SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has announced a new program to provide individuals with a state ID card upon release from prison. The program is expected to serve 27 Illinois Department of Corrections facilities this spring. To obtain a state ID card, the applicant works with IDOC to gather and maintain vital documents. IDOC photographs the applicant using specific equipment and methods required by the Secretary of State’s office. IDOC then electronically transmits the applicant’s documentation, photo and signature to the Secretary of State’s office using a secure file transfer system mailbox. If all documentation and eligibility requirements are met, the Secretary of State’s office processes the request and sends the state ID to IDOC headquarters for distribution to the corresponding facility. IDOC then gives the state ID card to the individual upon release.
“The State ID Program for Returning Residents gives people who have served their time in prison a necessary tool as they reenter their communities,” said Secretary White. “A state ID card is essential to transition back into society.”
According to state law, there is no charge for a state ID card for a person being released from prison.
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