Drivers License

[genesis1968 0]

in California, they need your SSN, EAD & passport to apply for driver's lisence. I was also rejected when i applied in December, i showed only my passport. They need the SSN and here you cant get SSN without EAD card.

[jundibasam 0]

I got my drivers license in South carolina..I had to wait for the NOA for I-485(to prove I was adjusting)..that and my passport..I was good to go! In SC there is only 1 DMV that can do international customers..and not all DMVs here knew that,,,the first one I went to told me I would need my gc..

If I were you I would call your state DMV and ask them if there is a special office that handles people immigrating..Good luck!

S

South Carolina seems a lot more advanced than ol' Cali. There is even a reference to K1s on the SC DMV site!

Applicants with a K-1 Fiancé(e) status

• Marriage License

• I-94

• Notice of Action Form I-797 showing applicant has applied for permanent residency status.

Not too shabby...here that wouldn't be enough...I think. Anyone had a different experience?

BTW, SC has 16 offices that deal with international customers not just one. Just so ya know...also, if you have a license from France, Canada or Germany, some kind of reciprocity kicks in, making the procedure slightly smoother I imagine...

cheers

Oops..lol..I should have been more specific..Charleston only has 1 office..but you're right..they appear to be ahead of the game..my daughter received her learners permit b4 I could get my DL!(all she needed was her passport and school i.d(to prove she's a resident!)

S

I have had a few problems with the SC DMV trying to get my wife a SC ID Card. We went there to get her an ID based on a K-3 visa, and we had everything they need (NOA, Passport, I-94, letter from SSN Office, proof of residency) and they gave her a temporary, 60 day id, but then sent us a letter a month later saying her ID was rejected because she needed to file AOS first. I re-checked the website, and there is nothing on it about having to file AOS, so we're just going to wait for the EAD and SS Card to come and try and reapply again.

[mariapoe 0]

I would try a different DMV for sure, and of course check the state rules on it. I would do it only because I had the same bad experience when my new husband and I were trying to apply for a marriage license. In our local City Hall we were told that my birth certificate (translated and notarized back in Ukraine,) was not good enough for them as a proof of identity which was fine, I guess, but they were so lost looking into my passport, so I knew right away that they just don't have a lot of cases like ours. So, we went to Albany City Hall right away with the same set of documents and were done ten mintues later. The lady was nice and totally knew what she was doing; she said 'I only need to see your K1 visa.' It's just a human factor sometimes (not always, of course.)

For a Lerner's Permit, I had no problem of getting it (I'm in Albany NY but we went to Troy NY DMV.) They needed me to have documents worth of required six points (with my SSN and old W2s, it was ok.) The lady at the counter didn't know what to do with me at first but she called up another clerk who checked their instructions for K1 and I was all set.

Good luck !

[shawna7 4]

I got my drivers license in South carolina..I had to wait for the NOA for I-485(to prove I was adjusting)..that and my passport..I was good to go! In SC there is only 1 DMV that can do international customers..and not all DMVs here knew that,,,the first one I went to told me I would need my gc..

If I were you I would call your state DMV and ask them if there is a special office that handles people immigrating..Good luck!

S

South Carolina seems a lot more advanced than ol' Cali. There is even a reference to K1s on the SC DMV site!

Applicants with a K-1 Fiancé(e) status

• Marriage License

• I-94

• Notice of Action Form I-797 showing applicant has applied for permanent residency status.

Not too shabby...here that wouldn't be enough...I think. Anyone had a different experience?

BTW, SC has 16 offices that deal with international customers not just one. Just so ya know...also, if you have a license from France, Canada or Germany, some kind of reciprocity kicks in, making the procedure slightly smoother I imagine...

cheers

Oops..lol..I should have been more specific..Charleston only has 1 office..but you're right..they appear to be ahead of the game..my daughter received her learners permit b4 I could get my DL!(all she needed was her passport and school i.d(to prove she's a resident!)

S

I have had a few problems with the SC DMV trying to get my wife a SC ID Card. We went there to get her an ID based on a K-3 visa, and we had everything they need (NOA, Passport, I-94, letter from SSN Office, proof of residency) and they gave her a temporary, 60 day id, but then sent us a letter a month later saying her ID was rejected because she needed to file AOS first. I re-checked the website, and there is nothing on it about having to file AOS, so we're just going to wait for the EAD and SS Card to come and try and reapply again.

you do have to apply for AOS..its the NOA(what they call the I797) which is the NOA receipt for I-485..I tried without it..and was told under NO circumstances could I get a DL without it..now keep in mind I was K-1..but I'm pretty sure K-3 fell under the same guide lines..

good luck!

S

[Johnnie Oz 0]

--- Yeaps in Arizona.... Well, you're right - different for other states... It just sucks when you cannot really move around because DMV cannot give you DL limited by the immigration requirements. I hope other state can be more considerate on their requirements on this matter.

They need proof of legal presence... If you cannot provide this proof then there is nothing they can do.

Most of us are aware of this...it's just that proof of this legal presence varies so much. So if I lived in SC I could show the I-797 receipt for AOS (with other docs) and get my license, but here in Cali it's not enough.

I'm aware that each state's DMV determines this, and that the federal REAL ID Act standardizes this as part of its requirements. For now...

SC is actually currently rejecting REAL ID AND has more reasonable residence requirements for us newcomers. Good for them!

California is not rejecting the Act, and just got some kind of extension on implementing it. In the meantime, those of us with pending AOS (and no EAD) are considered non-residents. So stupid...what a mess. C'mon Ah-nuld.

I mean, what am I? A resident of some other state or country?Am I less of a resident that a one year exchange student? I am married to a USC, will soon have a EAD and most likely a GC....crikey....

Edited March 28, 2008 by Johnnie Oz