Driver License expired while waiting for Greencard

[soulmate 0]

I am on Remove of Conditional's process right now. I filed my paperwork in late May'08 and now I am still waiting for approval. My driver license has expired already. I just went to DMV, they can not issue me a new license with expired Greencard. So there is any other way to get driver license. They say they need to have a card to prove (not even accepting a notice or letter from Immagration).

Thanks guys.

[Jesti 0]

Same thing happen to me, the DMV here in Texas didn't take my passport which was stamped in DHS (which is say that my I-551 will not expired until may 2009), they just ask for the Green Card (don't they understand if the stamped passport is the some ) or they'll take foreign passport that has I-94, which is mine expired in sept 2004.

Maybe you DMV the will give you DL if you go to make info pass and get your passport stamp, because it's work in other state. Good Luck.

[*JG* 2]

That is not correct. You may need to go back and demand to speak to a supervisor.

If you take the NOA from the filing of you ROC, it will extend your legal permanent residence status for one year and give you another expiration date. That letter plus your expired greencared IS all you need to extend it another year.

Fight for this one.

[luzviminda 0]

Some states are just extremely strict about this. I could not renew my DL here in Texas because they would not accept the NOA1. I called them to see if they will accept the I-551 stamp on my passport but they said no, too. Good thing I called so I didn't have to go through the hassle of getting an InfoPass appointment. DPS just told me to wait for GC and then come back. Good thing, though: card production was ordered two days ago!

You could try going to another DMV office. Maybe someone there will be more helpful. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for the GC.

[Jesti 0]

Some states are just extremely strict about this. I could not renew my DL here in Texas because they would not accept the NOA1. I called them to see if they will accept the I-551 stamp on my passport but they said no, too. Good thing I called so I didn't have to go through the hassle of getting an InfoPass appointment. DPS just told me to wait for GC and then come back. Good thing, though: card production was ordered two days ago!

You could try going to another DMV office. Maybe someone there will be more helpful. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for the GC.

I went to 3 DL offices all didn't take what I have, what a waste . They told me to wait until I get GC too, which mean who knows for how long. Maybe we just have to drive without license until we get new GC, LOL.

[soulmate 0]

This is just a pain......Thanks guys.

Hope I will get a GC soon unless I have to try other DMVs.. you know DMV, they are such a pain too.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I have heard that Texas passed legislation that it will only accept photo id so that is why the passport stamp and the NOA notice are not accepted - they are too easy to fake. So, USCIS in Texas HAS to be aware of this problem.

I haven't tried this but it might be worth a try - someone else posted this suggestion. Make an Infopass appointment, bring 2 passport photos with you and ask them if they will provide you with an I-94 inclluding your photograph and dated for the year's extension just so you can get a driver's license renewed. This is really a problem of State and Federal legislation being at odds and neither side willing to accept responsibility for the problems they are causing - legal immigrants (and their employers) are being caught in the middle. So, this is a viable solution if you can get USCIS to go along with it. (See if you can get some sort of written statement from the DMV that they will not accept the passport stamp and the NOA to take with you to USCIS).

If all else fails - remember this is an election year and you are married to a voter AND may be a voter yourself soon - also you have employers and friends who are voters - remind DMV and USCIS of that through contacting the media about this problem. Let your Senator and Representatives know that they are alienating legitimate voters by their failure to observe proper immigration procedures. Unfortunately, sometimes you need to use all the leverage you have to get that squeaky wheel to move. Good Luck.

Edited July 26, 2008 by Kathryn41

[soulmate 0]

That's very interesting information....thanks!

[jm24 0]

wth are they serious? i live in california. anyone else had the same problem? so how are we suppose to drive until then? and from reading some of the stories on how the USCIS is taking forever in ordering/approving the 10 yr GC, we might not be able to drive until lord knows when!?!?!?!

[yandresyuk 0]

That is so just so strange, I live in Virginia and went with my NOA and got my license renewed with no problems.

wth are they serious? i live in california. anyone else had the same problem? so how are we suppose to drive until then? and from reading some of the stories on how the USCIS is taking forever in ordering/approving the 10 yr GC, we might not be able to drive until lord knows when!?!?!?!

[jamieswith 0]

Driving is controlled at the State level - not at the federal level.

Therefore laws and requirements can and do change from state-to-state.

Regards,

Jamie

That is so just so strange, I live in Virginia and went with my NOA and got my license renewed with no problems.

wth are they serious? i live in california. anyone else had the same problem? so how are we suppose to drive until then? and from reading some of the stories on how the USCIS is taking forever in ordering/approving the 10 yr GC, we might not be able to drive until lord knows when!?!?!?!

[NickD 203]

Same thing happened to us, as the USC went in with my wife for her renewal and she was rejected, what in the hell is a one year extension. I was so angry, came home and called our governor, was shifted to our newly appointed immigration officer that didn't know ####### about how the USCIS operates, so spent the next week burning up my fax machine educating him. Then he contacted the head of our DMV, a woman, forgot her name, she called me and apologized and said she called our local DMV and told them to issue my wife's license.

At first they only wanted to issue her license for the duration of her one year extension, said not good enough, it's not our fault that damned USCIS is so slow and we filed our I-751 a full 90 days, the maximum they would let us before her green card expired.

So I went back into our local DMV office with my wife, not a word was said, and they issued her the full eight year license with no restrictions on it.

This system we have may have started out okay, but is crazy when you have cities, townships, counties, states, and the federal government all making different rules and not one of them knows what the other is doing, but they all affect us as individuals because we have to abide by all these rules.

The USCIS is at the federal level and the states have no business interfering with them and I was not afraid to tell our newly appointed immigration officer that simple fact and with no argument, wife is here legally and that is all he should be concerned about.

When I hear a politician say we need local control, not the least bit afraid to tell him to his face, his only interest is keeping his overpaid under worked job. What's really stupid is when you have a school board consisting of ashpoles wanting to ban a book your kid needs to go to college. You get the point?

My wife is a guest of this country and all is new to her, I can't expect her to demand her rights, as the USC, you have to defend your spouses rights and you have to know the law! And you will be dealing with ashpoles, that guy put in charge helped the governor with his campaign just like the president puts jerks in charge of key agencies, the USCIS being no exception with Emilio, took the American board of immigration attorneys to get rid of that jerk that created a huge mess.

One thing I did like about our military, was the first place in my life we were one country, was really stupid in high school, was brainwashed into thinking our greatest enemy was the next high school in the next town about six miles away. If we couldn't beat them at football, had to drive around that town and do damage, I was brought up that way. Same ####### today, have to really defend my home on homecoming night, it's stupid, just plain downright stupid!!!! We should be but one country, dealing with the world now.

[46]

Driving is controlled at the State level - not at the federal level.

Therefore laws and requirements can and do change from state-to-state.

Regards,

Jamie

Yes, that's why the way to approach this issue is to run it up the state flag pole, so to speak. Contact the DMV political appointees, your state rep, and your state senator. Approaching the USCIS might provide you with documentation to meet this bizarre challenge, but its the state that should accept federal ID.

[NickD 203]

Driving is controlled at the State level - not at the federal level.

Immigration is controlled at the federal level, not at the state level.

So is this an immigration issue or whether you are even capable of driving a vehicle issue?

If they will not issue you a driver's license because of immigration or their misinterpretation of immigration law or procedure, I feel it's none of their business as long as you can prove you are a permanent resident.

All this ####### started because the feds do not want to handle the illegals, but left the states holding the bag for the extra expense these illegals are costing them. But we are here legally waiting for the USCIS to take it's sweet time, puts us between a rock and a hard place.

Ha, a couple of months later went in with my step daughter for her license renewal, no problems, they just renewed it and for the full eight years. But the first go around was a fight.

The other question I have, is the I-751 catching any bad guys to really justify this program? Old INS instituted this as well as increased background checking for false applications, in other words, marriage just for the sake of bringing in people. Maybe that increased delay and background checking, fines, prison, was enough. After these changes, marriage applications dropped from over 2 million per year down to 140K. So why the I-751?

What is really ironic is that in other sections of this site, either the immigrant of the USC is complaining about the intentions of each other and going back to the USCIS to file complaints to get free of it. So why are the good guys paying the price? USCIS or the courts are going to hear about it anyway to catch the bad guys. Does this make sense?

[jm24 0]

i live in CA. i just went to my local DMV with the extension letter and the notice of limited term driver's license that was sent to me by DMV. they didn't have a problem with the extention letter, luckily, and they issued me a new DL. However, the lady punched hole my license so you can't see the year it expires, which is SEPT 2008. She gave me an interim DL that is printed on paper, took my picture, and said that the new card will arrive within 3 weeks... i'm not sure when my new DL will expire but i'll post it as soon as i get it.

i'm glad it went smoothly but now my DL has a hole in it... anyone else had the same experience???

Edited July 30, 2008 by jm24