Virginia Immigration Laws

Virginia issues Driver Privilege Cards to residents who cannot provide proof of legal presence. The cards allow driving but cannot be used as identification for voting or other government purposes. Applicants must provide proof of Virginia residency, identity, and pass driving tests.

Expanded the Virginia Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit. While not immigration-specific, it provides broader protections for immigrant communities. Applies to employers with 5+ employees (expanded from 15+).

Effective July 2020, students who attended Virginia high school for at least 2 years, graduated, and filed Virginia income taxes (or their parents did) are eligible for in-state tuition at public colleges, regardless of immigration status.

Virginia does not have a statewide sanctuary law. A 2020 law repealed a prior mandate requiring local jails to notify ICE of all arrested individuals, but local jurisdictions may still choose to cooperate. Individual localities (Arlington, Fairfax) have adopted varying levels of cooperation policies.