New driver's license for undocumented immigrants in Illinois comes into effect

From today, Undocumented immigrants in Illinois can obtain a driver’s license, thus fulfilling legislation signed by Governor JB Pritzker earlier this year.

According to official information, undocumented residents will be issued a standard four-year driver’s license, which will serve as a valid form of identification and will be issued in lieu of the current Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, according to an earlier press release from Pritzker’s office.

Illinois already allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain temporary driver’s licenses through permits known as TVDLs, established in 2013 and from which more than 300,000 drivers have benefited.

The new license, which was passed by a law, will replace the TVDL and is valid for four years. It serves as a valid form of identification and remains compliant with the federal REAL ID Act.

To obtain the license, immigrants must present a valid identification document such as a passport or consular registration, pass a driving test, have valid car insurance, and demonstrate at least one year of residency in Illinois.

With the new law, Illinois joins a number of states that grant driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, including California, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Colorado.

“This legislation is an important step toward removing the barriers to opportunity faced by many undocumented immigrants.“Pritzker said in a press release in June when he signed the measure into law.

“We are ensuring that all eligible people can obtain a driver’s license, making our roads safer, reducing stigma and creating more equitable systems for all,” he insisted.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias previously said Temporary Visitor Driver’s Licenses had become the “scarlet letter” of an individual’s immigration status, exposing them to discrimination or immigration enforcement.

“This legislation allows immigrants to obtain standard driver’s licenses that will serve as authentic identification in Illinois“, he insisted.

“It will help prevent stigma, discrimination and the problems that TVDL are known to cause, while making people more aware of the

“This will make roads safer and allow immigrants to use a standard license as identification for basic needs like filling prescriptions or renting an apartment,” he said.

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