If you are a foreign national in the United States, keep your identification documents current! It may be okay for your visa to expire (depending on your situation), but make sure you have a valid passport and/or other valid government ID with your photo on it.

• If your passport has expired, you may well be able to have it renewed here in the United States. Contact your country's consulate here in the United States for help with this.
• You may qualify for a driver's license here in the U.S.. That also serves as valid government ID in many cases.
• Even if you cannot obtain a driver's license, you may qualify for a state ID, issued by your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

A valid government ID is needed for so many processes in the U.S. including:

• Opening a bank account
• Enrolling in school (yourself or your child)
• Seeing a doctor
• Obtaining a lease or mortgage
• Attending biometrics (fingerprinting) appointments with USCIS
• Attending other interviews with USCIS
• Applying for a job - even if you have a valid work permit, you may also need a valid government ID such as a driver's license or passport

U.S. immigration is tricky to navigate, and you have certainly worked hard to get here. Don't get tripped up by not having a valid identification document!

If you need help navigating the immigration process with confidence, please contact us today to get the process underway! We are immigration lawyers in Richmond, VA but we serve clients throughout the U.S. and around the world. You can call us at 804-396-3412 or send us an email at info@sumnerimmigration.com. We look forward to hearing from you!