Notice to all Outfitters and Professional Guides

New and Renewal Applicants

In August of 1996, the U.S. Congress passed legislation, called the "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act", restricting welfare and public benefits for aliens. The intent of the new law was to ensure that articulated public benefits, both state and federal, are granted only to persons who are lawfully present in the United States.

The law identifies what constitutes a state public benefit for the purposes of the Act. Specifically, 8 U.S.C.A. § 1621 (c)(1)(A) describes a state or local public benefit as "any grant, contract, loan, professional license, or commercial license provided by an agency of a State or local government or by appropriated funds of a State or local government." (Emphasis added). Further, this federal law declares that should a state desire to grant public benefits to an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States, the state may do so "only through the enactment of a State law after August 22, 1996 which affirmatively provides for such eligibility."

Wyoming has not passed any such law providing for the grant of public benefits to persons not lawfully present in the United States. Therefore, professional licensing boards in Wyoming are required by this federal law to verify the "lawful presence" of persons applying for new licenses or license renewals. This verification of lawful presence need only be submitted one time for each licensee. A new license applicant will not have to again prove lawful presence at subsequent renewals, nor will a licensee who first shows proof of lawful presence in a renewal application have to show this proof at subsequent renewals.

The Attorney General's Office has directed that all of Wyoming's professional licensing Boards obtain proof of lawful presence as part of their licensing process. Therefore, new guide and outfitter applicants must provide this information with their initial applications. Outfitters and guides who are renewing a license must provide this information with their next renewal application. You may submit one of any of the following documents:

1. A copy of a birth certificate issued in or by a city, county, state or other governmental entity within the United States or its outlying possessions;
2. A U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad (FS-545, DS-135) or a Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen (FS-240);
3. A birth certificate or passport issued from:
   1. Puerto Rico, on or after January 13, 1941;
   2. Guam, on or after April 10, 1898;
   3. U.S. Virgin Islands, on or after February 25, 1927;
   4. Northern Mariana Islands, after November 4, 1986;
   5. American Samoa;
   6. Swains' Island; or
   7. District of Columbia.
4. A U.S. Passport (expired or unexpired);
5. Certificate of Naturalization (N-550, N-57, N-578);
6. Certificate of Citizenship (N-560, N-561, N-645);
7. U.S. Citizen Identification Card (I-179, I-197);
8. An individual Fee Register Receipt (Form G-711) that shows the person has filed an application for a New Naturalization or Citizenship Paper (Form N-565);
9. Social Security Card.
10. Any other document which establishes a U.S. place of birth or indicates U.S. citizenship. There is also an extended list of acceptable documents to establish alien status. If you fall under this category please contact the Board for this list at 800-264-0981. This document will be required before your license can be issued. Thank you.