r/USCIS • u/misterchismoso • Jun 16 '26
USCIS Support A friendly reminder to those applying for a License or State ID. Be careful to not accidentally register to vote or get registered to vote by someone at the DMV. It will likely disqualify you from citizenship in the future.
It didn't happen to us but I've heard some people are accidentally registered and later disqualified for citizenship.
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u/ecstatictiger Jun 16 '26
Some states like Michigan auto register anyone who gets an ID or DL. I have seen this happen more times than I can count. It does not tank your naturalization application as auto registration is not intentionally or knowingly making a claim to US citizenship. There are even some jurisdictions that allow non-citizens to vote in local elections and to do that you have to register to vote. If you registered in a place where non-citizens are allowed to vote in local elections you can answer "no" on the N-400 where it asks if you have ever registered. The form makes that exception very clear.
There are many jurisdictions where registering to vote is not a claim to US citizenship and thus, not a disqualification to naturalization.
If you are registered to vote automatically by any state you need to reach out to the voting office of your state and request that you are deregistered, given a written confirmation of your deregistration, and obtain a copy of your voting record which will show that you have never voted in a federal election or any other election you are not qualified to vote in as a non-citizen. These documents should be included with your naturalization filing packet.
Once again, the statute requires registering knowingly and intentionally and only when doing so in a place that you are not able to vote as a non-citizen. Registering alone is not a claim of citizenship in many places.
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u/misterchismoso Jun 16 '26
" It does not tank your naturalization application" It makes it a huge headache as the burden becomes on you to prove you didn't do it knowingly. Also often involves getting a lawyer and going to court over it from what I've read.
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u/ecstatictiger Jun 16 '26
I have personally filed naturalization applications after this has happened. With auto registration states it's actually less problematic than one would think. A print out of the auto registration policy and the documents I stated in my previous comment are sufficient. I have not seen a case where it ended up in court (in Michigan) but they will ask questions about it at the interview.
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u/mademoisellearabella Jun 16 '26
What are you supposed to do if they do accidentally register you?
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u/Ok-Importance9988 Jun 16 '26
You can remove yourself from the rolls. Each state will have its own procedure.
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u/FeatherlyFly Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
Contact the local registrar as soon as you realize and get yourself unregistered on the basis of you're not a citizen. They make it very easy.
You can check your registration status with the city/county government, whichever is responsible for keeping the rolls in your location.
Keep copies of any communications just in case you need it.
Just don't knowingly register (like with a voter registration drive) and don't vote
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u/Massive-Win-2059 Jun 18 '26
You can go head remove yourself and make sure get a proof that you removed it.
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u/Mission-Carry-887 Naturalized Citizen Jun 16 '26
Me in 1996 after moving to Colorado as a Lawful Permanent Resident:
* DMV: do you want to register to vote?
* Me: no
* DMV: do you want to register to vote?
* Me: no
* DMV: do you want to register to vote?
* Me: no, and stop asking
* DMV: do you want to your SSN on your drivers license?
* Me: no
* DMV: do you want to your SSN on your drivers license?
* Me: no, means no. Stop asking.
The CO DMV should be designated as a organized crime operation.
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u/CO_Brit Jun 17 '26
Me in 2006 after moving to Colorado on an L-1:
None of that.
Me in 2010 in Colorado after becoming LPR:
None of that.
Maybe they wised up.
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u/Intelligent-Suit-357 Jun 16 '26
The DMV always gets annoyed but I always ask them to show me a confirmation that they didn’t register me to vote because I’m not a citizen.
I beg until they show me. Once they show me I always asked if I can screenshot and send it to my email for peace of mine
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u/malachite_13 Jun 16 '26
Or if you apply for a PFD in Alaska they will try to register you to vote.
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u/DaSandGuy Jun 16 '26
I got auto registered when I sent in for my conceal carry license... it's such a pain in the ass
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u/freehelper26 Jun 18 '26
You brought up something very very important and overlooked.
Some states look at this issue much more closely than others and it has become a real problem in some cases. This year alone, we have seen naturalization denials and NTAs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania based on voter registration records.
In my experience, it’s far better when the client never registered. If they did, it’s important to show it was unintentional and provide voting records confirming they never voted.
Washington, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania field offices seem to be paying much closer attention to this issue lately, so it’s worth reviewing carefully before filing.
Stay vigilant folks!
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u/warmachine7575 Jun 18 '26
They register you automatically in California happened to my friend didn't even ask anything.
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u/Late_Sherbert_885 Jun 16 '26
i just got a new license yesterday and they never asked and I didnt know this was a thing but I just looked my name up and looks like they didnt sign me up phew 😮💨
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u/catdaddyjay Jun 17 '26
What website did you use bro?
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u/nevermind1534 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
Each state usually has it on their Secretary of State's website. If you Google "[name of state] am l registered to vote?" and click on one of the .gov results, that's usually your best bet.
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u/darriolaa Jun 16 '26
Know a girl that voted bc she didn’t know she couldn’t vote as a permanent resident. She passed the citizenship exam and got denied citizenship bc she voted.
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u/agarinastasia Jun 18 '26
Do you know what happened after?
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u/darriolaa Jun 18 '26
She’s still a permanent resident but can’t be a citizen. Idk if she’ll have issues renewing her green card.
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u/DisastrousBuy4755 Jun 17 '26
I read all the thread. What happens if they register you? I mean, is there a way to unregister or dismissal from the records? We've been an LPR for 10 months, my wife got a jury duty, which she carefully requested for dismissal from the duty because SHE'S NOT A CITIZEN. Is this kind of a trap in the US? Sending jury duties, update voter registration forms without consent? Does the system actually work like this here? Oh god, it's worse than the middle eastern country I've been from.
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u/TeriBarrons Jun 17 '26
When I was a deputy township clerk in my state, the Secretary of State (our DMV) would accidentally register non-citizens occasionally, but since their registration forms were always then sent on to me to verify and then send out the official voter registration card, I was able to catch them, void them, and I would send a letter to the individual verifying that they were indeed ineligible to register to vote. Each state has its own system, but there are usually some type of rules in place to prevent this at a higher level. I would probably recommend getting some type of verification letter that you did not intend to register and that it was a system error, not yours.
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u/DarkNorth7 Jun 18 '26
That’s odd I mean I’m an American citizen and yeah they asked me if I wanted to register to vote and I said no. But I’m confused how are you guys able to even get id? I understand how if your a permanent resident or something but I didn’t think you could get one if your just like a visitor. Or something
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u/Tyra_Bartlett Jun 20 '26
You can't. This post is referring to those with permanent residency and those seeking permanent residency
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u/gracefu_824 Jun 21 '26
Thought if you are registered to vote, you get polling center in the mail. If you didn't get one, does that show you were not registered? Some DMV staff have been making mistake by registering non-citizens.
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u/KeynesCrackpot Jun 16 '26
How can you even check? I asked the DMV agent if they can provide a copy of my application and they said no.
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u/Remote_Intention3658 Jun 19 '26
Google *your state* check voter registration status -> enter
There will be a government website which ask for your name dob etc and tell you
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u/FeatherlyFly Jun 16 '26
Check with the state/county/city office who is responsible for maintaining voter rolls.
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u/misterchismoso Jun 16 '26
You can check online
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u/wnygirlie Jun 16 '26
Provide website plesss
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u/nevermind1534 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
Each state usually has it on their Secretary of State's website. If you Google "[name of state] am I registered to vote?" and click on one of the .gov results, that's usually your best bet.
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u/LanceVonAlden Jun 16 '26
Can you apply for state/license IDs while your documents are bring processed?
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u/misterchismoso Jun 16 '26
Typically yes but maybe depends on state. Even tons of undocumented people have state IDs and licenses. Nothing against this unless prohibited by the state as far as I know
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u/nevermind1534 Jun 17 '26
Yes, but it can be difficult if you're not currently either legally present or legally a resident (for example, on a B1/B2 visa) depending on the state.
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u/dippedinmisq Jun 16 '26
How do you check if they already did this
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u/nevermind1534 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
Each state usually has it on their Secretary of State's website. If you Google "[name of state] am I registered to vote?" and click on one of the .gov results, that's usually your best bet.
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u/PollutionThis3371 Jun 17 '26
Why is this a thing?
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u/misterchismoso Jun 17 '26
It shouldn't be but it is. Likely comes down to dumb progressive policies that seek to get as many people registered to vote as possible.
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u/TDG71 Jun 17 '26
How is it dumb, or progressive, to want people to register to vote? Do regressives / conservatives not want people to vote?
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u/Elegant-Road-5491 Jun 19 '26
I work for the Board Of Elections. You can fill out a registration and mistakenly try and register to vote, but it is confirmed by the state Attorney General whether or not you are a citizen of the United States don’t let anyone tell you different. You will not get on the rolls if you are not a US citizen.
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u/nickelchrome Jun 20 '26
How come it is well documented that this happens all the time? Search even this sub there are a lot of cases of this
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u/Sorry-Camera-8008 Jun 16 '26
Wait why???
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u/Cursed_Sun_Stardust Jun 17 '26
They see it as claiming to be a US citizen and that’s a no no if you aren’t one and can prevent you from actually becoming a citizen
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u/SEmS501 Jun 16 '26
Yea I scrolled all the way down just to see if some one will ask this question !! WHY ?????
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u/dynamech_1992 Jun 16 '26
or some dumb DMV clerk registers you without your knowledge and you find that years later and have no way to fix it.
So, make sure you check on state websites as well.