Applicants for certain licenses or permits through the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) must prove U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the U.S. beginning next month under the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act.

Food service establishment permits, hotel permits, motel permits, emergency medical service personnel and medical provider licenses are just a few of the licenses and permits that will be affected by the law both at initial or renewal application.

Karen Bishop, ADPH assistant general counsel, said applications cannot be processed without proper supporting documentation.

“Please check the lists of documents that demonstrate U.S. citizenship and qualified alien status on our website and bring the appropriate documents with you when you make the application,” Bishop said in a press release.

ADPH is now authorized to use the federal government’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program and will use this program to verify each applicant’s status.

Beginning on Aug. 1, applicants must have a signed declaration and a legible photocopy or digital copy of a document demonstrating U.S. Citizenship or lawful presence in the U.S. Businesses must provide a declaration of the business ownership structure if the application does not clearly indicate that type of ownership or business entity.

The act was made effective April 2012, according to immigration.alabama.gov, and it requires “all employers within the State of Alabama to verify the legal presence within the United States of its employees.”

This demonstration is only required once.

To view a full list of permits and licenses affected by the law or to get more information, visit adph.org/generalcounsel/default.asp?id-7629.

For more information about the protection act and the changes in requirements, visit immigration.alabama.gov.