The Secretary of State's office issues a Temporary Visitor's Driver's License (TVDL) for non-citizens of the United States who have been granted temporary, legal entry into this country, are temporarily residing in the State of Illinois, and are ineligible for a Social Security number.
Eligibility
- 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;
- Provide acceptable documentation that proves name, date of birth, Illinois residency, and verification of written signature;
- Applicants age 18-20 without a valid license must present proof of successful completion of a 6-hour adult driver education and training course.
- Pay the appropriate fee and successfully complete a vision screening and the appropriate written and road tests.
- A TVDL may be issued for any non-commercial class license (D, C, B, A, L, M), authorizing operation of a personal car, a vehicle that does not require a commercial driver’s license (CDL), a motorcycle or a motor driven cycle.
- A TVDL is valid for 4 years or for the period of time the individual is authorized to stay in this country, whichever ends sooner.
- Individuals eligible for a TVDL may obtain an instruction permit allowing them to practice driving before taking their road exam. To obtain an instruction permit, the applicant must visit a DMV and meet the requirements for obtaining a license for the first time.
Residency
The document proving residency for the prior 12 months must be dated a minimum of 12 months before application. The document proving current residency must to be dated within 90 days prior to application.
Acceptable forms of proof of residency include:
- Bank statement
- Credit card statement
- Credit report
- Pay stub or electronic deposit receipt
- Cancelled check
- Pension or retirement statement
- Deed, title, or lease
- Tuition invoice
- Letter on official school letterhead
- Certified school transcript
- School report card
- Insurance policy
- Medical claim or statement of benefits
- Official government mail
- Phone book
- Utility bill
- Consular card (must be valid for this purpose)
When applying for a TVDL, you must:
- Bring proof of insurance for the vehicle you will be using for the road test.
- Be prepared to be administered a vision screening, written and road tests.
- You must bring a completed Verification of Residency form.
- Pay the appropriate fee
- Have your picture taken
VISIT https://www.ilsos.gov/ to view up to date information.