Horrible experience trying to get a driver's license

[JVKn'CVO 11]

I'm feeling so incredibly bad right now

I went to the DPS today to get my learner's permit. I had my passport with K1 visa(with alien number of course), I-94 valid until jan 10, SSN card, Marriage certificate, liability insurance with my name on it, NOA1 for AOS

And I wasn't allowed to get a license

Why? because you need an I-94 valid for at least a year

Options given by the DPS = have the I-94 extended for a year (what??? is that even possible? I don't think so. I called USCIS, they said it's not possible to extend the I-94)

Wait until you have your green card (!!!!!!!!!)

Options provided by me

I should get my EAD I-765 in about 1-2 months, would that be valid identification? - DPS answer: no

Options being considered right now:

*Schedule an infopass appointment with San Antonio office see if they can extend my I-94, or what can they do (Should I even bother??)

Big question: What option would I choose when making the inforpass appointment

TX DPS web site states:

Forms of primary identification

-Resident Alien Card (I-551)

-Temporary Resident Identification Card (I-688)

-Employment Authorization Card (I-688A, I-688B or I-766)

-Border Crosser Card (USA B1/B2, VISA/BBC

-A Foreign Passport with a visa (valid or expired) and: Form I-94 with status code F1 or F2, an unexpired Form I-20, and evidence of current enrollment in an educational institution located in Texas or sponsorship in a visiting working program:

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

Source: TX DPS

Why does it say "Employment Authorization Card (I-688A, I-688B or I-766)" and not list I-765? Does I-766 exist or is this a mistake on the website?

I feel horrible

Saludos,

Caro

Edited November 20, 2007 by JVKn'CVO

[Alt name 1]

Interesting information, thanks. We will probably be looking at the same issues in a couple of months and I appreciate the post.

[*JG* 2]

Andre got his green card and went immediately to get his license. No issues. Except that it now expires when his 2 year green card expires. We will have to go back with the NOA and get it extended for the one year extension period and then again when his conditions are lifted.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Andre got his green card and went immediately to get his license. No issues. Except that it now expires when his 2 year green card expires. We will have to go back with the NOA and get it extended for the one year extension period and then again when his conditions are lifted.

How did he manage almost 4 months without driving? Green cards are taking so long to arrive and you really need a car in Austin, so I'm preety much stuck in the house all day until Justin gets home from work and I hate it.

Saludos,

Caro

[peejay 327]

I'm feeling so incredibly bad right now

I went to the DPS today to get my learner's permit. I had my passport with K1 visa(with alien number of course), I-94 valid until jan 10, SSN card, Marriage certificate, liability insurance with my name on it, NOA1 for AOS

And I wasn't allowed to get a license

Why? because you need an I-94 valid for at least a year

Options given by the DPS = have the I-94 extended for a year (what??? is that even possible? I don't think so. I called USCIS, they said it's not possible to extend the I-94)

Wait until you have your green card (!!!!!!!!!)

Options provided by me

I should get my EAD I-765 in about 1-2 months, would that be valid identification? - DPS answer: no

Options being considered right now:

*Schedule an infopass appointment with San Antonio office see if they can extend my I-94, or what can they do (Should I even bother??)

Big question: What option would I choose when making the inforpass appointment

TX DPS web site states:

Forms of primary identification

-Resident Alien Card (I-551)

-Temporary Resident Identification Card (I-688)

-Employment Authorization Card (I-688A, I-688B or I-766)

-Border Crosser Card (USA B1/B2, VISA/BBC

-A Foreign Passport with a visa (valid or expired) and: Form I-94 with status code F1 or F2, an unexpired Form I-20, and evidence of current enrollment in an educational institution located in Texas or sponsorship in a visiting working program:

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

Source: TX DPS

Why does it say "Employment Authorization Card (I-688A, I-688B or I-766)" and not list I-765? Does I-766 exist or is this a mistake on the website?

I feel horrible

Saludos,

Caro

I think you are confused. The I-765 is the form to get your EAD. It's not the actual EAD you will get from US-CIS.

It's been quite a while (2004) since my wife and stepdaughter went to get their learner's permit, so my memory of it is fading. They got state ID's and learner's permits before they ever got their EAD's in 2004. It appears the rules have tightened since 2004.

It sounds like you will have to wait for the EAD since the I-94 is not extendable. The EAD you will get from US-CIS will be accepted according to the TX DPS site. That's the way it looks to me.

Good luck.

[*JG* 2]

Andre got his green card and went immediately to get his license. No issues. Except that it now expires when his 2 year green card expires. We will have to go back with the NOA and get it extended for the one year extension period and then again when his conditions are lifted.

How did he manage almost 4 months without driving? Green cards are taking so long to arrive and you really need a car in Austin, so I'm preety much stuck in the house all day until Justin gets home from work and I hate it.

Saludos,

Caro

He went 5 months without driving. He learned to use the bus and light rail systems to get around. And he walked a lot.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

I think you are confused. The I-765 is the form to get your EAD. It's not the actual EAD you will get from US-CIS.

It's been quite a while (2004) since my wife and stepdaughter went to get their learner's permit, so my memory of it is fading. They got state ID's and learner's permits before they ever got their EAD's in 2004. It appears the rules have tightened since 2004.

It sounds like you will have to wait for the EAD since the I-94 is not extendable. The EAD you will get from US-CIS will be accepted according to the TX DPS site. That's the way it looks to me.

Good luck.

Thanks peejay,

wow I was actually on the phone with USCIS when you answered. They told me the same thing you did, that I-765 is the form to request the I-766 EAD, so I'll have to wait until that arrives. It's going to be a long 3 months

How did he manage almost 4 months without driving? Green cards are taking so long to arrive and you really need a car in Austin, so I'm preety much stuck in the house all day until Justin gets home from work and I hate it.

Saludos,

Caro

He went 5 months without driving. He learned to use the bus and light rail systems to get around. And he walked a lot.

I've been doing that but just going to pick up drycleaners takes me 2 hours. South Austin public transportation system is really not good.

Saludos,

Caro

[StoryAngel 4]

I had some similar questions thinking ahead as I'll be moving to Houston in a few months... another place where you REALLY need a car. You can read the thread here. Do you already have a non-US license? If so, of particular interest to you I imagine is what I found on the Texas DPS site:

1) How long can I drive with an out-of-country driver license?

Generally, a person 18 to 75 years of age with a valid out-of-country driver license in their possession may drive a private, non-commercial motor vehicle in the State of Texas for up to one year from date of entry into the United States, if their home country has reciprocity with the U.S. In order to check for reciprocity agreement status, click on Reciprocity In Driver Licensing or you may contact License Issuance at (512) 424-5089 or by e-mail at license.issuance@txdps.state.tx.us. 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.91.

Hope this helps. Please keep us posted as there are some of us for whom this could also affect!

[JVKn'CVO 11]

I had some similar questions thinking ahead as I'll be moving to Houston in a few months... another place where you REALLY need a car. You can read the thread here. Do you already have a non-US license? If so, of particular interest to you I imagine is what I found on the Texas DPS site:

1) How long can I drive with an out-of-country driver license?

Generally, a person 18 to 75 years of age with a valid out-of-country driver license in their possession may drive a private, non-commercial motor vehicle in the State of Texas for up to one year from date of entry into the United States, if their home country has reciprocity with the U.S. In order to check for reciprocity agreement status, click on Reciprocity In Driver Licensing or you may contact License Issuance at (512) 424-5089 or by e-mail at license.issuance@txdps.state.tx.us. 37 Texas Administrative Code 15.91.

Hope this helps. Please keep us posted as there are some of us for whom this could also affect!

Thank you Story Angel, that's good information. I don't have a license from my home country but hopefully it will help others.

Saludos,

Caro

[pucklechurch 0]

He went 5 months without driving. He learned to use the bus and light rail systems to get around. And he walked a lot.

Bus and light rail systems? You were lucky. Until I got my licence I was 'the only pedestrian in the village' and certainly the only one walking up to the drive-through ATMs, loitering behind cars waiving my card around to show what I was intending to do.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

He went 5 months without driving. He learned to use the bus and light rail systems to get around. And he walked a lot.

Bus and light rail systems? You were lucky. Until I got my licence I was 'the only pedestrian in the village' and certainly the only one walking up to the drive-through ATMs, loitering behind cars waiving my card around to show what I was intending to do.

Tell me about it!! Another problem, grocery shopping! I can't buy more than a few things a time, enough for me to carry the mile back home

Saludos,

Caro

[RYME 0]

HI, it is bad to hear that! i understand what is not working.

The laws in Texas are different to get the driver license becuase i got my driver license as soon i arrived in Florida just with my passport and I 94 and now with the receipt of the AOS i changed it.

Just be patiente good things take time!

bye

meli

[tweety 1]

May-be try another DPS office? That's what I would do.

I had to wait for my EAD to get my DL (in Oklahoma), but I've already had a DL from my home country on which I could drive, so it wasn't a big deal.

Hope you get it sorted and get your permit soon.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Thank you Ryme and tweety

What bugs me the most is that I have my own car in the driveway just sitting there, what a bunch of *(poop)*!

The way laws are right now, a visitor, provided he/she has a I-94 valid for a year, can get a license, but someone who's been through background checks, medical examinations, is here to stay... has her/his hands tied for 4-5 months, can't work, can't drive, nothing...I'm so mad!!

Something else that bugs me: their ignorance and harassment. First, they treated me like #######, saying things like "oh, you have to prove you're here legally" (as I had all the papers mentioned in the first post in front of her, and then her supervisor), "The only thing that matters to us is the I-94", "oh, it's just that the immigration issues going on right now have really closed our borders", "I know it doesn't make any sense, it's just what the big bosses say","ask immigrations to extend your I-94", "oh, well, DO YOU HAVE A US BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR PASSPORT?" #######!!??

All this of course, with Justin right next to me who couldn't believe his eyes.

I lost count of the number of times I asked them if I could get a license with the EAD, and they kept saying no and that I would have to wait for my green card, and then back home going into their website and finding the EAD listed right there.

I hate this

Saludos,

Caro

Edited November 21, 2007 by JVKn'CVO

[~*Maria*~ 1]

I just got my Nebraska driver's license 2 weeks ago after passing my drive test, valid for 5 years....... and my GC hasnt even been approved yet!! all i showed them at the examiner's office was my EAD