Canadian Obtaining a Florida DL - Lessons Learned

[Sam and Ben 2]

Was going to post this in the vent thread, but figured it might actually be useful to someone else in the same situation/area.

So yesterday, I made the trek into the Licensing Office to apply for my Florida DL. I had made an appointment for early afternoon, which I found out basically means nothing, except that I got to wait in Line 1 instead of Line 2. Woo. All the while, some older gal was ranting at anyone (myself included) that tried to line up in Line 1 because "she was here first". That was interesting.

So I finally got called up to the Receptionist. Just one look at her and I knew we were going to dance. The woman looked like she'd forgotten to remove the stick before coming into work that day.

I handed her my passport, Ontario DL, SSN to get started. In my hands were two proofs of residency, my marriage certificate, and NOAs from all of my current petitions. She looked at my driver's license and passport (maiden name) and my SSN (married name) and immediately said, "Sorry, I can't help you" and handed back my stuff.

I kinda gave a half laugh and said, "um, what?". She told me that because my primary identification was in a different name than my SSN, and because I didn't have a marriage certificate, she couldn't pass me along to someone to apply. I told her I did have it, along with all of my other info, I just didn't know she wanted to see it all right then and there. So I went to hand it all to her. She just shook her head and said it didn't matter, I would have to renew my Ontario DL AND my passport in my married name before she could help me. Haha. Um... k. So I very quickly explained that I could not renew my Ontario DL, as that would have to be in person, and would be rather useless anyhow, as I'm not a resident there. I also said I was not shelling out $100 to renew my Canadian passport in my married name.

I guess when I said that I was not a resident there anymore, flags went up, because she immediately jumped into "Oh well if you don't have a Green Card I can't help you anyhow because you aren't legally here." Sigh. So I had to explain exactly how I most certainly was legal here, take my passport from her and show her the visa, show her what the applications meant, etc etc. THIS IS ALL WITH A GOOD 30 PEOPLE BEHIND ME! She just glared at me while I explained, kept mumbling how my passport wasn't in my married name so it didn't matter, blah blah blah. So I kinda asked if she could perhaps ask a supervisor what they thought of the situation. She ripped my paperwork out of my hands and stormed off to see someone else. This actually scared me, as they were all of my originals and I was quite concerned about this witch dropping something.

So, fifteen minutes later she stormed back and said "You have TWO options only. Leave now, or get a license in your maiden name." She printed off a number and before I even had a chance to respond she called for the next person. Heh. So I sat and waited for forty-five minutes before they called me up. I handed the woman all of my paperwork and she started typing things into the computer. That's when I noticed the sign that said the credit cards they accept - basically everything except Visa. So I asked her about it and she said that she could continue processing the information and then I could run to the back about a block away, or I could return another day. Because I was basically at the end of my rope, I told her that I didn't really need yet another piece of ID in my maiden name, so I'd just go and figure out some way to change over some documents to get a driver's license in my married name.

She said alright and handed me back my documents. She told me that the first thing I'd have to do is change my name on the SSN and then they could help me, and that she was surprised the receptionist even allowed me to wait if my name on the SSN wasn't right. I told her that name is my married name. She looked confused for a second, so I explained the entire situation from the counter about the passport, etc...

"Um, aren't you a Canadian citizen?" Yes.

"Have you filed for the I-485 in your married name?" Yes. (When she mentioned the form by name, I could've hugged her.)

"Let me have all of your documentation back."

Soooo, needless to say, the woman at the counter didn't know ####### about anything and hassled me for a good long while despite not having a clue. I now have a temporary license good for thirty days until my card comes in the mail, in my MARRIED name, which will be good for one year. As an LPR, the license will be good for five.

Sigh.

Edited March 5, 2010 by Sam and Ben

[decocker 7,198]

i'm a usc and my experiences with the dmv have been consistently abhorrent!

glad you held your ground and got through!

[Darnell 8,478]

Soooo, needless to say, the woman at the counter didn't know ####### about anything and hassled me for a good long while despite not having a clue. I now have a temporary license good for thirty days until my card comes in the mail, in my MARRIED name, which will be good for one year. As an LPR, the license will be good for five.

Sigh.

Everyone has a boss, ya?

I hate, absolutely HATE, this type of sloppiness.

Please contact that b|tch's boss, with a letter of complaint. Include a SASE back to you, for the boss's reply. Then let us know how it goes, ya?

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Wow Sam, that doesn't sound pleasant at all! At least when people were giving me a hard time about obtaining a license they were nice about it. Man. That woman must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed!

But, you won! Congrats on getting the license

[derekkj 0]

Lol. This story reminds me of when D went to get his Virginia license. He had filled out the application with his middle name. But for whatever reason his middle name isn't on his passport or Montreal driver's license so the DMV lady said since the names don't match she couldn't process the application. Fortunately a colleague overheard the conversation, grabbed the application, took a pen and crossed out his middle name and said, "Problem solved!" And would you believe that is all it took for the stupid cow to get D his license? I nearly wet myself I was laughing so hard afterwards.

So long story short, DMV's hire the absolute worst employees - just ask Selma and Patty.

And congrats on your patience!

[ashenflowers 5]

So long story short, DMV's hire the absolute worst employees - just ask Selma and Patty.

haha!!! Nice.

But wow Sam, that's seriously ridiculous. What is up with Florida's ridiculous civil servants?! Now I'm scared to go to the DMV for my license. lol But since my SSN was so easy here maybe I'll get lucky. Did you have to do an other written test or anything? Apparently here in California I have to do a written test AND another road test to get a new license. It's stupid. So I'm not looking forward to that. It just has 'big hassle' written alllll over it.

[Sam and Ben 2]

haha!!! Nice.

But wow Sam, that's seriously ridiculous. What is up with Florida's ridiculous civil servants?! Now I'm scared to go to the DMV for my license. lol But since my SSN was so easy here maybe I'll get lucky. Did you have to do an other written test or anything? Apparently here in California I have to do a written test AND another road test to get a new license. It's stupid. So I'm not looking forward to that. It just has 'big hassle' written alllll over it.

I didn't ask, they didn't force any on me, haha. I did ask if I could keep my Ontario DL (especially considering my 21st b-day is next Saturday... now I've got no photo ID outside of my passport ), and that's when she said that if I didn't want to trade it in (aka surrender it), I'd have to do the written and road test.

Needless to say, I let her keep it. Heh. I went through all of the BS years ago, no intention of doing it again. Sorry to hear you do.

[ashenflowers 5]

hmm... maybe that's the trick. I'll see if I can bypass the test if I just surrender my license. I doubt it though. I don't know if Dan surrendered his or not, but I know he had to do a test. And I've been driving with a FULL G license for well OVER 10 years! what a waste...

[Sam and Ben 2]

hmm... maybe that's the trick. I'll see if I can bypass the test if I just surrender my license. I doubt it though. I don't know if Dan surrendered his or not, but I know he had to do a test. And I've been driving with a FULL G license for well OVER 10 years! what a waste...

Yeah, that bites. I was so nerve-wracked by my driving exams... See if there isn't some way you can bypass the road test and perhaps just do the written.

[ashenflowers 5]

Luckily, by this point, I KNOW I can drive, and drive well (if I do say so myself... and I do ). I don't think I'll be nerve wracked (of course that's easy to say sitting calmly at the computer), just mostly irritated at the extra hassle on top of everything else that's going on. I also HATE driving our car. It was my husband's parents' car that they let us have when they got a new one. It's a big ugly subaru wagon with leather seats. It's SO uncomfortable for me to sit in and drive, and it's effing HUGE. I can drive big cars/trucks, but I just don't want to. Especially this one. There's not enough room for my legs, the steering wheel is in an uncomfortable position, the leather seats make me slide around.. etc (I could go on ). The cars I had in Canada were super cute and small, and suited me better. This one sucks. lol So I guess I will probably be worried a bit about that affecting my driving.

[OBX 51]

Wow, what an adventure! Good for you for keeping your cool in the midst of such silliness. Glad it worked out in the end.

[BriCar 0]

Some welcome to America!!

For some reason the DMV is always a zoo.

However when things start going wrong in any transaction usually relief can be had by kindly requesting an immediate supervisor.

Unlike Canada so many American workers are thrown out there to do the job without proper training.

Once you got your drivers license most future DMV business can be done by mail and that's a good thing!

Edited March 5, 2010 by BriCar

[ashenflowers 5]

haha! I've found Canada certainly has it's fair share of people who are thrown into the mix without proper training.

That said. I have my first beef with the DMV. Actually, to be fair, it's a beef with California (another one!? no way!). The government is so broke that to save money they close all the DMVs on Fridays. So I just got my SSN today, and want to move ahead with license plans. I can make an appointment online... fine. But I wanted to go to the DMV office to pick up a copy of the handbook so I could start studying for the written test. I can't. It's online yes, but I want the physical version my hands. Now I have to wait for Monday. SIGH.

[Quail 0]

I had a very different though equally frustrating experience at a Florida DMV. I came here on a K1, had a SSN in my married name and had applied for my AOS before I went to the DMV.. I showed up with all my immigration documentation and marriage certificate in hand and the lady had no problem trading in my Canadian DL for a new Florida license.

The catch was that the only legal document that I had that proved that I was allowed to live in the US (according to her) was my work autorization card which had been issued in my maiden name (my bad, I applied for my AOS using my name... it was fixed at my interview and GC will be issued in my married name..) ALSO my work autorization was only valid for one year.

As a result of such, she refused to give me a license in my married name even though I had my SSN and marriage certificate stating my married name AND she only gave me a temporary license that expires the same day as my work authorization.

I would have torn all my hair out and used it to choke her if I hadn't been so relieved about just surrendering my license instead of being forced to take a road test.

Humph.

[MrsCat 6]

I would have torn all my hair out and used it to choke her if I hadn't been so relieved about just surrendering my license instead of being forced to take a road test.

Humph.

- sorry totally frustrating but that sentence was hysterical.