Limited-Term Portal

Document Submission Process

Limited-Term Driver License or ID Card Pre-Qualification Portal Program

The "Limited-Term Web Portal" is where you need to submit your documents online before your appointment.
This portal allows us to check your documents with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ahead of time.
It's a simple way to make getting your driver license or ID card a smooth and fast process.
This video will guide you through the process and the steps to take.

Reminder: You will receive an email/text directing you when to make an appointment at an office.

Processing Limited-Term license applications is one of our more complex daily transactions. Historically, this process has required applicants to visit a driver license field office multiple times.

Applicants initially visit to complete an application and provide lawful presence documents. This initiates a mandatory verification of lawful presence status through the federal SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) system. However, the SAVE system does not always provide an immediate response and often requires additional verification processes.

In such cases, applicants have been required to return to the office on a separate occasion to complete the process. Once an applicant left the office, communication was limited, often leading to them returning simply to inquire about their application's status. After the SAVE response was received, applicants were required to return to finalize their application.

The lawful presence document submission portal enhances communication between the division and applicants, eliminating the need for multiple office visits and ensuring efficient service delivery.

The division has been piloting this new portal for the past few months, refining the process and improving the system. Moving forward, access to the portal will be available to all limited-term license applicants.

What is SAVE?
Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program (SAVE) is an online service administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that provides point-in-time immigration status and naturalized/acquired U.S. citizenship information to federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal agencies. SAVE is fast, secure, and reliable, and enables registered user agencies to make accurate decisions for applicants seeking benefits and licenses.

Who is eligible to utilize this portal?
This process is for applicants who are not U.S. Citizens or Nationals who have a lawful presence status.

How does the Limited-Term Portal process work?
The applicant will fill out an online driver license or identification card application using the dld.utah.gov website, verify their contact information via text or email, and upload their most recent immigration document.

- DLD’s SAVE team verifies the documents to determine if they are acceptable and submits a SAVE verification through USCIS.
- Once the SAVE returns with a valid status, a message is sent to the applicant with instructions on the next steps to make an appointment at a Driver License office.
- Instruction video link.

What do I do with this text/email I received?

You will receive a personalized link via text or email. This link will grant you access to your DLD case, allowing you to view its current status and the last time it was accessed.

What if I don't see any movement with my case? Should I start a new one? No, creating a new case will slow down the process. Please be patient and wait for your text or email notification.

How long does this process take?
The duration of this process typically ranges from one day to three weeks, contingent upon the response time of USCIS.

What are the benefits of this new process?
This process offers several advantages, including a reduction in the number of required office visits and associated travel time. Additionally, participants will receive regular updates and communications regarding their progress throughout the process.

Why the change?
Our primary goal with this new portal is to enhance customer service and create a more efficient experience for everyone. We understand that the traditional application process could be time-consuming and frustrating. This portal directly addresses those challenges by leveraging technology to simplify submissions and keep applicants informed throughout the process.

Who has access to my documents?
The Driver License Division (DLD) will review your immigration documents and submit them to SAVE through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for status verification. Applicants use this same program for their immigration processes, from application to completion.

Are other Government agencies or other agencies allowed to gain access to the documents?
In U.C.A. 53-3-109, except as provided in this section, all records of the division shall be classified and disclosed in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 2, Government Records Access and Management Act.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS): Why am I not getting my extension? I submitted a paper from my lawyer. What is the process for this?
For applicants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), it's important to understand the process for extensions:

Approval Timeline: If an extension has been granted, it will not usually be verified through USCIS until after the expiration date of the current status.

Verification Process: Once the current expiration date has passed, we can then run a SAVE verification to confirm the current extension.

Required Documentation: We cannot verify an extension using a letter from an attorney or news notices about it. To confirm the approved extension, we require the most current official document and an approved SAVE verification.

USCIS FAQ for TPS

The previous limited-term application process was often a source of frustration for applicants, consuming a significant amount of their time and effort. It typically involved multiple office visits, often for incomplete paperwork or to await the results of additional verifications (e.g., SAVE). Applicants might also be sent home to await a response, return to start the process, be sent for testing, or potentially have to return again if they do not pass. This lengthy cycle created a significant burden.

The new process streamlines this by enabling documents to be submitted and processed in advance. This significantly reduces the number of required office visits, often to just one or two.

Before this process was implemented, we had instances where applicants consulted their representatives with questions about the process or information they received from us. We would receive the information, and it would take hours or days for us to determine where the applicant had gone, who had helped them, what processes had been followed, and how to get the applicant back into the office to resolve the issue.

With this new process, we can now obtain answers within minutes and resolve most issues without requiring the applicant to return to the office.

The old process left the applicant waiting for weeks to hear back, with no updates or information. This new process keeps them informed daily about the status of their case and the next steps.