We haven't had any luck getting a California driver's license for my wife, who is getting ready to file for Adjustment of Status after our marriage.

What do we have to do or is it even possible?

Thanks,

Tom

We were told we had to wait for him to have a greencard. He was not even able to get a state ID. It's very frustrating!

Tom, can you be more specific as to why she couldn't get the license? I was under the impression that with a marriage license, her passport with her visa should be sufficient identification. Have you checked their website?


http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl.htm

I think we're going to go back on Monday to try again with NOA1 for AOS and marriage certificate. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sarah

Please do let me know, Sarah. Jinky is planning on getting an international driver's license so that she can legally drive here right away, but I'm not sure how long California will let her drive with it after she arrives. We're going to need her to drive even before she works.

Ok sure I'll let you guys know what happens. The DMV told us before that he could drive on his license from Morocco even though it's not international and that if he gets stopped to tell them he is either visiting or establishing himself. He hasn't driven alone yet though he's too scared he'll get into an accident!

hehehe... I thought the freeways here in California were hair raising until I was driving around Cebu, PH by Jinky. I don't remember seeing any lane strips and the Jeepney's (privately run buses) will just stop right in traffic. She let me drive there but only when we were in her neighborhood. Anyhow, I'm confident that she'll adapt well to the insanity of California highway driving.

P.S. May I ask - were you able to get him on your car insurance policy? I'm wondering what is required for that?

yeah the driving in MOrocco is insane also. Well umm he is not on my insurance policy yet we're going to wait until he gets his license but for now he drives every once in a while in a non crowded area for practice. I would think that it isn't hard to get them added to the insurance policy... I really should be doing that soon though!


Do you think we need to get a marriage certificate from the country clerks office or can I bring a copy of the one I sent for AOS? I assume a copy is ok I guess we'll see.

Anyways I'll let you guys know what happens on Monday

Not sure about the copy. If it's a good quality, I'm thinking the DMV officer isn't going to complain. Their main concern is that you have proof that he is who he says he is and that he has a legal right to be here. Good luck on Monday.

Thanks!

you will need something extending your legal stay in the US after a K1 marriage. As a minimum, something like an EAD. They will issue a license that is valid as long as the EAD is valid.

Federal REAL-ID Act.

yep, many states won't issue DL's or state IDs without evidence of EAD or green card. I had to wait for mine, but I was allowed to drive since my Canadian DL was still valid.

I had to show my greencard when I went to get my driver's license and even though I had a Canadian license, I had to take the written and the road test....

As for car insurance all the car insurance people wanted to see was my driver's license, they did ask me about my previous driving experience in the last 3 years but a simple "no, I haven't had any tickets or accidents" seemed to satisfy them.....

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure that the REAL-ID Act listed the AOS Notice of Action as an acceptable proof of legal presence in the US. California law does NOT include it. I am wondering whether it was intentional or not.

I am awaiting my EAD now, and until I get it I consider myself a nonresident and use my Polish license. I got added to my wife's insurance policy with no problems.

Bartek

My wife got her California just a couple of weeks after she got here, right after we got the Social Security Card, she had been studying the manual then went for the test. They were a little bit puzzle about it, then the guy went to speak to the managers/supervisor in the back then they issued the permit. Try a different DMV if same result ask to speak to the person in charge. Good luck

The problem we had with this is that my husband's SS card took over a month to get and by that time his I-94 was going to expire in less than 60 days so they woudln't issue it. I'm still going to try with our marriage certificate and NOA1 from AOS.

Ok we went and it was a bust. We didn't have cash so we wanted to use debit card but their machine wasn't working of course. We waited a long time too. Next time we go back I'll let you guys know how it goes. We're too mad to go back today.

Hiya

We were told that my husband could not get a Cal ID because there wasn't 60 days left on his visa. We have to wait until he gets his approval letter/greencard.




ps: good luck sarah and hicham. I hate the DMV almost as much as I hate the dentist and the gynecologist. Did you schedule an appointment for the DMV? We were able to schedule on online for our local office. When we went we were in and out in good time.

Only posting here to add LOTs of insult-to-injury.

Can't stand CA's "10-day" residency rule (I barely even like the 30-day rule found in other states) for licence/tags change.

We had the same problem with CA DMV for my son - no license would be issued without 60 days validity left on the I-94, although they did tell us in one office we went to that the NOA for AOS or an unexpired EAD would be sufficient to get license.