Verification of Lawful Status (VLS)

Verifying Lawful Status in an Instant

The Verification of Lawful Status (VLS) application provides a solution to two requirements encountered by state motor vehicle agencies (MVAs):

Fake and altered immigration documents may be presented to MVAs, as proof of identity and proof of lawful status in the U.S. VLS allows the MVA to verify that the document matches the electronic record of the document held by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements ( SAVE) program.

Real ID-compliant driver licenses and ID cards can only be issued after a MVA has verified the lawful status of the applicant. VLS provides a means for MVAs to comply with this verification requirement.

VLS is designed to be integrated into MVA driver licensing and ID card issuing systems. Legacy AMIE messages or a Web service interface can be used for integration; both options allow the VLS requests and responses to operate in real time.

• Background Information
  
• Getting Started  
• Contacts

Background Information 

The USCIS operates the SAVE program. The SAVE program is an intergovernmental initiative designed to aid federal, state and local benefit-issuing agencies and licensing bureaus in verifying an applicant’s immigration status, thereby allowing the agencies or bureaus to ensure that only eligible applicants receive public benefits. These benefits are to include driver’s licenses, permits and identification cards.

The legislation that governs the use of SAVE is:

• Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
• Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
• Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996
• The Real ID Act of 2005
                   

Getting Started

AAMVA facilitates an onboarding process for participating jurisdictions. This process covers procedures, activities and requirements necessary to satisfy the jurisdiction’s VLS implementation and utilization.

All potential VLS application users are required to register for SAVE through USCIS before deploying the VLS application to a production environment and initiating lawful status queries. Additional information, including a link to begin the registration process, can be found on the SAVE Web site.

AAMVA provides the integration and testing support needed to transition a MVA from integration to production and verify production status. The VLS interface software and documentation are available from AAMVA. The VLS application documentation can be downloaded from the Documentation tab. An MVA will receive instructions on how to download the web service or UNI upgrade by sending a request to AAMVA Support.

Reach out to an AAMVA contact for further information regarding the VLS application and implementation and/or reach out to DHS support for further information regarding the SAVE registration process.

Contacts

For more information, please contact AAMVA Support.