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Getting Around — Camping out at the MVA

Publish Date: 09/17/06


It's an exciting week in transportation -- fatal crash prevention and immigrants at the Frederick office of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.

Since the MVA stopped accepting appointments for out-of-country driver's license applications in April, it has been swamped with first-come, first-serve customers. Large groups of people regularly camp out overnight in the parking lot, starting at 6 p.m., to be first in line in the morning, MVA employees said.

Starting Monday, the MVA is reinstating the appointment policy in hopes of eliminating the overnight campers. Employees said the agency processes about 800 out-of-country driver's licenses a week.

What's the draw? Frederick County has a large number of immigrants. As it turns out, Maryland doesn't require proof of citizenship to apply for a driver's license.

The state only requires proof of age, identity and Maryland residency. Birth certificates are not required; a baptismal certificate issued in a baby's first year will suffice. Certified school records, out-of-country driver's licenses and valid temporary resident cards count as primary sources of proof.

Secondary sources include pistol permits with photographs or fingerprints, residential rental contracts, a utility or telephone bill in the applicant's name or any document prepared by the U.S. government containing the applicant's name and signature.

Florida, a state that deals with many immigrants, requires applicants to present at least one (unexpired) primary document:

1) United States birth certificate (original or certified copy), from county or state office in charge of holding such records. Birth certificates from hospitals or other medical institutions are not acceptable.

2) Valid U.S. passport

3)Alien Registration Receipt Card (green card)

4) Employment Authorization Card, issued by the United States Department of Justice

5) Proof of Non-Immigrant Classification, provided by the U.S. Department of Justice

School records and baptism certificates are considered secondary forms of identification in Florida.

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