In order to identify and bring down illegal immigration, Georgia requires people who are looking forward to get professional licenses, to prove that they are in the country legally. Due to this reason the time taken to renew their professional licenses is now taking a long time and new nurses will have to wait for three months to get their licenses. Earlier, people who had to renew their professional licenses were allowed to go through the renewal process online. But now they must send their renewal applications along with certain documents such as copies of their passports, driver’s licenses, Green Cards or some other photo identification documents issued by the government, to prove their lawful status in the country.
The secretary of state, Brian Kemp, states that they had made the renewal process more bureaucratic. Earlier the renewal process was automated but now the state licensing workers will have to verify each and every application and check the supporting documents. Licensing authorities are providing the required information about the new requirement to the people but still the office is constantly receiving renewal applications without proper supporting documentation and without proofs of nationality or lawful residency. Hence, the licensing authorities have to contact those applicants and request them to submit the required documents. This process which was earlier completed so easily in now taking a long time and at times it takes more than ten days.
However, Mr. Kemp said that the bill may be changed next year and if the law is changed, applicants who look forward to renew their licenses may not be required to prove their status and only the first-time applicants may be required to prove that they are in the country lawfully. This new immigration law of Georgia, has added more paperwork and a person who is filing an application to renew his professional license must now provide a verifiable identification document such as a Green Card and he may not renew his professional license online, anymore.
Georgia’s new strict immigration law is forcing many immigrants to become US citizens. Many people are being encountered by the immigration authorities and are being questioned about their legal status in the country. In order to avoid such circumstances, Green Card holders who are eligible for US ctizenship, are looking forward to become citizens through naturalization. They feel that will obtain more protection if they become citizens.