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myBMV > Driver's Licenses > SecureID Driver's License and ID Cards > SecureID Documents > Proving Your Lawful Status Proving Your Lawful Status

You need one document to prove your lawful status in the United States when you apply for a new driver’s license, permit, or identification card.

Customers with questions about collecting their documents can call the BMV toll-free at 888-692-6841 and speak with a customer service representative for help or visit any Indiana license branch for assistance.

In most cases, the document that you present to prove your identity will also prove your lawful status in the United States. The most common documents that you can use to prove your lawful status include:

  • United States birth certificate. Must be an original or certified copy filed with a U.S. state or territory office of vital statistics or equivalent agency in your state of birth.  Puerto Rican-born citizens must provide a birth certificate issued on or after July 1, 2010.
  • United States passport.
  • Foreign passport with a VISA and I-94 form.
  • Consular Report Of Birth Abroad.

All Documents Proving Lawful Status

The full list of documents proving your lawful status includes:

  • United States birth certificate. Must be an original or certified copy filed with a U.S. state or territory office of vital statistics or equivalent agency in your state of birth.  Puerto Rican-born citizens must provide a birth certificate issued on or after July 1, 2010.
  • Amended birth certificate showing a change of legal name, date of birth, or gender. The amended birth certificate must have been filed with a state office of vital statistics in your state of birth.
  • United States passport.
  • Foreign passport with a United States visa affixed and accompanied by an approved I-94 form documenting your most recent admittance into, or current status in, the United States.
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by Department of State (Form FS-240, Form DS-1350, or Form FS-545).
  • Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or Form N-570).
  • Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560 or Form N-561).
  • Permanent Resident Card issued by Department of Homeland Security or United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (Form I-551).
  • Employment Authorization Document issued by Department of Homeland Security (Form I-766).

Additional lawful status document

You may also present a Notice of Action document or other documents pertaining to your Notice of Action issued by a United States federal agency to show lawful status (Form I-797). The BMV must be able to verify that the Department of Homeland Security has reviewed the document and has not denied action. Must accompany other United States Citizenship and Immigration Services documents.

Proving A Change In Name, Date Of Birth, Or Gender

If your legal name, date of birth, or gender is different from information on a document proving identity, you must present additional documents showing the change. Acceptable documents supporting a change include:

  • Marriage license.
  • Divorce decree.
  • Court order approving a change of legal name or date of birth.
  • Amended birth certificate showing a change of gender.
  • Physician’s signed and dated statement that "(your name) successfully underwent all treatment necessary to permanently change (your name)'s gender from (previous gender)  to (new gender)."

Submitting Acceptable Documents

The BMV will only accept original documents or certified copies from the issuing agency. The BMV may refuse any document that appears fraudulent, unreliable, altered, or expired. All documents must be in English or be presented with a verifiably accurate English translation. Your legal name and date of birth on documents presented to the BMV must match Social Security Administration records.

What If I Still Have Questions?

Learn more about SecureID and receiving credentials through the mail by reading our frequently asked questions.

If you have questions, you can call the BMV toll-free at 888-692-6841 and speak with a customer service representative for help, or visit any Indiana license branch for assistance.