Yesterday, I drove the wife down to the DMV office in Locust Grove, Georgia ... about 30 miles south of Atlanta. My theory was that further away from the city chaos was better and this proved to be correct.

DMV opened at 730A and we arrived about 845AM to find Literally No One parked in the lot! Actually I thought it was closed or some sort of DMV holiday becasue the place was so empty!

We walked right in and up to the counter and I was fully prepared for the "nightmare experience" as posted on VJ by other Atlantans!!!

But hold-on .......

We came with the wife's expired GC, NOA for 1-year Extension, Soc Security Card, Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate, International Passport, Certified English Translation and Original Birth Certificate and a few additional thousand documents.

The man who greeted us glanced over the forms we presented, said ... "All looks good to me!," and sent us onto the written testing area. Unfortunately, there was only 1 DMV Counterperson working the entire place and we were #3 in que. After about a 30 min wait our number was called and we went over to the main counter.

My wife had her "eye test" and then asked if she could take the law test in Russian Language. Low and behold they popped-out a book with a written exam in Russian! She had to complete a paper test (multiple choice / circle the correct answer) rather than take the standard computer generated test.... so what! SHE PASSED! Then she had to go back to the counter where they set her up with a computer to take the "road sign test" in English. AGAIN SHE PASSED! Driving Test was a piece o' cake and suddenly she was done! Had per photo taken, paid her money and went out the door - on her merry way- with license in hand. Validity only until expiration of her I-751 adjudication (1 year) but her license can be renewed/extended wtih no problem.

Very pleasant experience, no hassles, no supervisor intervention required and all is well with the world.

Until the 10-year GC comes .......

congrats well done!!!!!!!!!

btw do you know how i can find out about driving license for alabama

Thanks Sappy!
Look on line for Alabama dept of motor vehicle!

I guess you went on good day
I hope I have that kinda luck in Fulton County. I 'm having hell just trying to get my registration
changed over from another state. First, the DMV failed to tell me the tag agency (another location) wasn't open on the weekend...
You have to pay at least $2hr to park cuz you can't park anywhere for free downtown. Walk 4 blocks to wait in line at security then again in the office. I had every piece of paper available but I forgot my "original registation". I hope the third times a charm.

Anyways, Congratulations.

Well that is good news! I am facing the same situation later this Spring. I was planning to go to the Forest Park/Riverdale area office where I got my license the first time but it is good to know that if I have problems there I can just head a little bit south to Locust Grove and get my license renewed there! It is only about 10 miles down the road from me. Thanks! (It may not be as crowded as the Forest Park office - that appears to be an all day wait the last 2 times I was there).

Great news Richard! I hope Anna will have "fun" driving around in Atlanta traffic.

I've found that Tuesdays and Thursdays are usually the "best" days to go and transact with government offices. In fact, we got my 16 year old's provisional DL last Tuesday and we were only there for less than an hour (including the time spent on the actual road driving test).

I was browsing through the Virginia DMV requirements for proof of residency and found that they will accept an un-expired Conditional Green Card, and will accept an expired Permanent Green Card. They make a distinction between these two versions of Residency card. I guess the theory is that Conditional GC holders may be deported.

I was worried that we might have trouble identifying my wife when we apply for a US passport for our toddler son, but it turns out for a passport they will accept my wife's Thailand passport as her identification. I thought maybe they would require an unexpired Green Card, which she no longer has while waiting for her first 10-year card. But I suppose there are instances where an alien spouse gives birth to a child while visiting on a tourist or student visa, etc.

So what I would generally recommend to everyone is to try to get a driver's license while the 2-year Conditional Green Card is still valid. Ideally, you get this done while the card is still valid and you have the one-year I-797 extension notice. Or, if you already have a license using a 2-year card, you go to DMV and get it extended for one more year when you get the I-797 and while your Conditional card is still unexpired.

If you wait until your Conditional card is already expired, some state DMVs may not accept it as proof of valid residency.

kenk3z

That's exactly what happened to me. Exipred 2yr GC and D/L, and DMV refused to renew my D/L without proof of residence. All I had to do is make an appointment online with Infopass. Go to my local immigration office and get my international passport stamped for a 1-yr-extension. DMV approved stamp and renewd my D/L.