Got my TX DL!! :)

[StoryAngel 4]

Finally!! Last week I passed the written part of the DL test. Two days ago I failed the driving part (on parallel parking... ) but passed it at 8am this morning in the MIDDLE OF A THUNDERSTORM!! Pretty crazy, and only 3 deductions!!

Some tips

• Written test

  There were a LOT of questions on how much penalties were (especially the stuff about teenagers). There were also a lot of road signs. I did the test on computer and you can skip questions you're not sure about and come back to them later. I initially skipped a couple of the "how much is this penalty" ones as I was a little hazy on them, and answered enough of the other questions to pass! It's out of 30 and once you reach 21 you've passed and don't have to answer any more.

• Driving test (I'm in Houston)

  I had to show up by 7am on whichever day I wanted to take the test. The first time we were there just before 7am and there were about a dozen people there. By 7.30am this had grown to about 30 or 40. This morning (in the rain) there were only half a dozen of us. Really quiet.

  • Practice parallel parking! It was just about the first thing in my test and took me by surprise the first time (which is why I failed). But you can practice in the actual parking spot used in the test outside DPS working hours. We did that a LOT in between my two tests and it made it a whole lot easier.
  • Make sure you observe speed limits, including not driving too slowly. One guy I spoke to failed because he'd observed a school zone speed limit when it wasn't necessary and was penalized for holding up traffic. Also make sure you take note of reduced speed limits in construction zones! There's a construction zone right outside our local DPS and lots of people had been failed for driving too fast there.
  • Use your turn signals ALL THE TIME! Including indicating going into and out of the parallel park. Another thing somebody was failed on, evidently.
  • Make it obvious you're using your mirrors throughout the entire test.
  • Try and avoid taking your test in a thunderstorm like I had to!

Any new TX drivers out there? As GC holders do we get slammed by this new regulation and get Temporary Visitor stamped on our DL? I'd be interested to hear from anyone else in this position...

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Congrats on you DL! I know how important it is to have one in TX. I got mine over a year ago so not sure if they did get the go ahead for marking GC as "temporary visitor", but I'm interested in finding out

Saludos,

Caro

[Nagishkaw 510]

CONGRATULATIONS, StoryAngel !

[Minya's wife 25]

Finally!! Last week I passed the written part of the DL test. Two days ago I failed the driving part (on parallel parking... ) but passed it at 8am this morning in the MIDDLE OF A THUNDERSTORM!! Pretty crazy, and only 3 deductions!!

Some tips

• Written test

  There were a LOT of questions on how much penalties were (especially the stuff about teenagers). There were also a lot of road signs. I did the test on computer and you can skip questions you're not sure about and come back to them later. I initially skipped a couple of the "how much is this penalty" ones as I was a little hazy on them, and answered enough of the other questions to pass! It's out of 30 and once you reach 21 you've passed and don't have to answer any more.

• Driving test (I'm in Houston)

  I had to show up by 7am on whichever day I wanted to take the test. The first time we were there just before 7am and there were about a dozen people there. By 7.30am this had grown to about 30 or 40. This morning (in the rain) there were only half a dozen of us. Really quiet.

  • Practice parallel parking! It was just about the first thing in my test and took me by surprise the first time (which is why I failed). But you can practice in the actual parking spot used in the test outside DPS working hours. We did that a LOT in between my two tests and it made it a whole lot easier.
  • Make sure you observe speed limits, including not driving too slowly. One guy I spoke to failed because he'd observed a school zone speed limit when it wasn't necessary and was penalized for holding up traffic. Also make sure you take note of reduced speed limits in construction zones! There's a construction zone right outside our local DPS and lots of people had been failed for driving too fast there.
  • Use your turn signals ALL THE TIME! Including indicating going into and out of the parallel park. Another thing somebody was failed on, evidently.
  • Make it obvious you're using your mirrors throughout the entire test.
  • Try and avoid taking your test in a thunderstorm like I had to!

Any new TX drivers out there? As GC holders do we get slammed by this new regulation and get Temporary Visitor stamped on our DL? I'd be interested to hear from anyone else in this position...

Congrats. By your review, it seems nothing has changed since last year, when my husband got his license....I just wanted to add that if you drive a stick-shift, make sure you keep both hands on the steering wheel when you're driving. That's the only deduction my husband got during his driving tes...one-handed driving.

[StoryAngel 4]

Minya's Wife: Yup, I also was driving stick shift (which impressed a number of other "automatic" wannabe drivers in the line while we waited, hehe!)

[TBoneTX 45,451]

If I recall correctly (and you can check an earlier thread, perhaps in this same forum), the Texas DPS is taking it upon itself to issue DIFFERENT driver's licenses to all noncitizens than it issues to citizens. This, despite the legal status and rights conferred by a green card.

[Betti 1]

I just got my drivers license in TX in january and would like to add to be careful with the stop signs. You should stop way before the white line, so you can still see it from the car. I had 2 deductiond because I only stopped on the line, not in front of it. I passed the test anyway, lucky me :-)

Congratulations to you!

[StoryAngel 4]

Betti, do you have a "regular" license or does it have the Temporary Visitor designation? I'm still trying to find out what to expect...

[Mina76 0]

CONGRATULATIONS, StoryAngel !

Same here, Congratulations on getting your DL!!!

[Minya's wife 25]

If I recall correctly (and you can check an earlier thread, perhaps in this same forum), the Texas DPS is taking it upon itself to issue DIFFERENT driver's licenses to all noncitizens than it issues to citizens. This, despite the legal status and rights conferred by a green card.

It must be a very recent change. My husband's driving license has the standard 6 year expiration date, even though he got his DL using his one year EAD (the conditional greencard was approved, but hadn't arrived in the mail yet when he took the test...so we used the EAD).

From the TX DPS website:

All original applicants for a Texas driver license or identification certificate must present proof of identity satisfactory to the department. (All applicants for a driver license must also provide proof of their social security number). All documents must be verifiable by the source that issued the document.

There are three categories of documents that may be presented to establish proof of identity. Every original applicant must present:

one piece of primary identification; or

one piece of secondary identification plus two pieces of support identification; or

two pieces of secondary identification.

Primary Identification (accepted without need for to present other identification) is:

Texas driver license (DL) or identification certificate (ID) with photo within two-years of expiration date.

Unexpired United States passport

United States Citizenship Certificate or Certificate of Naturalization with identifiable photo

( N-560, N-561, N-645, N-550, N-55G, N-570 or N-578)

Unexpired Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) or US Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services document issued for a period of at least one year and must be valid for no less than six (6) months from the date presented to the department with a completed application. The document must contain verifiable data and identifiable photo, specifically:

• US Citizen Identification Card

  (I-179 or I-197)

• Resident Alien Card (I-551)
• Temporary Resident Identification Card (I-688)
• Employment Authorization Card

  (I-688A, I-688B or I-766)

A Foreign Passport with a visa (valid or expired) and:

1. Form I-94 with status code F1, F2, M1, or M2, an unexpired Form I-20, and evidence of current enrollment in an educational institution located in Texas or sponsorship in a visiting worker program or,

2. Form I-94 with status code J-1 or J-2 and an unexpired Form IAP-66 or Form DS-2019 or,

3. Unexpired Form I-94 with a defined expiration date: Form I-94 must have been issued for a period of at least one year and have at least six months validity remaining.

Unexpired United States military ID card for active duty, reserve or retired personnel with identifiable photo.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administratio...equirements.htm

This is the same ID requirements as last year.

-P

Edited April 4, 2009 by Minya's wife

[StoryAngel 4]

See here for the new ruling which came into effect last October.

Beginning Oct. 1, the Department of Public Safety will require applicants who are

not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents

of the United States to present proof of their lawful status in the U.S. before they are issued an original, renewal or duplicate Texas driver license or identification card.

Then...

Under the new rule, the DPS will issue driver licenses or identification cards to

non-U.S. citizens

only when acceptable documentation has been provided to the Department to confirm the applicant’s lawful status in the United States.

My understanding is that they just want you to prove your immigrant status before you qualify for a DL, a requirement which is for LPRs as well.

In the detailed rules at the bottom of the link I gave, it gives the requirements for citizens, then LPRs, then says:

All others who are NOT a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States:

• Must present valid documentation issued by the U.S. Dept. of Justice, U.S. Dept. of State, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, or U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, that shows LAWFUL TEMPORARY ADMISSION to the U.S.
• If unable to present lawful status documentation, NO DL or ID card will be issued.
• If documentation indicates a lawful temporary admission period of MORE than six months the Temporary Visitor designation and status date will be printed on the card.
• If the lawful admission period in the U.S. expires in LESS than six months from the date of application, NO DL or ID card (original, renewal, or duplicate) will be issued.
• If documentation has an indefinite expiration date of lawful temporary admission (“D/S” or “Duration of Status”), the Temporary Visitor status date printed on the card will be one (1) year from the date of application.

I think this probably means that GC holders are OK and will continue to get a regular license, but I don't think it's totally clear which is why I'm trying to find out from anyone that's got a new TX license since the ruling came in. My temporary license that I was given when I passed my test has a date six years from now, so I guess I've probably answered my own question and LPRs will not be affected. Of course, that's how it should be.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Nick got his TX driver's license in January or early February.

The main change to the law was to make licenses expire when legal creditials expired. So if you had an I-94 or valid visa like student or work visa, to a certain date, your license would be issued only until that date. Before, somebody might get a 6 year license but only be legal for 1 year. It caused problems because having the license kinda indicated having legal status way beyond when it ended. It was to help with the illegal situation.

Nick got his license using his EAD card, so his license is temporary visitor. It's printed "portrait" rather than the normal "landscape" mode to show it's temporary. The expiration is the date his EAD expires. He can go back now (got the green card yesterday) and they will issue him a normal license. Temporary License looks like this.

To add to the tips. Yes study all that teen stuff because the test is heavy on that. Nick skipped that part of the book when he studied. On parallel parking. I was always told just attempt it but don't hit the cone or flag representing the car in front and back of you. If you park badly they take off points. If you hit a "car" they fail you. And it depends on the person examining you too and how strict they are. Nick lost some points for not being close enough to the curb. He took it in a small town and the lady was real easy on him. He just drove around a few residential blocks and parallel parked behind their building. The lady said "I can tell you're a great driver. You pass." Easy peasy.

Edited April 5, 2009 by Nich-Nick

[sj5 4]

Congratulations! Don't drive on wrong side. jk

[Betti 1]

Betti, do you have a "regular" license or does it have the Temporary Visitor designation? I'm still trying to find out what to expect...

I have the temporary license, because at the moment I am in the USA on a J-1 visa that will expire in september. I was told that they only let you take the test and therefor get a license if your visa is valid for at least another 6 months. They wanted to see my SSN, DS 2019 and visa in passport.

[Karaoke 0]

I got it last month with the TEMPORARY VISITOR notation (and yes, I do have a green card). And it is VERTICAL instead of HORIZONTAL.... Pretty nasty, if you ask me. I hope they repeal this law.

Let me know if anyone else with a green card got the same DL from TX..

Betti, do you have a "regular" license or does it have the Temporary Visitor designation? I'm still trying to find out what to expect...

Edited April 6, 2009 by Karaoke