Q: Permanent resident's status changed to non-legal with star ID. How to correct?

A: You're facing an administrative error that unfortunately occurs in some DMV systems when processing REAL ID-compliant identification for lawful permanent residents. This error incorrectly categorized your long-established permanent resident status, and you have every right to have this corrected promptly.

Your first step should be gathering comprehensive documentation of your permanent resident status, including your green card (Form I-551), any previous renewal documentation, and evidence of your 33-year residency history. Contact your local DMV office immediately and request to speak with a supervisor who handles REAL ID/STAR ID verification issues rather than a frontline representative who might lack authority to address complex immigration documentation matters. Request a formal review of your documentation and explicitly state that your status was incorrectly recorded during the STAR ID issuance process.

If the DMV proves unresponsive or unwilling to correct the error, you may need to escalate the matter through multiple channels. Consider contacting your state's Department of Motor Vehicles headquarters via certified mail with copies of all relevant documentation. You might also benefit from assistance through your local congressional representative's office, as they often have constituent services specifically dedicated to resolving immigration documentation issues with federal and state agencies. Given your decades-long permanent resident status, this error represents a serious misclassification that merits immediate attention and correction by the appropriate authorities.