Before you start

A valid visa or other admission category
An electronic I-94 record from the CBP website
Work authorisation from DHS for a Social Security number
Documented lawful presence for a Georgia driver licence or ID

Step-by-step

1
Download your I-94 in the first few days
It records your admission class and 'admit until' date, and it is what employers, DDS and SSA will ask for. Retrieved electronically from the CBP website.
OnlineWho: YouWeek 1
2
Wait about ten days, then apply for a Social Security number
SSA verifies your status against DHS systems that lag entry by one to two weeks. File Form SS-5 in person with your passport, visa and I-94. There is no fee.
In personWho: YouFrom ~day 10Free
3
If you cannot get an SSN, file for an ITIN
IRS Form W-7 produces an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for tax filing, accepted by many banks. It grants no right to work, and it will not get you a Georgia licence.
OnlineWho: You
4
Understand when you became a Georgia resident
Georgia deems you a resident when you take a permanent home, accept employment or engage in trade in the state, enrol children in school, or have been present 30 days or more. Accepting a job triggers it immediately — the 30-day licence clock is not a grace period you can wait out.
OnlineWho: You
5
Book a DDS appointment and expect a status-length licence
Georgia issues non-citizens a licence valid only for the duration of their authorised stay, so temporary visa holders renew frequently and must present current documents each time.
OnlineWho: You
6
Ask for a REAL ID
Since 7 May 2025 a standard state licence cannot board a domestic flight. Georgia licences issued on lawful-presence documents are generally REAL ID-compliant — confirm the marking on the card.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport with valid visa
I-94 admission record from the CBP website
Form SS-5 for a Social Security number, or IRS Form W-7 for an ITIN
Employment authorisation document or approval notice, where applicable
Two proofs of Georgia residency

Things most newcomers don’t know

Accepting a job makes you a Georgia resident that day.

Georgia's residency test for licensing includes accepting employment or engaging in a trade in the state — there is no waiting period to establish yourself first. The 30-day clock therefore starts when you sign the offer, not 30 days after you land. Newcomers who assume they have a month of settling-in time before the deadline begins are already late.

Source: Georgia DDS — general licensing information

Non-citizens keep their foreign licence; Illinois confiscates.

Georgia returns most foreign licences and identification cards after issuing a Georgia one, and non-citizens with an out-of-country licence are explicitly allowed to keep it. Illinois requires surrender of every out-of-state licence. If retaining your home licence matters — for driving on visits home — this is a real difference between states.

Source: Georgia DDS — information for non-US citizens

Georgia requires lawful presence; three other cities in this app do not.

New York, California, Massachusetts and Illinois all provide a licence route for residents without lawful status. Georgia does not. If your status is pending or has lapsed, you may have no US photo ID at all here, which cascades into banking and employment.

Source: Georgia DDS — information for non-US citizens

The visa sticker's expiry is not your permission to stay.

A visa authorises travel to a port of entry; the officer there decides how long you may remain and records it on the I-94.

Source: US Customs and Border Protection — I-94 record

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming the 30-day clock starts after a settling-in period — accepting a job starts it immediately.
Assuming Georgia issues IDs without lawful presence, as several other states do.
Getting a status extension approved and forgetting the licence needs extending separately.
Visiting a Social Security office before DHS records have synced.
Paying anyone a fee for a Social Security card — it is free.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.