonimmigrant in lawful status may apply for a driver's license or ID card. The nonimmigrant must present necessary supporting documents required to verify legal presence in the United States.

What should you do before applying for a driver's license or ID?

Please review our website at http://www.temple.edu/isss/general/drivers.html

When can you apply for a driver's license or ID?

Please be aware of the following timing requirements before applying for a driver's license or

ID:

• The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record must be in Active status when an F or J nonimmigrant applies for a benefit. A nonimmigrant with a record in any other status will not have success at applying for a benefit. This does not apply to H-1B Temporary Workers.

• Wait at least ten calendar days from the date of entry into the US to apply for a driver's license or ID. Most states and territories use the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program to determine a non-citizen's eligibility for many public benefits, including the issuance of a driver's license. The SAVE Program uses an online system to check a benefit applicant's immigration status information against records contained in the DHS immigration databases, including those housed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since the verification process is reliant on the underlying data source, including the F, J or H-1B nonimmigrant's arrival information, an applicant for a driver's license or ID must allow time for arrival data processing.
• Wait at least two business days from the activation date in SEVIS to apply for a driver's license or ID.
• Several states require that a nonimmigrant have at least six months left on the Form I-20, Form DS-2019, or the H-1B’s I-797 to be eligible for a driver's license.  

 What can you do before applying for a driver’s license or ID?

• The nonimmigrant's name must match all supporting documents.
•  The nonimmigrant's status, name, and date of birth, must be correct in SEVIS, before sending the nonimmigrant to the local DMV office. The nonimmigrant must have an Active SEVIS record before applying.
• The supporting documents must be consistent and reflect the nonimmigrant's proper name, date of birth and nonimmigrant status. Otherwise, the DMV will deny the application. Review all supporting documents before the nonimmigrant applies.
• The nonimmigrant must be within the program start and end dates in SEVIS, unless participating in optional practical training (OPT) or 17-month STEM OPT extension.

What should a nonimmigrant do if the DMV denies the nonimmigrant a driver's license because of a discrepancy on the Form I-94?

Please contact Sharon Loughran in ISSS at sharonl@temple.edu

What are the requirements for an accompanying dependent?

An accompanying dependent who applies for a driver's license or state ID should present supporting personal status documentation as well as status documentation of the primary visa holder. The DMV will look for consistency between the dependent's duration of status and that of the primary visa holder.

Sometimes DMV offices have difficulty when verifying dependents. The best way to alleviate this problem is for all nonimmigrants in this position to do the following:

• Always go to the DMV office with the primary (F-1, H-1B or J-I) status holder
• Bring the following paperwork:
• The primary and dependent's most current Form 1-94
• The primary and dependent's valid passport with visa (when applicable) o Proof of identity
• Proof of relationship (e.g., marriage certificate)
• The primary and dependent's most current Form I-797 or Form DS-2019

Change of Status Issue (Commonly known as the "H-1B Issue")

SEVP, SAVE and USCIS are aware of an issue affecting some former F and J nonimmigrants who have changed status, specifically to an H-1B status, and are unable to receive a valid initial verification response when applying for a benefit.

Based on the dynamic nature of the different data sources, SAVE can verify changes in status either in real time or in daily uploads, depending on the database. It is important to note that SAVE is reliant on the source databases, as well as the accuracy of that data.

If there is an instances when a SAVE response does not match the information on the applicant's immigration documents or there is a material discrepancy between information on an applicant's immigration documents and the SAVE response, the DMV should initiate an additional verification request.

Please contact Sharon Loughran in ISSS for more information at sharonl@temple.edu