Driving Licence before Green Card

[MadHatter 2]

Hello all! Just wondering if anyone had any input on this. I came to America in June and got married on the K1 visa in July - we've applied for AoS and for an EAD and that's gone all the way through to the California Service Centre (Estimated time - 4 months ish).

I have a British licence and I'm eager to drive here, but the laws in New Jersey specifically seem very confused / confusing. I visited the DMV but was sent away because there was less than 60 days left on my I-94, and NJ law states that to get a driving licence you have to have over 60 days of legality left. This was before we sent of the AoS. I'm wondering if having sent it off now, I'm legal enough to get a licence?

I know it depends on what state you live in as to how easy it is to drive here. From what I can tell, here in NJ my family visiting on normal visa waivers can rent and drive cars, but I can't because of the visa I'm on until the green card comes through!

[Lainie B 465]

Call the local DPS drivers license section and ask them if you can drive using your British license, and for how long, and what is required to qualify for a local license (it could be your EAD or your GC).

[hope.andsun 7]

I've read that some people were able to take their tests just by showing their receipts that their AOS is in process. I'm not really sure though if this applies to all DMV's. I'll keep a look out on this thread, as this is also the question in my mind.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hello all! Just wondering if anyone had any input on this. I came to America in June and got married on the K1 visa in July - we've applied for AoS and for an EAD and that's gone all the way through to the California Service Centre (Estimated time - 4 months ish).

I have a British licence and I'm eager to drive here, but the laws in New Jersey specifically seem very confused / confusing. I visited the DMV but was sent away because there was less than 60 days left on my I-94, and NJ law states that to get a driving licence you have to have over 60 days of legality left. This was before we sent of the AoS. I'm wondering if having sent it off now, I'm legal enough to get a licence?

I know it depends on what state you live in as to how easy it is to drive here. From what I can tell, here in NJ my family visiting on normal visa waivers can rent and drive cars, but I can't because of the visa I'm on until the green card comes through!

You can rent and drive a car on your foreign licence. Your visa is irrelevant to hiring a car. (I have hired a car many times, including during the honeymoon).

I agree with calling your local authority to find out whether you're legal to drive on your foreign licence and for how long. In CA for instance you have 10 days from becoming a resident. You would think this means LPR but one person was heavily fined ($1K for driving without a licence - his foreign one didn't count) because they admitted they lived in CA and the police took "living" to be the resident, rather than legal resident.

According to this: http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Licenses/6PointID.htm you can see they accept the approval letter for AOS, or your EAD & SSN. Try again once you have your EAD.

Edited October 31, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[nickbits 43]

Driving on a foreign license is only OK if you are a visitor. If you are a resident, you need a state license.

Assuming the 60 day rule is correct, you'll need to wait until you get your EAD to get a license.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I will keep my answer short and to the point.

You should apply for a New Jersey driver's license as soon as you are eligible.

You become eligible once you have proof that you have become a resident.

Until you are eligible to apply for a New Jersey driver's license, you drive with your U.K. license.

http://www.nj.gov/mvc/Licenses/LicensesNon-Citizens.htm

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I will keep my answer short and to the point.

You should apply for a New Jersey driver's license as soon as you are eligible.

You become eligible once you have proof that you have become a resident.

Until you are eligible to apply for a New Jersey driver's license, you drive with your U.K. license.

http://www.nj.gov/mvc/Licenses/LicensesNon-Citizens.htm

I agree. You're a visitor until you are issued resident status in the US.

[mar2011 1]

Hello all! Just wondering if anyone had any input on this. I came to America in June and got married on the K1 visa in July - we've applied for AoS and for an EAD and that's gone all the way through to the California Service Centre (Estimated time - 4 months ish).

I have a British licence and I'm eager to drive here, but the laws in New Jersey specifically seem very confused / confusing. I visited the DMV but was sent away because there was less than 60 days left on my I-94, and NJ law states that to get a driving licence you have to have over 60 days of legality left. This was before we sent of the AoS. I'm wondering if having sent it off now, I'm legal enough to get a licence?

I know it depends on what state you live in as to how easy it is to drive here. From what I can tell, here in NJ my family visiting on normal visa waivers can rent and drive cars, but I can't because of the visa I'm on until the green card comes through!

[mar2011 1]

I'm also on k-1 visa in new jersey. At DMV I was told the same thing about 60 days but they also told me that I can try to get it once I receive my act of notice that my docs for aos were accepted by uscis.