Driving license/insurance in Minnesota

[MattandMolly 0]

Hi All,

in plenty of preparation i've been trawling throught the forums in regard to driving in the States once I make the move. So i've found some conflicting info no doubt things differ from state to state so I have a few questions...

How long am I able to use my UK driving license for? Some places i've seen said that I am able to use it for the length of my K1 visa?

When I am using it will I be able to use Mollys' car on her insurance? (I assume thats down to her individual insurance to say if I am or not)

If her insurance doesn't cover me, is there any way of getting insurance without an SS# and green card?

Could people who have already been through the process share what they did pretty please!

Many thanks in advance for help!

Matt

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Hi All,

in plenty of preparation i've been trawling throught the forums in regard to driving in the States once I make the move. So i've found some conflicting info no doubt things differ from state to state so I have a few questions...

How long am I able to use my UK driving license for? Some places i've seen said that I am able to use it for the length of my K1 visa?

When I am using it will I be able to use Mollys' car on her insurance? (I assume thats down to her individual insurance to say if I am or not)

If her insurance doesn't cover me, is there any way of getting insurance without an SS# and green card?

Could people who have already been through the process share what they did pretty please!

Many thanks in advance for help!

Matt

You're correct in this information varies from state to state. You would need to visit the Minnesota Driver & Vehicle Services site to learn the requirements: http://bit.ly/LuGVz6

[MattandMolly 0]

You're correct in this information varies from state to state. You would need to visit the Minnesota Driver & Vehicle Services site to learn the requirements: http://bit.ly/LuGVz6

thanks very much for the reply

[Blondie-CO 8]

We live in CO and have Progressive Insurance. They said they will cover "guest dirvers" who take less than 11 one-way trips, but that it is had to prove that the guest driver has driven within the 11 one-way trips especially if they are living with the primary account holder permanently. Get added as SOON as you get your license (my husband got his shortly after he got his SSN). Not only did Progressive give us a $10 rebate for getting married, but my monthly cost DROPPED from $65 to $55!!!

[Caryh 5,206]

Hi All,

in plenty of preparation i've been trawling throught the forums in regard to driving in the States once I make the move. So i've found some conflicting info no doubt things differ from state to state so I have a few questions...

How long am I able to use my UK driving license for? Some places i've seen said that I am able to use it for the length of my K1 visa?

When I am using it will I be able to use Mollys' car on her insurance? (I assume thats down to her individual insurance to say if I am or not)

If her insurance doesn't cover me, is there any way of getting insurance without an SS# and green card?

Could people who have already been through the process share what they did pretty please!

Many thanks in advance for help!

Matt

The law is more set up for visitors than new people moving here. Coming to work or be a resident requires you to convert to a local drivers license as soon as possible.

https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/Pages/dvs-content-detail.aspx?pageID=551&pageTitle=Driver's%20License%20-%20Class%20D%20%E2%80%93%20New%20Resident

As soon as you get married and get your marriage certificate, go get your state ID or drivers permit before your I-94 runs out. Bring the marriage certificate and your wife to prove residency. They should give you a year on your immigration check. At least they did for my wife. After she had studied the state laws she took her permit test and passed. The state ID converted to a State Drivers Permit. Immigration check was already ok although the I-94 expired by this point and EAD hadn't arrived. Next she took the driving test. Having a foreign license you don't have a waiting period, so bring that with you to the driving test. You may even be able to bypass the driving test because of where your license is from. My wife couldn't, they didn't trust the Philippines drivers license. To tell you the truth, I didn't either. She was a good driver there, but we have laws you need to know and follow. By then my wife's EAD arrived and we extended her Immigration Check. We'll need to go back again when her green card arrives to extend her immigration check again. You can see it on the bottom right hand corner of you ID, Permit, License, right below the expires date.

Get your SS card right away to. We waited until after the wedding because of the name change, but I'm assuming you won't need to.

As to insurance, she'll need to call her agent to find out if it will cover another licensed driver. When you're at the permit stage it will, but it varies by policy on another driver. But a person is supposed to report another licensed driver in their household when conditions change.

You should be good on your license for the first 30 days. Beyond that the law is kind of vague. Until you're married though, you're technically just a visitor, so you might be able to keep up the tourist exemption. You may have some down time from driving.

Good luck

[moosemilk 0]

Hi All,

in plenty of preparation i've been trawling throught the forums in regard to driving in the States once I make the move. So i've found some conflicting info no doubt things differ from state to state so I have a few questions...

How long am I able to use my UK driving license for? Some places i've seen said that I am able to use it for the length of my K1 visa?

When I am using it will I be able to use Mollys' car on her insurance? (I assume thats down to her individual insurance to say if I am or not)

If her insurance doesn't cover me, is there any way of getting insurance without an SS# and green card?

Could people who have already been through the process share what they did pretty please!

Many thanks in advance for help!

Matt

Matt

Going through same thing myself, arrived here in late April and took knowledge test in May but from what I have read there is no point in doing the driving test until I get EAD as any licence would expire with my i94. I am going to call the DMV to see what the score is driving on my UK licence as dont see how I can be considered a resident if they cannot consider me as having a legal right to stay and have a licence without documentary proof, i.e EAD or greencard. If I find anything out I will let you know.

Kev

[Caryh 5,206]

Matt

Going through same thing myself, arrived here in late April and took knowledge test in May but from what I have read there is no point in doing the driving test until I get EAD as any licence would expire with my i94. I am going to call the DMV to see what the score is driving on my UK licence as dont see how I can be considered a resident if they cannot consider me as having a legal right to stay and have a licence without documentary proof, i.e EAD or greencard. If I find anything out I will let you know.

Kev

Did they put a date below the expiration date on your permit card? Or do you just have the paper receipt yet? Going the ID, permit, License route my wife was given an immigration check good for 1 year when she got the ID.

[moosemilk 0]

Did they put a date below the expiration date on your permit card? Or do you just have the paper receipt yet? Going the ID, permit, License route my wife was given an immigration check good for 1 year when she got the ID.

They didnt give me a permit card, I took the exam and then was told my full UK licence is good as a learner permit.

[Caryh 5,206]

They didnt give me a permit card, I took the exam and then was told my full UK licence is good as a learner permit.

How long ago was this? Did they give you a receipt? Its either pink or yellow, I forget which color now. It takes 3 to 6 weeks to get the card each time. You might have a permit card coming and you're not aware of it. It doesn't sound right they would say you can use a foreign license as a driving permit here. State ID, permit and drivers license all look identical. Its just whats written on them thats different. When you renew, or upgrade they will invalidate you former card and say together with the receipt, this is your temporary permit or license. They will not invalidate a drivers license from another country by cutting the corner. The cards are not made at the exam stations, so you always have to wait for them to be mailed to you.

[moosemilk 0]

How long ago was this? Did they give you a receipt? Its either pink or yellow, I forget which color now. It takes 3 to 6 weeks to get the card each time. You might have a permit card coming and you're not aware of it. It doesn't sound right they would say you can use a foreign license as a driving permit here. State ID, permit and drivers license all look identical. Its just whats written on them thats different. When you renew, or upgrade they will invalidate you former card and say together with the receipt, this is your temporary permit or license. They will not invalidate a drivers license from another country by cutting the corner. The cards are not made at the exam stations, so you always have to wait for them to be mailed to you.

24th May, they didnt say anything or take a photo, do they charge for the permit? Just got a yellow slip.

[Caryh 5,206]

24th May, they didnt say anything or take a photo, do they charge for the permit? Just got a yellow slip.

Yeah they should have taken a photo and checked your eye site. There's a nominal charge to, I think it was $18. If they're running it that way, I'd get a state ID after the wedding. That is where the immigration check date was originally added to my wife's record in the system. They gave her 1 year based on the I-94 in which it didn't need to be checked again. Maybe it was an error that it went for so long? So she got her permit and drivers license without having to show any immigration documents later. I only became aware of it while we were paying for my wife's drivers license. That's when we pulled out the EAD and extended the date into February 2013. When she gets her green card, her date can be extended again. She got her license on May 22nd, and we're still waiting for the card to show up.

[moosemilk 0]

Yeah they should have taken a photo and checked your eye site. There's a nominal charge to, I think it was $18. If they're running it that way, I'd get a state ID after the wedding. That is where the immigration check date was originally added to my wife's record in the system. They gave her 1 year based on the I-94 in which it didn't need to be checked again. Maybe it was an error that it went for so long? So she got her permit and drivers license without having to show any immigration documents later. I only became aware of it while we were paying for my wife's drivers license. That's when we pulled out the EAD and extended the date into February 2013. When she gets her green card, her date can be extended again. She got her license on May 22nd, and we're still waiting for the card to show up.

Yeah seems to be a common theme on this subject across the forums, K1's fall into a limbo zone post i94 until AOS or EAD approved, wouldnt be a problem if they would let you drive on your international licence until then but for some reason you are considered a resident of the State so only 60 days, but not a resident for a licence?

[Caryh 5,206]

Yeah seems to be a common theme on this subject across the forums, K1's fall into a limbo zone post i94 until AOS or EAD approved, wouldnt be a problem if they would let you drive on your international licence until then but for some reason you are considered a resident of the State so only 60 days, but not a resident for a licence?

It really seems to be a grey area per the DMV web site. They want you to change your drivers license right away, but if you're from out of country you can't until you get the EAD or green card. At least Minnesota seems a bit easier than other states that require the green card and SS number. I'd really give a go at the State ID though. If your check date is set long enough ahead, you're good to get your drivers license after right away. Ever since politicians made illegal immigration a big sore point topic, laws restricting all immigrants have been going in place around the country. I used to have a British roommate when I was going college. Heck he was driving a taxi in town within a month of arrival and he came on tourist visa. Of course that was back in the late 70's, but its certainly changed since then.

[moosemilk 0]

Email response received from MN DMV today.

Thank you for contacting Driver and Vehicle Services.

If you have a valid UK license with the international license, you can drive on this for the length of time of the international license. You do not need to apply for a permit in order to schedule a road test. You would need to call our exam scheduling line at 651-284-1000 and one of our phone agents could schedule the road test for you. The permit is valid for 2 years and a license is valid for 4 years, however you will have a status check date on your license and this date would be the length of time you are permitted to be in the US. You would need to update your status with us on or before this date, otherwise your privileges to drive would be cancelled. You would need to provide us with updated residency documents showing you are able to be in the US. Yes you can schedule the road test and as long as your ID documents are valid and not expired, you would be able to take the road test. Technically you are not a MN resident until you show us documents that says you are able to be here legally, but you can still test with your proper documents.

[Caryh 5,206]

Email response received from MN DMV today.

Thank you for contacting Driver and Vehicle Services.

If you have a valid UK license with the international license, you can drive on this for the length of time of the international license. You do not need to apply for a permit in order to schedule a road test. You would need to call our exam scheduling line at 651-284-1000 and one of our phone agents could schedule the road test for you. The permit is valid for 2 years and a license is valid for 4 years, however you will have a status check date on your license and this date would be the length of time you are permitted to be in the US. You would need to update your status with us on or before this date, otherwise your privileges to drive would be cancelled. You would need to provide us with updated residency documents showing you are able to be in the US. Yes you can schedule the road test and as long as your ID documents are valid and not expired, you would be able to take the road test. Technically you are not a MN resident until you show us documents that says you are able to be here legally, but you can still test with your proper documents.

Wow clear answers from the DMV. I take it the international license part is what got this for you. Looks like you're good to go. When you get your green card, you can then get a local license at your leisure.