Florida announces changes to driver’s license renewal process for work and student visa holders

May 9, 2025

By Massiel Leyva | Orange County | Spectrum News 13

ORLANDO, Fla. — A new measure is limiting driver's license validity to 12 months at a time for some people with nonimmigrant status in the state of Florida.

According to a Technical Advisory issued on April 30, by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida driver license renewals and identification cards issued to nonimmigrants are valid until the expiration date of their U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services document, not to exceed one year.

If a person's immigration documents do not have an expiration date, then the expiration date of the drivers license or ID can't exceed one year.

Outside the Orlando’s DMV office Valentina Pajuelo says she just went to renew her driver’s license, and when she got it, she realized the number had changed and that had never happened before.

She had just found out about the change Thursday. Pajuelo explained that just like her, a lot of people might not be aware of it, and she believes it could be used as an excuse to deport them to their countries of origin.

Local immigration attorney and founder Symphorien-Saavedra Law, Frank Symphorien-Saavedra, said the change only applies to those who are considered nonimmigrants, including people who have a work or student visa.

“You may have a work visa, that it’s a three-year visa, right? And your employment is presumed to be, and your status here is presumed to be valid, at least for that three-year period. So, you know, it obviously is an additional obstacle for nonimmigrants to be here and want to work in the United States and contribute."

It’s not clear what prompted the state’s notice. The one-year rule only affects renewals, not the expiration dates on existing licenses.

Executive director of Hope Community Center Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet says this is an added stress for the immigrant community in Florida.

“The community will absolutely feel overwhelmed, overwhelmed by another barrier, by another obstacle that they have to overcome simply to be able to live an everyday life,” he said.

Symphorien-Saavedra said the change will also add more work to DMV employees who will now have to deal with understanding the various complex immigration statuses.

“They’re busy, they’re overwhelmed, they have their own regular workload," he said. "And now you’re throwing in they’re having to understand and deal with immigration requirements. Which, you know, can be extremely complicated. So, you know, it’s just an additional hurdle that I see."

Permanent residents and citizens are exempt from the change.

For details on the documents needed to renew a driver’s license as a nonimmigrant you can find the requirements on the FLHSMV Non-Immigrant website.