WRAL Viewers Help Bring About Change At The DMV

One change happened last week after

WRAL reported the story

about a woman who received a picture ID at a Rocky Mount DMV office while wearing a veil that covered everything but her eyes and nose.

The DMV said that is no longer its policy and that applicants will have to show their entire face from now on.

On Tuesday, DMV Commissioner Carol Howard admitted that the state needs to make changes after WRAL told her about another security loophole that a viewer in Chapel Hill found.

"A drivers license essentially gives you a key to a lot of different places in this country, and I just want to make sure people are obtaining these drivers licenses with a valid visa," said Jim Posner.

Posner said he was in disbelief when an examiner at his local DMV office told him that a person can apply for a drivers license or state identification using a passport, even if his or her visa has expired.

"I've heard that there are a lot of people who will overstay their visas. That could be, frankly, a security threat. That's obviously a loophole that needs to be addressed," he said.

Howard told WRAL that from now on, applicants cannot get a North Carolina drivers license with an expired visa. She also said that the state is looking at giving visa holders some kind of provisional drivers license or state identification. The provisional card would be valid as long as the visa is valid.

The DMV is talking with other states to see how they approach this matter. Howard promises that there will be more changes in the scrutiny the state brings upon applicants for drivers licenses and state identification cards.