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Foreign drivers policy revised
By Colleen Mastony
Tribune staff reporter
Published April 7, 2003
A state policy that has prevented thousands of foreigners from getting Illinois driver's licenses since Sept. 11, 2001, will be lifted temporarily by the secretary of state's office.
The policy change will allow foreigners with legal residence papers to apply for licenses by appointment on six days in April and May.
The Tribune reported in March that Illinois is one of the only states that prevents certain foreigners from obtaining driver's licenses, even if they have lived in the U.S. legally for years.
But the licensing opportunity may be short-lived. State officials say they have no plans for more application dates.
Soon, "we'll be back to where we started," said Fred Tsao, a lawyer at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "Many people who are lawfully here will again not be able to get a license."
Foreign consulates and business interests have been lobbying the state to change the policy. They worry that people might not learn about the application dates or that they would have to drive long distances to get to one of the six facilities issuing the licenses.
The problem for foreigners began shortly after Sept. 11, when the secretary of state's office quietly stopped issuing licenses to those who did not have Social Security numbers.
The policy change, meant to thwart terrorists, most affected family members of foreigners on work or study visas. The family members live here legally, but because they are not authorized to work, they do not get Social Security numbers.
A provision of state law allows some of these visitors to continue driving indefinitely on licenses from their home countries. But if they did not have a license to begin with or if their home country license expired, they had no way to get driving privileges here.
That policy left Anitha Akula, 26, stranded in her suburban home with her 5-year-old daughter. She has had to rely on her husband to take her on even the smallest of errands. When she recently got sick, she couldn't take herself to the doctor.
"Whenever she has to go out, she has to wait for me to come home," said her husband, Vishu Akula, 31, a software engineer. If she could get a license, he said, he "would be the happiest man."
After revelations that several hijackers had obtained driver's licenses in Florida and Virginia, states began introducing measures to tighten restrictions on immigrant applications.
But most states allow visa holders to get driver's licenses if they prove they are here legally.
Four states that required Social Security numbers for driver's licenses recently have changed their laws or made other exceptions for families of foreigners on legal visas.
Appointment dates are April 14, 21 and 28 and May 5, 12 and 19. To schedule an appointment in the Chicago area, call 312-814-1132. For Downstate appointments, call 217-782-7044.
Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune
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