Verification of Lawful Presence

Submit Verification

Federal law (8 U.S.C. § 1621) provides that a person who is NOT a U.S. citizen or national is not eligible for a professional or commercial license issued by a state, unless the person is:

• A qualified alien (as defined in 8 USC § 1641);
• A nonimmigrant under the Immigration and Nationality Act (as defined in 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)); or
• An alien paroled into the United States for less than a year pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
  1182(d)(5).

Applicants who do not have an SSN must do the following:

• Complete the form “Occupational License Application Claiming To Have No Social Security Number” and
• Provide documentation verifying their eligibility by providing acceptable documents listed below.

All documents should be submitted as a clear, legible copy or image, including by electronic upload or scanned submission. Please do not mail or send original documents to TDLR, as they will not be returned. All documents must be unexpired unless otherwise noted. The department may request additional documentation if needed to complete verification.

Option A – Upload ONE document

• REAL ID–compliant driver’s license or state identification card (Must not be marked “limited term” or “temporary”)
• U.S. passport or U.S. passport card (may be expired)
• U.S. military identification card
• Handgun license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety
• Identification or immigration-related document issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or the U.S. Department of State confirming lawful presence and authorization to work, such as:
• Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551)
• Certificate of Naturalization (Forms N-550 or N-570)
• Certificate of Citizenship (Forms N-560 or N-561)
• Foreign passport with a valid I-551 (ADIT) stamp (may be expired; stamp must be valid)
• Immigrant visa (MRIV) with I-551 endorsement (within one year of admission)
• Form I-94 showing lawful admission or parole and an unexpired authorized stay
• Form I-797 Notice of Action granting permanent resident status, or approving or granting immigration status, parole, or asylum, or showing a pending or prima facie determination where applicable
• Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571)
• Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), reflecting authorized status (including Category C31)
• Form I-512L (Authorization for Parole)

Option B – Upload BOTH documents

If you do not have one of the documents listed in Option A, submit BOTH of the following:

• A driver’s license or state identification card issued by one of the following states:

• Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, or Wyoming

AND

• One of the following:
• A birth certificate issued by a U.S. state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia; OR

• A U.S. government document showing birth abroad to a U.S. citizen, such as:
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240)
• Certification of Report of Birth (Form DS-1350)
• Certificate of Birth Abroad (Form FS-545)