My success story: Missouri Driver's Licence under K1 Visa

[Bh_sarah 942]

Sharing this to whoever is confused if Missouri lets you have a DL under K1 visa.

For start, I always thought I was not going to be able to drive here under my K1 visa. I researched this topic a lot on VJ and other immigration forums and groups and only heard of one successful story when it comes to obtaining a limite-term DL in MO and managing to extend it after the I-94 expired (MO doesn't accept AOS NOA1/receipt as proof of lawful status). I didn't think I would be successful, but guess I was lucky and I am glad I tried – I ended up never being unable to drive in Missouri.

I already have a driver's license from my home country (Brazil) and a driver's license from Canada (I lived there for a few years). Before my arrival, my then fiancé contacted the Missouri Department of Revenue about it and they pointed him to the Missouri Highway Patrol. The highway patrol stated that I could drive with my Brazilian or Canadian license for the first 30 days, and I would need to also carry my passport and visa with me.

On day 5 after my arrival, we went to the best rated license office nearby with the list of documents that the MO Department of Revenue provides for one to get a non-real ID/DL. I had a foreign passport with unexpired visa/I-94 (that counts as both ID and proof of lawful status) and a proof of residence (the receipt the SSA gave me saying I applied for a SSN). But they needed the SSN card as well (I still had not received the card). I was glad they didn't say right away I wasn't able to get one under K1.

Once I got my SSN in the mail, I went back to the license office. They told me they would issue me a state ID so I could go to highway patrol and take the written and road tests. Once they gave me the temporary state ID, I went straight to the highway patrol. They made me take a vision test and a written test, and I passed both. For the road test though, there is no scheduling, and they told me it was pretty busy so I would need to get there early. 2 days later, I arrived there at 6:30 AM and... I was the 9th in line! They opened at 8 am and then told me my test would be at 11 am. I went back there at 11 am, passed the road test, and then went straight back to the license office with the test results. They finally were able to issue me a limited-term driver's license that same day. My license expiration was the same as my I-94. During the validity of this license, I also went there to update my license to my married name. All worked well.

One week before my limited-term license expired, I decided to try my luck and ask for a renewal with only the AOS NOA1/receipt. It was not listed on their documents accepted for proof of lawful status. They tried inserting my case number in the system, passport, expired I-94, etc, and nothing worked. I thought I would be unable to drive while adjusting status, but they called the state to check on my situation and, out of the blue, the state faxed the license office a 30-day "temporary driving priviledge" in my name. It's a piece of paper saying I am allowed to drive for 30 days even though my license was expired. I counted that as a huge win.

During those 30 days, I received the approval notice/NOA2 for my combo card (EAD/AP). Since my 30 days were about to expire, I went back to the license office with the NOA2 trusting that was enough as proof of lawful status. Their own checklist of documents says that I-797 notices of approval are accepted. They didn't accept it, I still do not understand why, but my guess is that the system checks the case status with USCIS and that was showing it as "case is being actively reviewed" even though I had my approval notice with me. They said they needed the card and then told me to call the state. After an hour waiting, state told me there was nothing they could do when it came to the NOA2, but I should go back to the license office the next day that they would issue me another 30-day driving privilege.

That same day, late in the evening, my AOS was approved and my EAD status changed to "card was produced". I went to the license office in the morning the next day and thought that I would get a license now since the online status had changed. No deal. They wanted the card. And then I got the privilege paper again, more 30 days.

I decided then to only go back there with my GC since it was a good timeframe, between the 30 days. 2 weeks after approval, I got my GC in the mail and that same day, went to the license office and finally was able to get a 6-year driver's license in Missouri. It was the 7th time I went there, the agents even knew me by name. Glad that I won't have to go back there for 6 years! And even more glad that I was never unable to drive here.

Hope that helps anyone looking for info on MO DL's under K1/AOS.


TL;DR
With unexpired K1 I-94:

- Found the best rated DMV/License office nearby

- Went there with my SSN card, proof of residence, passport with visa, I-94

- They issued me a state ID (not proper for driving) and redirected me to the highway patrol for testing

- I went to the highway patrol, did the written and vision test on that same day, passed

- I was told I would need to be back for a road test. There is no scheduling, first come first serve

- I went there super early and stayed in line, told I needed to take a road test, they asked me to come back in a certain time, I did, took the road test, passed

- Went back to the license office with all the original documents + the proof from higway patrol I passed the tests

- Got a 90 day Missouri DL (same expiration date as my I-94)

With AOS NOA1/receipt:
- Tried my luck and one week before my license expired, went to the license office with my AOS receipt/NO1
- They couldn't insert me in the system due to no expiration date on NOA1
- Agent called the state to see what was possible

- They issued me a 30 day "temporary driving privilege" that I needed to carry along with my license

With EAD NOA2/approval notice:
- They didn't accept my combo card/EAD NOA2/I-797 notice of approval even though the DOR says they accept it as proof of lawful status
- They said the system still showed as pending (the case status was still as case being reviewed)
- They told me they needed the actual EAD/combo card
- They called the state and issued me another 30 day "temporary driving privilege" that I needed to carry along with my license

With GC:
- Conditional green card was accepted as my proof of lawful status
- They issued me a 6-year Missouri Driver's License

[Boiler 43,453]

31 minutes ago, Bh_sarah said:

1. The highway patrol stated that I could drive with my Brazilian or Canadian license for the first 30 days, and I would need to also carry my passport and visa with me.

2. One week before my limited-term license expired, I decided to try my luck and ask for a renewal with only the AOS NOA1/receipt. It was not listed on their documents accepted for proof of lawful status. They tried inserting my case number in the system, passport, expired I-94, etc, and nothing worked. I thought I would be unable to drive while adjusting status, but they called the state to check on my situation and, out of the blue, the state faxed the license office a 30-day "temporary driving privilege" in my name. It's a piece of paper saying I am allowed to drive for 30 days even though my license was expired. I counted that as a huge win.

3. During those 30 days, I received the approval notice/NOA2 for my combo card (EAD/AP). Since my 30 days were about to expire, I went back to the license office with the NOA2 trusting that was enough as proof of lawful status. Their own checklist of documents says that I-797 notices of approval are accepted. They didn't accept it, I still do not understand why, but my guess is that the system checks the case status with USCIS and that was showing it as "case is being actively reviewed" even though I had my approval notice with me. They said they needed the card and then told me to call the state. After an hour waiting, state told me there was nothing they could do when it came to the NOA2, but I should go back to the license office the next day that they would issue me another 30-day driving privilege.

3. I decided then to only go back there with my GC since it was a good timeframe, between the 30 days. 2 weeks after approval, I got my GC in the mail and that same day, went to the license office and finally was able to get a 6-year driver's license in Missouri. It was the 7th time I went there, the agents even knew me by name. Glad that I won't have to go back there for 6 years! And even more glad that I was never unable to drive here.

1. The Feds require you ti carry your Passport until you have a GC, I seriously doubt the Highway Patrol have any understanding of visas, until you have your GC.

 

2. The 30 day privilege is interesting to know, pretty sure my State does not do that,

 

3. They obviously have some leeway of they choose to use it.

 

4. EAD works in every State as far as I know, some people get GC before EAD bit that is pretty unusual.

 

Something for Missouri K1's to know, bit it does reinforce what a hassle the K1 can be.

[TBoneTX 43,062]

4 hours ago, Bh_sarah said:

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Very enlightening thread that took obvious effort to write so completely.  Thanks for contributing this!