MVA frustration

[ONA 133]

If something ever has to go wrong somewhere - it happens at an MVA office (well, MVA for Maryland, can be DMV or whatever in other states).

So I planned to get done with my vision screening and knowledge test today and schedule the skills test, so I can get my Maryland DL. I gathered all the necessary paperwork: proof of residence (including a copy of the marriage certificate), social security card, my passport, certificate of completion of Safe and Sober class (local requirement for out-of-country drivers), my Russian DL and my international DL.

Me and my husband waited in line and finally got to the clerk... And after looking at my Russian DL for about 5 minutes straight, she says that they need a translation! And not just a translation, but the one made by an MVA certified translator (and there are only like 7 or 8 of them). I said that it was clearly stated on their website that they might need either a translation or an international DL (which is basically just a book with translations to a bunch of different languages INCLUDING ENGLISH). She acted like she didn't know what the website said, so my husband asked her to look it up on her computer - she said that they weren't allowed to look at their OWN website while they were at work She called 2 supervisors and they weren't any help. I don't know what's wrong with this whole office, I wanted to find somebody to complain to, but my husband stopped me.

It's all fine - we already arranged a translation with a very nice Russian lady, who happened to be a certified translator and it will be done tomorrow, so we can go back to MVA. I don't understand though - you either work according to the information provided on your official website or just get the website straight, stop giving people information, that's clearly misleading!

Just wanted to share, I got really frustrated because of that today.

[UK_Fan 192]

aint russian DL bi-lingual? i think it's in french, but still.. i'm sure your name is spelles in French the same way as it is in english.. i swear, americans are the biggest bureaucrats on earth... ahah

Edited February 4, 2012 by MariyaB

[ONA 133]

Well, my name actually transliterates slightly different in French as opposed to English. In my international DL it is transliterated in English. The thing that makes me really mad though is that I had everything that I was required according to their instructions (now I also think that I should have taken my copy of Maryland driver's manual with me, because it has the same information as the website), but I was refused service, because either the information they provide is misleading or because people in the office are not qualified for their job.

And I really thought that GIBDD office in Russia might cause problems, but the biggest problem I ever had there was an endless line of people. At least the office workers there knew what they were doing.

Edited February 4, 2012 by ONA

[UK_Fan 192]

listen, don't feel bad.. clerks offices and stuff like that are full of morons.. let me tell you an example..

so we finally decided to get married after over 4 years dating.. needless to say that i overstayed my visa.. big deal blah blah... i never had a social security number or anything like that, my only ID is my international passport.

so we go to our local city hall.. mind you, i made sure that you can just get married with your birth certificate in KY, and my husband asks them to write us a marriage license and they are like:"we can't do it without a SSN, it's a state law".. i just lost it there, i was like:"no it isn't, people do it all the time". so my husband started explaining to them the whole deal, and they told me to go to the SSA and get a SSN and so on... they've never had a case like ours, so they had no clue what to do. well i asked them if you can do it in TN, since there's a "non-existant law" here and she was like:"no, it's a TN law too, you need a SSN".

so what do you think we did? we live in a tri-state area, TN and VA are 5 mins away and we drove to the next TN county, that's like 5 mins away and what do you know? they married us. not a problem.

it just made me so freaking mad, one thing is not to know what you're doing, but giving people wrong information is just total bull! i can't wait to go back to that same clerks office to get me DL, though i'm sure, they will come up with some other law, dang morons.

Edited February 4, 2012 by MariyaB

[ONA 133]

It's funny, because when me and my husband were applying for a marriage license, we (all of a sudden) needed to provide our SSNs too. But in our case I had an SSN, so it wasn't that painful.

[Neonred 3,562]

If something ever has to go wrong somewhere - it happens at an MVA office (well, MVA for Maryland, can be DMV or whatever in other states).

So I planned to get done with my vision screening and knowledge test today and schedule the skills test, so I can get my Maryland DL. I gathered all the necessary paperwork: proof of residence (including a copy of the marriage certificate), social security card, my passport, certificate of completion of Safe and Sober class (local requirement for out-of-country drivers), my Russian DL and my international DL.

Me and my husband waited in line and finally got to the clerk... And after looking at my Russian DL for about 5 minutes straight, she says that they need a translation! And not just a translation, but the one made by an MVA certified translator (and there are only like 7 or 8 of them). I said that it was clearly stated on their website that they might need either a translation or an international DL (which is basically just a book with translations to a bunch of different languages INCLUDING ENGLISH). She acted like she didn't know what the website said, so my husband asked her to look it up on her computer - she said that they weren't allowed to look at their OWN website while they were at work She called 2 supervisors and they weren't any help. I don't know what's wrong with this whole office, I wanted to find somebody to complain to, but my husband stopped me.

It's all fine - we already arranged a translation with a very nice Russian lady, who happened to be a certified translator and it will be done tomorrow, so we can go back to MVA. I don't understand though - you either work according to the information provided on your official website or just get the website straight, stop giving people information, that's clearly misleading!

Just wanted to share, I got really frustrated because of that today.

I don't understand. If you are taking the vision,knowledge, and skills test, why is your Russian license even an issue?

My step daughter has a Russian license (I think she bought it as she has absolutely no driving skills) and is trying to get her drivers license here in Florida. She took the exam but failed the skill (driving ) portion. They told her she could continue to drive using her Russian license until she passed the Florida exam...LOL!

I know each state is different.

[eekee 182]

I don't understand. If you are taking the vision,knowledge, and skills test, why is your Russian license even an issue?

My step daughter has a Russian license (I think she bought it as she has absolutely no driving skills) and is trying to get her drivers license here in Florida. She took the exam but failed the skill (driving ) portion. They told her she could continue to drive using her Russian license until she passed the Florida exam...LOL!

I know each state is different.

Ha, that explains a lot about Florida drivers...

[baron555 934]

I don't understand. If you are taking the vision,knowledge, and skills test, why is your Russian license even an issue?

My step daughter has a Russian license (I think she bought it as she has absolutely no driving skills) and is trying to get her drivers license here in Florida. She took the exam but failed the skill (driving ) portion. They told her she could continue to drive using her Russian license until she passed the Florida exam...LOL!

I know each state is different.

In Illinois they could care less about Alla's Russian DL or the International DL she had obtained prior to coming. She just had to register like any brand new driver, took the vision and written test, was issued a Learner's Permit and then many months later we went for the driver's road test and she passed no problem. The Russian DL never entered into the equation; maybe you guys should do the same and not try to enter that into the MDV or whatever equation; it obviously only confuses them!

[ONA 133]

I don't understand. If you are taking the vision,knowledge, and skills test, why is your Russian license even an issue?

My step daughter has a Russian license (I think she bought it as she has absolutely no driving skills) and is trying to get her drivers license here in Florida. She took the exam but failed the skill (driving ) portion. They told her she could continue to drive using her Russian license until she passed the Florida exam...LOL!

I know each state is different.

Well, with my Russian DL I can pass all the tests and get a regular Maryland DL, without having to obtain a learner's permit then a provisional license.

Maryland is very strict, even though I had a license - I still had to go through a 3-hour class (they call it "Safe and Sober", but it is some sort of introduction into driving in Maryland). If I didn't have a license from Russia, I would have to go to a driving school - they don't issue a learner's permit unless you bring them a certificate of completion of a driving school course.

[james&olya 1,121]

Michigan also allows someone to drive as long as their foreign license and International 'license' remain valid.

[slim 1,525]

Welcome to America.

Yes, it can be very frustrating whenever dealing with the government and sometimes they don't even play by their own rules. But, you have to just keep your patience and do what's required or else you'll go to jail.

Land of the free!

When my wife was getting her license we had a similar deal. (Marriage license too although she already had a SSN so we were OK there.) One agency couldn't issue ID until another agency had her in the system.... and they all had different systems. Awesome!

She was pretty frustrated when she found out you can't just do things here - you have to be licensed, have a permit, get the right authorization, etc. She said, "I thought in America, you free." I explained to her, "Yes, dear, you are free. Free to apply for a permit. Get a license, and ask the government if you can exercise your liberties. If they say it's alright, then you can. If not, you'll go to jail."

"How is that freedom?"

"Maybe you're not getting it. Everyone is free to apply for permission. All of us equally. That's true freedom right there."

"But you only can be do what government say you can be do..."

"You got it. Freedom. Welcome to America."

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I don't understand. If you are taking the vision,knowledge, and skills test, why is your Russian license even an issue?

My step daughter has a Russian license (I think she bought it as she has absolutely no driving skills) and is trying to get her drivers license here in Florida. She took the exam but failed the skill (driving ) portion. They told her she could continue to drive using her Russian license until she passed the Florida exam...LOL!

I know each state is different.

I had the same question. Alla had a Russian international DL and we never showed it to anyone. She just used it as her "learners permit" Since she s over 18 the only requirement was to show she was legally ableto remain at least 180 days and show ID that she lived in Vermont (utility bill) and then take the written and driving tests.

Why did you even need to show them the Russian DL?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Well, with my Russian DL I can pass all the tests and get a regular Maryland DL, without having to obtain a learner's permit then a provisional license.

Maryland is very strict, even though I had a license - I still had to go through a 3-hour class (they call it "Safe and Sober", but it is some sort of introduction into driving in Maryland). If I didn't have a license from Russia, I would have to go to a driving school - they don't issue a learner's permit unless you bring them a certificate of completion of a driving school course.

OK, yes they are strict.

FWIW one of the problems you are going to have in this process is ignorant untrained people wrking in government offices other than USCIS. DMV is a classic. They told Sergey he needed an SSN. No he did not. The supervisor cleared it up and he went to take his tests. Then another immigrant came while he was being tested and the same clerk told that woman she needed a SSN!!!!!!!!! NO SHE DOES NOT! I took the woman aside and told her to get the supervisor.

THEN when Sergey went to get his photo taken for the license they said that he needed to provide a marriage certificate to prove he could stay for 180 days or more!!! #######???????? Another supervisor cleared that up after I explained he was a K-TWO not a K-1.

We had no problem to get Alla an SSN immediately after she arrived and no problem to get Pasha an SSN with a green card, but when we went to the same office with Sergey when he had his green card, they had replaced the trained clerk with an idiot and the idiot demanded that Sergey must have a valid I-94 and new visa!!!!!!! WTFFFFFFF????? A new visa and an I-94 for a permanent resident???????

The worst part is these dumb@sses don't just say "let me check on that I never did one of these" NO! They fabricate some wacko story and reason! I mean just right out of thin air.

You always need to be prepared for that.

[Neonred 3,562]

Ha, that explains a lot about Florida drivers...

Yes, my step daughter and most of the 90+ year old drivers down here drive about the same! Especially scary this time of year with so many OLD snowbirds here from up north.

[slim 1,525]

I had the same question. Alla had a Russian international DL and we never showed it to anyone. She just used it as her "learners permit" Since she s over 18 the only requirement was to show she was legally ableto remain at least 180 days and show ID that she lived in Vermont (utility bill) and then take the written and driving tests.

Why did you even need to show them the Russian DL?

Here in Ohio an international DL is required and it's only valid as long as their visa is valid. After that, they have to transition to "normal" DL procedures like anyone else.