January Filers at the CSC - How are you doing?

[lucie&damon 0]

The Department of Revenue website says that while adjusting my status I can get a DL, so I went to a first DMV office where they told me that it was wrong, I can't get one until I am approved for the AOS (or for the EAD). I went to a second office and the woman went to ask her supervisor (I assume that's what she did, she disappeared with all my paperwork for 5 minutes), and told me that when I have a proof that I am adjusting my status I can apply for a DL. So, just to make sure, when I received my NOA1, I came back to their office to ask them if the NOA1 is really what I need, and this time they told me that no, it had to be approved. which didn't make sense. So once outside the office, Bryan called the Department of Revenue for Missouri, and they told us that yes, I can have a DL even without being approved for the AOS. They told us that if the DMV office says something else, they should call the "Fraud and Immigration" department (yeah they put immigration with fraud, isn't that funny?). So we came back inside the office, told us what they had told us on the phone, and the woman said "Ok, then you go pass your driving exam and then you come back here and we'll call them to make sure, and there shouldn't be any problem"

So after all I should be able to have a DL soon.

And the DMV of Hawaii may be nice, but the ones in Missouri ARE the gates of Hell!!!

A little update on the driver license.

Friday I passed my driving and writing exams. The people at the Missouri Highway Patrol didn't have any problem with me adjusting my status. So after I passed the tests, we went to the DMV. There the woman said that i was her first K1, she started doing whatever she had to do, and when she realized that there isn't an expiration date on the NOA of AOS, she asked someone else in the office and they said "No! no expiration date, no Driver license". So we had them call the Department of Revenue in Jefferson City, they stayed on the phone very long, and while they were trying to deal with that, Bryan also called the Department of Revenue, just to make sure that what they had told him last time was good. After waiting 20 minutes, we finally got an official response, which is that as long as I don't have an EAD or a form that says I am approved for AOS, I can't have a DL. Why didn't they tell us that last time? I keep thinking that it doesn't make sense, as when I receive such form I will not be on AOS anymore, I'll be a permanent resident, so they shouldn't even have a "AOS" category in their paperwork!

Anyway, we left the DMV and even though it made me really angry and sad, now I just have to wait until I receive my EAD or GC. I just hope that the paper they gave me that proves that I passed the test doesn't expire before I get one of them... I don't want to redo the test (I almost failed because of how stressed I was... another thing that made me really angry, depressed and sad)

So, time to move on. I am not going to think about this until I have the right paperwork. It sucks, I can't do anything about it, but I have no choice. So here it goes out of my mind.

I'm sorry to hear that! You passed all these tests for nothing!They really don't know what they're saying and doing at the DMVs. Hopefully they will keep them valid until you got yr EAD! Now you just need to be a lil more patient.

and you still have your french DL, so you can still drive....right?

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

and you still have your french DL, so you can still drive....right?

Well, someone on VJ said that the international licenses are only for visitors. Someone else said that it can be used only for 3 months.

I asked to the Highway patrol and they said that basically, there's no real rule about it and it depends who arrests me. if the officer feels like telling me I can't drive with it because I'm a resident, then he can do it.

[lucie&damon 0]

and you still have your french DL, so you can still drive....right?

Well, someone on VJ said that the international licenses are only for visitors. Someone else said that it can be used only for 3 months.

I asked to the Highway patrol and they said that basically, there's no real rule about it and it depends who arrests me. if the officer feels like telling me I can't drive with it because I'm a resident, then he can do it.

Well, I guess if ever this situation happen to you, you can tell the officer that the DMV doesn't consider you as a resident, and cannot give you a DL. Which means that you are somehow still a tourist...

God! I hate this "in-between" situation!

[Damian&Kelly 16]

now don't quote me on this but a K-1 isn't an immigration visa. so you are still a tourist until you apply and are approved as a resident. so you can drive under the international license. We called our local DMV and our car insurance and they both told us that he could drive under the international license for up to a year and he's also covered under the insurance. He's unable to get a US license until he has EAD or his green card.

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

We are going to create a registry but we have also received some money from people already! I just didn't want to rely on the assumption that people would give gifts, you know?

I know what you mean and yeah, I totally agree on it also. You would be looking quite stupid when you find out in the end that there is not enough money.. wouldn't want to experience that :S

Good to hear things are going nicely tho

Have a good flight wednesday.. must be thrilling to be so close to your fiance again

We are getting all done here and man it is crazy! My friend is coming tonight to help me out so that is cool! Oh cool and just called the local rescue mission and they will take any of my leftover food from the reception so that makes me feel good too! Hopefully will have some pics up from our ceremony tomorrow late at night or Wednesday but not promising as we may be busy haha...

Wow, it is getting closer to the special date for you too.. not scared yet? hhaha

A little update on the driver license.

Friday I passed my driving and writing exams. The people at the Missouri Highway Patrol didn't have any problem with me adjusting my status. So after I passed the tests, we went to the DMV. There the woman said that i was her first K1, she started doing whatever she had to do, and when she realized that there isn't an expiration date on the NOA of AOS, she asked someone else in the office and they said "No! no expiration date, no Driver license". So we had them call the Department of Revenue in Jefferson City, they stayed on the phone very long, and while they were trying to deal with that, Bryan also called the Department of Revenue, just to make sure that what they had told him last time was good. After waiting 20 minutes, we finally got an official response, which is that as long as I don't have an EAD or a form that says I am approved for AOS, I can't have a DL. Why didn't they tell us that last time? I keep thinking that it doesn't make sense, as when I receive such form I will not be on AOS anymore, I'll be a permanent resident, so they shouldn't even have a "AOS" category in their paperwork!

Anyway, we left the DMV and even though it made me really angry and sad, now I just have to wait until I receive my EAD or GC. I just hope that the paper they gave me that proves that I passed the test doesn't expire before I get one of them... I don't want to redo the test (I almost failed because of how stressed I was... another thing that made me really angry, depressed and sad)

So, time to move on. I am not going to think about this until I have the right paperwork. It sucks, I can't do anything about it, but I have no choice. So here it goes out of my mind.

Congrats on passing the written tests

But.. sad to hear about the DMV being such asses about the whole driver license thing.. I find it really unbelievable that they are making it so hard for you to get that license

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

Well, someone on VJ said that the international licenses are only for visitors. Someone else said that it can be used only for 3 months.

I asked to the Highway patrol and they said that basically, there's no real rule about it and it depends who arrests me. if the officer feels like telling me I can't drive with it because I'm a resident, then he can do it.

I just looked it up on the internet (Google is indeed my friend hehe) and there they say the following for Minnesota:

Non-Citizens

Your valid foreign driver's license grants you driving privileges for no longer than the length of your visa. Non-citizens face specific identification requirements, and non-citizen licenses are issued with distinguishing features to classify them as such.

Kinda sucky but I think your French license is not valid anymore in Minnesota

Weird btw, over here in Hawaii it would be valid for a year after POE, regardless of your status. I don't know how far state borders are but isn't it possible to get a license in a different state? All they needed, for example, in Hawaii, is a valid picture ID (passport) and a valid social security number and that is basically it. (You would have to fake the address that you fill in tho since that would be on your license too and if you say you're living in Minnesota then I doubt that they would give the license).

Well, I guess if ever this situation happen to you, you can tell the officer that the DMV doesn't consider you as a resident, and cannot give you a DL. Which means that you are somehow still a tourist...

God! I hate this "in-between" situation!

You can only be a tourist for so long.. she is out of status when you look at her visa.

now don't quote me on this but a K-1 isn't an immigration visa. so you are still a tourist until you apply and are approved as a resident. so you can drive under the international license. We called our local DMV and our car insurance and they both told us that he could drive under the international license for up to a year and he's also covered under the insurance. He's unable to get a US license until he has EAD or his green card.

This varies from state to state.. Hawaii allows people to do this for a year after POE, California would allow this only for 3 months after POE and wants people to get a Cali license asap (I remember this from reading the stuff for Rachel when she was wondering about it too). And it seems that Minnesota is the same and would only allow three months also.

Bleh, life would be so much easier if they made just one law in this country instead of giving all states different laws.. too confusing lol

[CourtAndGrey 0]

Congrats Rachel! Have a great flight on Wednesday and welcome to the US!!!

:star: :star: :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

I just looked it up on the internet (Google is indeed my friend hehe) and there they say the following for Minnesota:

Non-Citizens

Your valid foreign driver's license grants you driving privileges for no longer than the length of your visa. Non-citizens face specific identification requirements, and non-citizen licenses are issued with distinguishing features to classify them as such.

Kinda sucky but I think your French license is not valid anymore in Minnesota

I actually live in Missouri, not Minnesota, but thanks for looking it up anyway I think it's the same in Missouri. As you said, I am now out of status. After being angry a few days, I am starting to think that it doesn't matter to much, that I will probably receive my EAD soon (maybe next month?). I don't want to go back to work though... I LOVE staying at home!

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Have a good flight wednesday.. must be thrilling to be so close to your fiance again

Congrats Rachel! Have a great flight on Wednesday and welcome to the US!!!

:star: :star: :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

Thanks guys!

Needless to say I am SO nervous. I'm also desperately trying to make everything fit into my suitcases! I've already been quite ruthless with clothes. It's a matter of weight more than volume - one bag is dangerously close to the 23 kg limit, I may need to re-pack it.

I've checked in online. Quick, is there anything else I need to do? I have my passport, boarding pass and brown envelope...is there anything I am desperately missing?!

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

I actually live in Missouri, not Minnesota, but thanks for looking it up anyway I think it's the same in Missouri. As you said, I am now out of status. After being angry a few days, I am starting to think that it doesn't matter to much, that I will probably receive my EAD soon (maybe next month?). I don't want to go back to work though... I LOVE staying at home!

err... oops hehe.. I think I looked at 'st louis' as if it was 'st paul' :S

Just checked again, lol, and yeah, what they said is basically also what I found on the internet... you need either an EAD or have finished your AOS. Bleh, why do they have to make it this difficult :/

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

It's a matter of weight more than volume - one bag is dangerously close to the 23 kg limit, I may need to re-pack it.

I've checked in online. Quick, is there anything else I need to do? I have my passport, boarding pass and brown envelope...is there anything I am desperately missing?!

Did you look up prices for when you get overweight? When I flew here I had 2 bags with overweight (approx 30 kg each), it cost me 50 euros per bag on the airport.

As for the things in your carryon, I think passport, boarding pass and brown envelope should cover it.

Maybe you want to take some additional proof with you just in case they ask for it (for example, I took everything with me that the consulate didn't ask for at the interview, they adviced me to keep it with me in my carry-on tho (I ended up keeping a copy of the whole case (including the stuff they did take at the consulate) with me during my trip), you never know what they are going to ask (probably not much but yah, you never know, what if the consulate forgot to put something in).

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

lol.. I just realized that we might get some new visitors in our cozy topic in 1.5 - 2 months.. the topic of the title says 'January Filers at the CSC', it doesn't state a year so who knows lol

I guess we will be like 'veterans' to them by then and can help them out in their long proces of waiting lol

[lucie&damon 0]

It's a matter of weight more than volume - one bag is dangerously close to the 23 kg limit, I may need to re-pack it.

I've checked in online. Quick, is there anything else I need to do? I have my passport, boarding pass and brown envelope...is there anything I am desperately missing?!

Did you look up prices for when you get overweight? When I flew here I had 2 bags with overweight (approx 30 kg each), it cost me 50 euros per bag on the airport.

As for the things in your carryon, I think passport, boarding pass and brown envelope should cover it.

Maybe you want to take some additional proof with you just in case they ask for it (for example, I took everything with me that the consulate didn't ask for at the interview, they adviced me to keep it with me in my carry-on tho (I ended up keeping a copy of the whole case (including the stuff they did take at the consulate) with me during my trip), you never know what they are going to ask (probably not much but yah, you never know, what if the consulate forgot to put something in).

When I came to the US. I read on the flight company website, that 32kg were allowed. So I packed 32kg in one suitcase. But at the aiport they told me it was 32kg total, but not in the same bag. 23 kg max in one bag was allowed! I had to open my suitcase in front of everybody and give the heavy stuffs back to my parents! they mailed my things back later to me....

I did the same thing as you Jeroen! I had all my K1 file, with copies of everything just in case...

[Alex & Rachel 78]

So confusing, isn't it?! I've read that it's 2 bags per customer, and each bag can be up to 23 kg...I really hope that's right, because each bag is around 20 kg! D:

World Traveller Plus and World Traveller - 2 bags

Maximum dimensions per bag (H+W+L): 158cm (62in)

Maximum weight per bag: 23kg (51lbs)*

I think I'm okay!

Thank you for the advice and reassurance - just running around right now trying to do the last few things and beginning to panic a little! It'll all be over soon...

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

So confusing, isn't it?! I've read that it's 2 bags per customer, and each bag can be up to 23 kg...I really hope that's right, because each bag is around 20 kg! D:

World Traveller Plus and World Traveller - 2 bags

Maximum dimensions per bag (H+W+L): 158cm (62in)

Maximum weight per bag: 23kg (51lbs)*

I think I'm okay!

Thank you for the advice and reassurance - just running around right now trying to do the last few things and beginning to panic a little! It'll all be over soon...

Worldtraveller? I guess you're flying with BA then? Then you have nothing to worry and it should indeed be 23kg for each bag.

British Airways has introduced a limit of 23kg (51lbs) for any single checked bag as part of your free baggage allowance.

We understand that there are times when you will need to exceed this limit. Therefore, from November 2008, a flat fee of £25 GBP will be applied to bags weighing more than 23kg (51lbs). This charge is to cover the additional handling that bags weighing over 23kg (51lbs) can attract.

Please note that we will not accept a bag heavier than 32kg (70lbs) as checked baggage.

Seems to be pretty clear to me =)

And you would actually be cheaper off than i was if you have overweight in your luggage lol

and, Rachel, no worries.. we all felt like that, you will probably get a huge relief as soon as you're in airborn and excitement when you're in the arms of your loved one!

@Lucie, I think they either made a terrible mistake or that the person who helped you just didn't know any better but it is for almost every airline 23kg per bag, not the total. It is at least for all the major airlines like this.

Edited November 19, 2008 by JeroenAndMichelle