We are going though absolute nonsense here trying to figure this out, hopefully someone out there is going through or has gone through this recently.

Chris has his EAD, Advanced Parole, Social Security, we even just added him to my insurence for a fee jump of over $400 because he is an "inexperienced driver in NC" HOWEVER I called the DL office to make sure we had everything in order to go and get his license and they say he can't get one because he doesn't have a resident card. Or they need to have a visa that states the day he arrived and the day he must leave!
Now if I am correct his I-94 gives the k-1 dates...but since we are going through AOS those mean nothing now not to mention they are expired now.
So what do we do. Do we wait till he gets his card? How is that right. he can work, pay taxes but he can't get a DL in North Carolina???


Please is anyone else out there going through this from NC...am I mega confused?

I will be hitting this in a few weeks as my 2 month drivers licence(issued until my I-94 expires) will become invalid on November 16th.

However I believe a passport, your social security card and EAD should be sufficient to get a drivers licence issued, with a expiry date set to the expiry date on your EAD. You might even bring your I-485 NOA, athough it is not valid for anything.

The EAD shows that the USCIS has given you permission to work within the period the EAD is valid. That in turn means you are legal here while that is valid.

See Acceptable Proof of Identity Documents #9 on the official homepage of the NC DOT, http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/driver_services/d...c/applying.html
The EAD is definitely a valid unexpired document of the USCIS, a limited permission to work here.

I guess my 5c advise would be to show up at your nearest DMV office with passport, EAD, SSN card, a utility bill or lease contract, bank statement etc. in Chris's name. Often it works much better just to show up and talk your way through things while on the spot instead of trying to call these kind of offices up. If you're there, then there's additional pressure on them to look into your case or consult with a colleague as opposed to just saying no on the phone.

Thanks for the reply! That is what I thought we would do. Show up with all those documents and etc. I always thought that is exactly what you would do. But I got really upset when I called and they said they were pretty sure that it wasn't valid.

I just don't understand why they make everything so complicated. Oh well. Good luck when you have to go back!

We lived in NC and EAD and Social Security Card (you have to bring it in person) is sufficient. Though those DMV people there are really strict, unfriendly and way tougher than in CA.
Call Allstate, they recognize out of country experience. It's ridiculous anyway - Geico suddenly in Feb 07 said they would no longer recognize my experience abroad and wanted to double our insurance. We shopped around and Allstate doesn't participate with that bogus fee hike.


Good luck!

Yay!! That is fantastic news. But the DMV people said that the rules have changed in the last 5 months...I am just hoping the EAD and etc will be enough.

Yes it was Geico that tripled our fee because Chris is an "unexperienced driver" in the state of NC. Insanity! I am calling allstate right now!
Thank you for the info!

My husband got his NC dirvers license within the past 2 months with EAD and SS#.

If an Allstate agent is offering lower rates then they are violating NC insurance law and it is only a matter of time before the agent offering lower rates is told that they have to charge the higher premiums. I have talked to several insurance agents including an Allstate agent (in Greensboro) and the NC insurance commission (? can't remember exact name) and everyone agrees that in NC auto insurance must classify international drivers (except Canadians) as inexperienced. I know someone who was offered a lower rate by a local agent of a National company but the lower premium was adjusted up after the National office reviewed it. I would ask the Allstate agent why other insurance agents say they are required to follow NC law but this agent does not have to.

Yes, there's a new law in NC that discriminates in favour of canadians against everyone else as only Canadian foreigners driving experience counts.

My wife had insured our car through USAA, which she was eligible for, before I came over. Adding me onto the policy wasn't a problem and did not raise our policy costs for the remainder of the period, further to that our premium is dropping by about a $1.5 a month for the next period which is starting on Nov. 12th, as compared to the previous 6 months when I wasn't here for 4 out of those months.

Ofcourse $1.5 a month is a minor crumb, but they all add up in the end.

Good to know. Thanks!

I am a lot more calm now...but I had a tiny melt down yesterday!!!

Because road laws in Canada are nearly exactly the same as in the US, and we drive on the same side of the road, so there's not a whole lot of difference driving in one country over the other.

As for getting a license in NC, your EAD and SSN along with mail from a gov't office (NOA letter) addressed to you at your current address should suffice. Your license will likely be valid til the expiry date on your EAD.

That is what we thought, however the guy at the DMV seemed to think it wasn't enough....anyway I am staying positive. Just waiting for our insurence stuff to come and they we will go and see! Thanks for the info....




just as a side note...about the inexperienced driver silliness...I do have issues with it. I do realise he comes from a country (England) with different road laws. But Chris has been driving in the US for 4 years. Heck he is a better driver than me....and it wouldn't be so bad but it is a triple increase in price.Especially for a couple who is just now allowed to have both parties working....grrr..
But I know I am preaching to the choir on these issues!!

I don't mean to be rude, but I do not see anything special about driving here, nor can Canadians be that special.
The only real difference I've notice is that on the other side of the pond, where I've been driving, then right turn on red is not allowed.

Now I wouldn't call that "a whole lot of difference".

After having driven for a year in the US, please note that most Americans I saw (NC, CA) do not use their turning lights and merge lanes dangerously.... I always feel (esp here in the Bay Area) like driving in Naples, Italy (been there, done that, know what I am talking about!). So of course it is ridiculous that we are supposed to be inexperienced... But there's nothing you can do about it... Just laugh... And make sure once you have kids you teach them correctly how to drive since most parents here don't do that / cannot do that cause not everyone is a good teacher (opposed to driving schools in most EU countries)....

Just wanted to add something as we just got back from trying to get Chris' DL.


According to the guy who was serving us: Chris is not able to get a DL due to not having a valid VISA.
Yes he can work legally, yes he can have a social security card and pay taxes legally...but according to the copy sheet the gentleman was reading (for three minutes) it states that he can't get a DL.

I am so irritated at the moment. Hopefully the fact that we were transfered to Cali will mean out AOS will be sorted within the month...and that is just wishful.

But tell me this, how on earth do they expect people to pay for themselves to live if they can't drive to work legally...?
We don't live in a town that has public transportation...
We are doing this correctly, with the right paperwork, and waiting just like we should...we have the money to buy a car to help boost the economy which then would allow a job, to help pay for NC taxes. So how is it he can't have a DL. Backwards.

I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps you can try another DMV office?

When I applied for mine I just showed my EAD card, my SS card and other proof of being a resident in NC.

We had some problems when we tried to get my son his learner's permit. They would not accept his green card because it says

Last name: Ruiz
First name: Edsel
Middle Initial: D

while his other documents showed:

Last name: Ruiz
First name: Edsel
Middle Name: Duke

They wanted us to show an immigration document that spelled out his middle name in full!!!!

Based on my experience and later on my son's, I would say it will depend on which DMV office you go to and the DMV person you talk to.

I wonder if there is even another DMV in my county? Hummm!
Will have to check this out.

What a pain about your sons documents. There seems to always be a catch 22~

Gosh, it sounds insane! Now I'm worried because I'm planning to go for my license in Raleigh next week and I'm in the same situation - I have my EAD and social security number but I'm still pending AOS.

I'm wondering if, as your DMV guy said, your husband is not considered a resident then does it mean he can still use his overseas license to drive until his AOS is approved? The NC law just states that you are required to get an NC license within 60 days of becoming a resident. I notice there is hardly any information on the NC DMV site about international drivers.

I fully sympathise with your frustration! It's like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

DON'T WORRY..I feel like you will be fine.
I emailed the DOT and just got a reply today! YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAY! I feel great cause I knew I was right! The local office is wrong and doesn't understand the paperwork. The gentleman got in touch with me today (from the DOT) and will be getting in touch with our local office to clear up the confusion. Best thing is Chris got his Perm Res Card yesterday and we got his DL today so...we won't have to deal with it again for 2 years. I would be worried about it if we had to go back and say umm sir, you are wrong, no give us his DL. Cause he might not be so nice to us!!

Ohh and according to our friend who is a Sheriff and the DMV our husbands (in my case) British DL doesn't work here. If they were pulled over they would get a ticket for "Driving without a License". Some states do allow them to be used our state does not. (cept for the 60 day limit I guess)

Good luck! I want to hear how it goes for you!

Excellent! I'm glad you were right and not the guy otherwise getting an EAD here would be pretty much pointless! Thank you for letting me know - and congratulations on Chris getting his greencard!!!

I'm curious about the overseas license thing for North Carolina because I think I did read somewhere that they don't accept them in NC but then how do international tourists drive here!? I was just assuming that, if they don't consider me a resident until I have a greencard, then I'm considered a tourist so should be able to drive with my Australian license ... surely tourists are allowed to drive in NC!

a tourist is a tourist and is usually not planning to stay longer than 60 days! If however you live here, you have to have an NC license within 60 days. Even someone whose moved here from another US state must have their license changed to an NC one within 60 days.

As was posted, the guy at the DMV had it wrong. To establish residency in the state (from my own experience) all you need is your ID and some "official" mail with your current NC address on it. I took my passport that had my K3 in it, and my NOA from my AOS application and my ITIN (I didn't have SSN yet) with me and that was all I needed.

For K1s its a bit different and you have to wait til you have your EAD though because the K1 is only valid 90 days.

Just a note. NC DMV no longer accepts ITINs. They now require SSNs and want to see the actual SS card.

From the NC DMV website:

"The law enforcement authorities in North Carolina do not honor an International Driver License. A valid license issued by a government agency from a home state or country is required to legally drive in this State."

As long as you have a valid drivers license from your home country and do not yet qualify to have a NC license you are fine to drive.