Drivers License

[evilcanuck 0]

I just went thru the most ridiculous time trying to get my Ohio drivers license.

In December, I went to the BMV to get my license, they sent me to a different office that does the actual tests....there I was told I would have to do the whole test as if I was a new driver...ok, I did the written test, made an appointment for the drivers test, passed that, oops failed the manouverbility part....I have to parallel park every day in my own driveway but I couldn't handle 5 pylons in an open parking lot...go figure! The wedding date was set and there was all sorts of things to do so I never got around to going back to do the manouverability test until today. I figured it would also be easier once we were married and I could change my name at the same time...so today I went and passed. Ok so they send me back to the office I went to in the first place to get my actual license......and hour and a half and several phone calls to supervisors and a trip home to get a copy of my i-797 I was informed that I cant have an Ohio license until my AOS is complete!!!!! #######?!?

So now I am still driving with my Ontario license and ave no idea if I am really valid or not because I am no longer an Ontario resident! The license place seems to not really know what to do about it, just said come back after AOS...and they are going to schedule a meeting with thier field rep to train the girls there on how to handle immigrants looking for licenses...meanwhile I am soooo confused!

When I wrote the test and took the road test I was told that was all I needed to do and to bring my passport with my K-1 stamp with me.

grrr

anyone else have this hard of a time or am I being jerked around????

[Mand 1]

I thought you could apply for a driving license with a valid EAD card? I have heard other stories about Ohio...was it Columbus?...BMV being terrible to deal with. I'd love to know the "official" rule, EAD? or AOS needed in Ohio to obtain a driving license.

Edit....sorry, just saw it's not Columbus under your avatar.

Edited February 9, 2006 by Mand

[evilcanuck 0]

I guess I have to wait for the EAD or after the AOS....whold have been nice if they knew this when I was running to the other side of town and all around doing the test and stuff tho. The girl at the BMV was very nice to me, but very uneducated in the proceedures regarding immigrant licenses, and it seemed everyone she talked to had a different answer, and thier manual had different rules than what she was finally told by someone at another office....that why I am so confused. I just hope I dont get in trouble for the out of country license if I get pulled over, becase there is really nothing I can do. The BMV website just says to show proof of legal residency...i thought thats what my k-1 visa and 1-94 was :/

[kaydee457 13]

I guess I have to wait for the EAD or after the AOS....

This is usually the case although I can't offer up a reasonable explanation other than at that time you would be considered a legal resident in the eyes of the DMV(even though you haven't adjusted yet).

There seems to be no rhyme or reason from state to state, or even DMV office to DMV office. I brought my wife to a DMV office in the 'burbs of Chicago and they told me they couldn't issue one until she did AOS (not true).

I decided to go into Chicago (figuring they have more experience with immigrants) and viola, 10 minutes later we walked out with an I.D. card!

Now we have an I.D. to use for her application for her drivers license! What a crazy, incoherent, and unpredictable process this immigration business is, eh?

Edited February 9, 2006 by kaydee457

[mwfaith1971 0]

i had the same sort of problems in akron. i was told all i had to do was take the tests and it wouldn't be a problem.

take the tests and pass, then was told i couldn't get my license until i had proof of residencey.

so i spoke to my father in law, who happens to know the manager at the bmv. next thing i know i was told to go there and see him and i got my license.

i think the noa's from your aos applications should be enough proof that you are living here. it shouldn't be so much hassle to be able to drive. but i know that my wife's insurance wouldn't let me drive the car until i had a valid ohio license. which is ridiculous as she was able to drive my car back home.

i'm pretty sure back in australia all you have to do is show up and they will even give you your test in your native language.

i don't think you will get in any trouble for driving on an out of country license (especially being from canada) as i could do that with my australian license but you might want to check with the insurance company to see if they will let you do it.

matt

[bly 0]

I just went thru the most ridiculous time trying to get my Ohio drivers license.

In December, I went to the BMV to get my license, they sent me to a different office that does the actual tests....there I was told I would have to do the whole test as if I was a new driver...ok, I did the written test, made an appointment for the drivers test, passed that, oops failed the manouverbility part....I have to parallel park every day in my own driveway but I couldn't handle 5 pylons in an open parking lot...go figure! The wedding date was set and there was all sorts of things to do so I never got around to going back to do the manouverability test until today. I figured it would also be easier once we were married and I could change my name at the same time...so today I went and passed. Ok so they send me back to the office I went to in the first place to get my actual license......and hour and a half and several phone calls to supervisors and a trip home to get a copy of my i-797 I was informed that I cant have an Ohio license until my AOS is complete!!!!! #######?!?

So now I am still driving with my Ontario license and ave no idea if I am really valid or not because I am no longer an Ontario resident! The license place seems to not really know what to do about it, just said come back after AOS...and they are going to schedule a meeting with thier field rep to train the girls there on how to handle immigrants looking for licenses...meanwhile I am soooo confused!

When I wrote the test and took the road test I was told that was all I needed to do and to bring my passport with my K-1 stamp with me.

grrr

anyone else have this hard of a time or am I being jerked around????

(sigh), I live in ohio too and I'm about to head down this road. I was told you could have a Ohio DL once you got your NOA1 for AOS. No one really knows the law for sure. One thing to try, go to a DIFFERENT office and try your luck. We have 4 places to get a DL within 15 minutes of my house, some places are easier than others, some are morons.

[bly 0]

I just went thru the most ridiculous time trying to get my Ohio drivers license.

In December, I went to the BMV to get my license, they sent me to a different office that does the actual tests....there I was told I would have to do the whole test as if I was a new driver...ok, I did the written test, made an appointment for the drivers test, passed that, oops failed the manouverbility part....I have to parallel park every day in my own driveway but I couldn't handle 5 pylons in an open parking lot...go figure! The wedding date was set and there was all sorts of things to do so I never got around to going back to do the manouverability test until today. I figured it would also be easier once we were married and I could change my name at the same time...so today I went and passed. Ok so they send me back to the office I went to in the first place to get my actual license......and hour and a half and several phone calls to supervisors and a trip home to get a copy of my i-797 I was informed that I cant have an Ohio license until my AOS is complete!!!!! #######?!?

So now I am still driving with my Ontario license and ave no idea if I am really valid or not because I am no longer an Ontario resident! The license place seems to not really know what to do about it, just said come back after AOS...and they are going to schedule a meeting with thier field rep to train the girls there on how to handle immigrants looking for licenses...meanwhile I am soooo confused!

When I wrote the test and took the road test I was told that was all I needed to do and to bring my passport with my K-1 stamp with me.

grrr

anyone else have this hard of a time or am I being jerked around????

(sigh), I live in ohio too and I'm about to head down this road. I was told you could have a Ohio DL once you got your NOA1 for AOS. No one really knows the law for sure. One thing to try, go to a DIFFERENT office and try your luck. We have 4 places to get a DL within 15 minutes of my house, some places are easier than others, some are morons.

I just did some more reading and found out ohio now requires POLP "Proof of Lawful Presence". A NOA for AOS is not enough to meet this burden, however if you applied for and recieved an EAD (Employment Authorization Document), this is an official INS document with dates states the alien can legally be employeed in the USA, this then proves "Lawful Presence". The DL will only be issued for the length of the EAD. I can't say Ohio is specifically taking the EAD, but I have found a documention showing other states are as POLP.

If you read this: http://www.bmv.ohio.gov/driver_license/nonrenewlic.htm it doesn't say what documents are acceptable for POLP, just that they are needed.

I'm trying to find the actual statue of Ohio Senate Bill 184 to see if there is a specific list of acceptable documents.

[evilcanuck 0]

if it takes time ok i can always wait till i get the ead or aos....my real issue is...am i driving legally???? i was added to my husbands insurance with just my name, they didnt even ask for my licnse # from ontario (?????) but I dont know if my ontario license is legal since i dont reside in ontario anymore...the girl at the bmv said 'you should be ok' ...thats not reassuring enuf!!!

[Cassie 8]

if it takes time ok i can always wait till i get the ead or aos....my real issue is...am i driving legally???? i was added to my husbands insurance with just my name, they didnt even ask for my licnse # from ontario (?????) but I dont know if my ontario license is legal since i dont reside in ontario anymore...the girl at the bmv said 'you should be ok' ...thats not reassuring enuf!!!

I had the same problem with Oklahoma -- and I was told that since my Nova Scotian license was still valid I could use it until I was able to apply for my OK DL. So I did, and it worked out fine.

[britbird 4]

The people who work at the DMV for the most part probably don't have that much exposure to people in our situation. You need to state your case and back it up with the document evidence (point out that you have brought all the necessary documents that allow you to have a license). Ask to speak to a supervisor or manager if the front desk person doesn't seem to get the clue. It worked for me.

[Cassie 8]

The people who work at the DMV for the most part probably don't have that much exposure to people in our situation. You need to state your case and back it up with the document evidence (point out that you have brought all the necessary documents that allow you to have a license). Ask to speak to a supervisor or manager if the front desk person doesn't seem to get the clue. It worked for me.

I tried that myself, and it worked until they finally found their manual which explicitly stated that K-1ers can't apply for a DL until proof of residency can be shown. And the NOA1 for AOS wasn't going to cut it, unfortunately. So I drove around on my Canadian DL, waited until I had the green card, and then I marched down to the office and got my OK DL.

[gatoradenz 0]

I just found out that to get our new auto insurance i had to be a fully licenced driver, 1 week before we had to renew it. I have only driven twice since coming here!!! I live in Kansas, they almost wouldnt accept my passport and temp green card, but then finally said oookkkk... eesshhh. Passed both the written and driving test one day apart (wed 8th Feb & Thurs 9th Feb), talk about pressure. Funnily enough they only took me on a 10 min drive thru streets with NO traffic!!! weird. My friend in VA got taken around the block and got hers too!!! I know some states are really strict though. GOOD LUCK!

[mentaleruptions 0]

We will be moving to Ohio in March of this year. Does this mean i cant even get a learners permitt until i have either gone through AOS or have my EAD ??

Tom

[Boiler 43,720]

I know of no State that has a strict driving test.

Tom, read all about it here:

http://www.wvdot.com/6_motorists/dmv/6g1a_...fication%20Card

[evilcanuck 0]

We will be moving to Ohio in March of this year. Does this mean i cant even get a learners permitt until i have either gone through AOS or have my EAD ??

Tom

if your country has reciprocation with usa, (you dont need a special license to drive here) you apparently are allowed to drive here on you home country license until you can get your ohio one. I had to do the written and driver test, and its extremely easy, but they didnt issue me a learners permit, just told me to use my ontario one until i can prove 'permanant residency'

I am going to go back to the office where i wrote the license to try to figure some things out, I think the k-1 visa coupled with the marriage license should be enough to prove residency. The us govt allowed me to move here on the cndition I marry, i can prove I married, ...whats the problem?????? I'll keep u all informed tho.

my insurance is requiring my licence by the 28th!!!