Entering the USA

[dbzman 0]

I have finished the NVC paperwork and it will soon be sent to the Tokyo Consulate for processing. My question is:

What happens when she arrives in the US under the Immigration Visa?

During entry do they record that she has entered the country? Is that how the Government is notified that she is here at to go ahead and issue her SSN? (I marked that she needed one on the DS-230).

What about a International Drivers License. Has any one gotten one and what does it allow?

Thanks!

[Liebi 0]

What about a International Drivers License. Has any one gotten one and what does it allow?

You have to check with your local DMV on when your wife will have to obtain a US drivers license. She probably can drive with both, her regular and international license from Japan on hand for a while but will be required to obtain a US license at some point.

Just google it!

[YuAndDan 153]

The POE takes immigrations packet and orders the green-card upon entry to the USA.

Check with your state DMV about acceptability of foreign driving license, many states allow it for a short time and then expect application for a state drivers license.

NOTE: Make her aware we drive on the RIGHT side of the road, not the WRONG side like they do in Japan.

[Liebi 0]

NOTE: Make her aware we drive on the RIGHT side of the road, not the WRONG side like they do in Japan.

[Brian&Mel 0]

I have finished the NVC paperwork and it will soon be sent to the Tokyo Consulate for processing. My question is:

What happens when she arrives in the US under the Immigration Visa?

During entry do they record that she has entered the country? Is that how the Government is notified that she is here at to go ahead and issue her SSN? (I marked that she needed one on the DS-230).

What about a International Drivers License. Has any one gotten one and what does it allow?

Thanks!

Last year, when I went to the US to visit my husband, I had applied for International Driving Permit (IDP). Was driving around with the IDP and never been stopped before. The last time I was in the States, I just drove around with my Malaysia driving license and have no problem at all. If your wife Japanese license have English translation, she does need to apply for IDP. My husband found this information somewhere. Sorry, couldn't provide you the link.

The only difficulty that I had was driving at the RIGHT side of the road. Took me awhile to adjust to that.

[Jocelyn&Chris 0]

If you checked the "SSN" box on your DS-230, the SSA will send out the new SS card in a few weeks after POE. You will also get a "Welcome to USA" letter from USCIS. Finally the green card will arrive a few weeks after that.

It is legal to drive on a foreign driving license from most countries (including Japan) for a limited period of time, something like 30 or 60 days. Check with your state's DMV for the exact details. During this period she can drive exactly as if she had a US driving license.

The international driving permit is required in addition to the foreign driving license, but only in cases where the foreign driving license is not written in English (the IDP does not replace the foreign driving license, it just provides an English translation). I imagine Japanese driving licenses might not be in English, so this would apply to your wife.

As other posters have said, eventually she will need a US driver's license. Depending on your state, it's quite likely she will have to take and pass both the theory and on-road tests as if she was getting a license for the first time, despite the fact that she has been driving in Japan all along. If she applies for a driver's license before she receives the 10-yr green card, the validity period of the driver's license may be limited to the visa period (1 yr) and require an "extra" renewal at the end of the visa period.