US Documents: SSN, Driver License, Texas ID


U.S. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

If you obtain a job on campus, you will be required to have a valid Social Security Card issued by the U.S. Government.

Note: Do not apply for a Social Security Card more than 30 days before your employment start date.

Documents needed to get a Social Security Card:

  1. A completed SS-5 Form (application for a Social Security Card)
  2. Two forms of identification that establish the student's age and identity (passport, student I.D. card, birth certificate, etc.)
  3. Form I-94
  4. Form I-20
  5. Proof of Employment authorization letter

Note: For your LETU address on the SS-5 form, please use:

LeTourneau University, *Your CPO #*
2100 South Mobberly Ave.

 

SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE

611 Clinic Drive
Longview, TX 75602
1.888.617.0455

 

Procedure:

  1. The employer who offers a job to an international student (who does not have a Social Security Card) fills in the employment authorization letter and gives it to the student.
  2. The student gets the letter signed by one of the DSOs in the Office of Global Initiatives
  3. The student takes the letter and other documents listed above to the Social Security office (611 Clinic Drive, Longview) to apply for a card.
  4. At the Social Security Office the student will be given a Social Security Number receipt. The actual card with the number will be mailed to the student in 7-14 days. The receipt is confirmation that an application was submitted; it does not authorize the student to begin working.
  5. When the student receives the Social Security Card, he/she must take the card to the department that hired the student so a copy may be made and the Form I-9 completed. The student cannot begin working or be paid until there is a Social Security Number on record and the department has submitted all necessary paperwork to the Business Office.
  6. Students are encouraged to keep their Social Security Card and other documents in a safe place.

TEXAS DRIVER LICENSE

For international students on an F-1 Visa studying in the United States who want to apply for a Texas Driver License:

 

Documents and forms needed to apply for a Texas Driver License, for applicants under age 25:

  1. Completed application for driver license or identification card (available online)
  2. Documents verifying identity (LETU ID, I-20, I-94, passport, birth certificate,EAD)
  3. Proof of Adult Driver Education
    Drivers Education Courses are offered by private commercial driving schools (online and offline) or through public schools. Upon completion of the course, the student is awarded the Driver's Education Certificate.
  4. Proof of Residency letter from LETU

NOTE:

The expiration date on your license will be based on the program end date or work authorization dates on the immigration document you provide. Therefore, make sure you submit your most current I-20. If you have an EAD card, you must submit that document instead of your I-20.

If your OPT employment authorization is pending, you cannot apply for or renew a driver license until it is approved.

Once you are ready to take the driving exam, you must schedule a driving test appointment on the Online Services section of the TX Department of Public Safety website. You must provide a vehicle for the driving exam and present proof of current liability insurance, Texas vehicle registration, and inspection for the vehicle.

If you do not already have a US driver’s license or you do not have a car, you can enroll in a local, state-approved driving school to practice and use the driving school's vehicle to take the driving exam. View this list of state-approved driving schools near LETU — the Office of Global Initiatives especially recommends Mr. D’s Driving Center in Kilgore, TX.

 

For international students who already have a valid US Driver License, or a valid Driver License from France, Canada, Germany or Korea:

  1. You have 90 days after entering the state to secure a TX Driver License.
  2. You will need to apply in person and provide the documentation listed above in #1, 2 & 4.
  3. Surrender your VALID out-of-state learner or driver license, or a VALID out-of-country learner or driver license at the driver license office. The written and driving examinations will be waived, but you must still pass a vision exam.

NOTE: If you have an EXPIRED driver license, you will be required to pass the written, driving, and vision exams.

 

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

416 Lake Lamond Road
Longview, TX 75604
903.758.1788

Office Hours:
Mon - Wed: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thur: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM


TEXAS IDENTIFICATION CARD

If you do not apply for a Texas Driver's License, it is often useful to obtain a Texas ID Card in order to have a government-issued ID.

Steps required to apply for a Texas Identification Card:

  • Apply in person at a Texas Driver License Office
  • Present Passport, Visa, I-20, I-94, and Enrollment Verification Letter from LETU
  • Complete the application online or in person
  • Pay the required fee with cash, money order, or non-temporary check only