Proof of residence for driver's permit

[lovinglive 24]

Hello forum, 

 

My wife needs to be able to drive in order to enjoy life here more, and she also needs to improve her driving skills before she takes the test.  So we want to get a learner's permit. 

 

It's a bit complicated to explain, but we are having difficulty proving her street address to get the temporary permit.  We could open a bank account and that would enable her to get a monthly statement showing our address. 

 

Also, our state lists one document- I-797 case type on N-565 (application to replace a naturalization/citizenship document).  

 

We do have an I-797 for Advanced Parole, and wondering if that may work?  I'm not sure if the BMV office would recognize the difference between an I-797 for N-565 and I-797 for advanced parole?

 

Does anyone have any experience with this issue and how to resolve it?  

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Verrou 1,901]

3 minutes ago, lovinglive said:

Hello forum, 

 

My wife needs to be able to drive in order to enjoy life here more, and she also needs to improve her driving skills before she takes the test.  So we want to get a learner's permit. 

 

It's a bit complicated to explain, but we are having difficulty proving her street address to get the temporary permit.  We could open a bank account and that would enable her to get a monthly statement showing our address. 

 

Also, our state lists one document- I-797 case type on N-565 (application to replace a naturalization/citizenship document).  

 

We do have an I-797 for Advanced Parole, and wondering if that may work?  I'm not sure if the BMV office would recognize the difference between an I-797 for N-565 and I-797 for advanced parole?

 

Does anyone have any experience with this issue and how to resolve it?  

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

Put her name for joint account. Use that statement for proof of residence 

[OldUser 5,172]

Hi @lovinglive which state are you in? Is this a matter of bringing two documents for proof, not just one? E.g. utility bill / medical bill and bank statement both showing address and name.

[OldUser 5,172]

Also, if renting a place, can add her to the lease and have that as the proof.

[Chancy 6,233]

*** Moved from Working & Traveling During US Immigration to Your New Life In America forum, where topics related to DL are discussed ***

 

[Redro 4,602]

46 minutes ago, lovinglive said:

Hello forum, 

 

My wife needs to be able to drive in order to enjoy life here more, and she also needs to improve her driving skills before she takes the test.  So we want to get a learner's permit. 

 

It's a bit complicated to explain, but we are having difficulty proving her street address to get the temporary permit.  We could open a bank account and that would enable her to get a monthly statement showing our address. 

 

Also, our state lists one document- I-797 case type on N-565 (application to replace a naturalization/citizenship document).  

 

We do have an I-797 for Advanced Parole, and wondering if that may work?  I'm not sure if the BMV office would recognize the difference between an I-797 for N-565 and I-797 for advanced parole?

 

Does anyone have any experience with this issue and how to resolve it?  

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

Bring your marriage certificate AND proof of your residence. That is what I used as proof to obtain my license (used mail addressed to my husband). 

[lovinglive 24]

1 hour ago, OldUser said:

Hi @lovinglive which state are you in? Is this a matter of bringing two documents for proof, not just one? E.g. utility bill / medical bill and bank statement both showing address and name.

Yes, we need two documents, not just one.  We are living with one of my family members so actually none of these documents like utility bill or rental contact are in my name or her name.

Edited October 22, 2022 by lovinglive

[OldUser 5,172]

8 minutes ago, lovinglive said:

Yes, we need two documents, not just one.  We are living with one of my family members so actually none of these documents like utility bill or rental contact are in my name or her name.

I don't know what your wife's immigration status, but you need to accumulate quite a bit of evidence of marital life with address on it for various applications such as I-485, I-751, N-400 (if any applies) So better start early than late. Open those joint accounts, start paying at least mobile phone bills, have pay stubs, insurance etc in this address.

[Kanja 201]

It’s hard to say without knowing state. For example in New York you just fill out an Afadavit attesting to your state, in New Jersey even a sublet lease is fine even if it says $0 , but usually anything’s from DHS, bank statements work. Even if you are staying with friends or family they can always call a cable or gas company and ask them to add someone’s name to the bill, it usually isn’t a big deal. You can then use that as proof of address.

[lovinglive 24]

22 minutes ago, Kanja said:

It’s hard to say without knowing state. For example in New York you just fill out an Afadavit attesting to your state, in New Jersey even a sublet lease is fine even if it says $0 , but usually anything’s from DHS, bank statements work. Even if you are staying with friends or family they can always call a cable or gas company and ask them to add someone’s name to the bill, it usually isn’t a big deal. You can then use that as proof of address.

Yeah, I thought about changing one of the utility bills into my wife's name- it hardly makes any difference as long as it is being paid.  

 

We can definitely get a bank account, that should be easy.  They also said credit card statement, but I'm not sure how difficult it is for someone with no credit history or even history of living in the US to get a credit card?

 

It seems our state is harder than some other states- they said a signed and notarized letter is not sufficient and I think they also don't accept rental contracts.

[Kanja 201]

13 minutes ago, lovinglive said:

Yeah, I thought about changing one of the utility bills into my wife's name- it hardly makes any difference as long as it is being paid.  

 

We can definitely get a bank account, that should be easy.  They also said credit card statement, but I'm not sure how difficult it is for someone with no credit history or even history of living in the US to get a credit card?

 

It seems our state is harder than some other states- they said a signed and notarized letter is not sufficient and I think they also don't accept rental contracts.

Seems like you have your solution. Add them  to one of the utilities, then add them as an authorized user to one of the credit cards. As you mentioned it may be hard for them to get a credit card with no credit history though a store card may be easier. 

[Scandi 3,979]

1 hour ago, lovinglive said:

Yeah, I thought about changing one of the utility bills into my wife's name- it hardly makes any difference as long as it is being paid.  

 

We can definitely get a bank account, that should be easy.  They also said credit card statement, but I'm not sure how difficult it is for someone with no credit history or even history of living in the US to get a credit card?

 

It seems our state is harder than some other states- they said a signed and notarized letter is not sufficient and I think they also don't accept rental contracts.

She applies for a secured credit card so she can start building credit with it. That credit card will also get her monthly statements with her name and address that she use for DMV. 

[lovinglive 24]

5 hours ago, OldUser said:

I don't know what your wife's immigration status, but you need to accumulate quite a bit of evidence of marital life with address on it for various applications such as I-485, I-751, N-400 (if any applies) So better start early than late. Open those joint accounts, start paying at least mobile phone bills, have pay stubs, insurance etc in this address.

Hi OldUser, I just announced to the forum that my wife was recently approved for her green card.  So we're in the clear for a while and the next step is to file the I-751 (albeit a long time from now.)

 

At this point it would be good for her to get her driver's license, so the origin of this post.  

 

The issue is that on the USCIS forms we had a "mailing address" and a "physical address". Most of the mail is going to the mailing address but we need to get a learner's permit at the physical address.  That's why we don't have all of the documents with the right address on them.

[ilikepotatoes 37]

7 hours ago, lovinglive said:

Hello forum, 

 

My wife needs to be able to drive in order to enjoy life here more, and she also needs to improve her driving skills before she takes the test.  So we want to get a learner's permit. 

 

It's a bit complicated to explain, but we are having difficulty proving her street address to get the temporary permit.  We could open a bank account and that would enable her to get a monthly statement showing our address. 

 

Also, our state lists one document- I-797 case type on N-565 (application to replace a naturalization/citizenship document).  

 

We do have an I-797 for Advanced Parole, and wondering if that may work?  I'm not sure if the BMV office would recognize the difference between an I-797 for N-565 and I-797 for advanced parole?

 

Does anyone have any experience with this issue and how to resolve it?  

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

Hubby and I had that same issue when he went to take his permit test. We had already opened up a joint bank account together, but it was too early in the month to have received a statement that had both our names on it. They were super helpful at the DMV, and accepted a letter from the bank stating that we have an account together and we reside at the same address. It ended up not being an issue at all, and he passed the test and got his permit! Definitely start by getting a joint bank account, and then see if your DMV will also accept a letter, confirming her residence. Good luck

[OldUser 5,172]

1 hour ago, lovinglive said:

Hi OldUser, I just announced to the forum that my wife was recently approved for her green card.  So we're in the clear for a while and the next step is to file the I-751 (albeit a long time from now.)

Got it. Just to be clear, the USCIS would want proof of you living together and sharing finances at removal of conditions stage (I-751).

They'd want evidence for the time between you married and she became the resident to the date of her I-751 filing.

It would not be enough to submit one or two joint bank statments dated a month or two prior to filing I-751. You need a lot of samples for the past 2 years at that stage.

Hence my suggestions not to kick the can down the road and start collecting / establishing the evidence starting today.

Edited October 23, 2022 by OldUser