CA Driver's license?

[pieroot 43]

After my fiance arrives with K-1 and we get married, how soon will he be able to obtain a Driver's License? I live in California.

Thanks ahead for all the answers!

[Pitaya 2,577]

After my fiance arrives with K-1 and we get married, how soon will he be able to obtain a Driver's License? I live in California.

Thanks ahead for all the answers!

Check out this great list websites of the various states' services compiled by LeftCoastLady, a forum member:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Alp-hKNFww4IdDZ4eWtmRnhDVWw4d1JYV2p6RVExTnc#gid=0

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[jkelly07 120]

before you come to the united states, see if you can get a international drivers license, in some states its good for a year,and some 6 months,at lease you can drive until you get your california driver lic.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Moving Here and Your New Life In America forum; topic is not a K1 visa process topic.

**Organizer hat off**

After my fiance arrives with K-1 and we get married, how soon will he be able to obtain a Driver's License? I live in California.

Check with the California DMV, here is their website on driver license information: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl.htm

before you come to the united states, see if you can get a international drivers license, in some states its good for a year,and some 6 months,at lease you can drive until you get your california driver lic.

All an international drivers license does is translate a foreign drivers license, it does not grant driving privileges by itself.

[ProudAfrican 5]

After my fiance arrives with K-1 and we get married, how soon will he be able to obtain a Driver's License? I live in California.

Thanks ahead for all the answers!

Hello,

when he enters the country with his k1 non immigrant visa ,he will need to wait for you to get married WITHING 90 DAYS and together you ca apply for adjustment of status and from there he can apply for other legal documents

Good Luck

[missicy 87]

He can apply for one as soon as he gets a SSN with valid I-94 but it will expire when I-94 expires.

He can get it with EAD but again, it will expire when EAD expires. It's best to wait for green card and then apply for license.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

After my fiance arrives with K-1 and we get married, how soon will he be able to obtain a Driver's License? I live in California.

Thanks ahead for all the answers!

In California the document is called Driver License. Seriously. If you have one, look at it. It's a person's Driver License or a driver's Driver License but the document is a Driver License. At least here in the Golden State.

Your fiance can get one as soon as he his EAD. But as stated correctly before, it makes more sense for him to wait 'til he has the Green Card. Until then let him drive with his current license. Since he is not a California resident yet, at least not by California's DMV standards, that will be perfectly fine.

[pieroot 43]

In California the document is called Driver License. Seriously. If you have one, look at it.

Sorry that I offended you by saying that it was a "Driver's License". I do have one. Thank you very much.

[newlyweds2010 208]

Unfortunately he IS a CA resident for DMV standards, regardless of his immigration status. Basically everyone on any status other than tourist is considered a resident for DMV purposes. Upon moving to CA, you can drive on your foreign license for the first 10 days. If he gets stopped, he will get a ticket which is waivable if he shows, within 15 days, that he obtained a license. If he isn't able to provide a valid CA driver license by then, he will have to pay the ticket and his record will show that he was caught driving unlicensed (which, in CA, is a misdemeanor). The earliest moment when he will be able to apply for a license is upon receiving his EAD (he could apply based on a valid I94, however the license would only be valid for the time left on the I94 itself, and by the time the license arrives in the mail, he will have a very few days left, if any at all). My advice? Wait until you have the EAD, and in the meantime do not drive on your foreign license. Many people will tell you otherwise: do it at your own risk, bearing in mind what the consequences may be.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Unfortunately he IS a CA resident for DMV standards, regardless of his immigration status.

No, he isn't.

From the California DMV Web site:

New California Residents

When you become a California resident and you want to drive in California, you must apply for a California driver license within 10 days. Residency is established in a variety of ways, including the following:

• Being registered to vote in California elections.
• Paying resident tuition at a California college or university.
• Filing for a home owner's property tax exemption.
• Receiving any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/ca_dl.htm

An intending immigrant from a foreign country becomes a resident of the United States once the United States government says so. Without being a resident of the United States, a foreigner cannot be a resident of one of the 50 states of the Union the same way a gay guy can't be a gay guy if he isn't a guy.

As soon as an EAD has been issued or an AoS application has been approved, the foreigner becomes a resident. Then he has another 10 days to apply for a California Driver License. Until then, the foreigner will use the driving license from his country of citizenship like any other person from his country of citizenship who is temporarily in the United States with permission of the U.S. government.

[newlyweds2010 208]

No, he isn't.

From the California DMV Web site:

New California Residents

When you become a California resident and you want to drive in California, you must apply for a California driver license within 10 days. Residency is established in a variety of ways, including the following:

• Being registered to vote in California elections.
• Paying resident tuition at a California college or university.
• Filing for a home owner's property tax exemption.
• Receiving any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/ca_dl.htm

An intending immigrant from a foreign country becomes a resident of the United States once the United States government says so. Without being a resident of the United States, a foreigner cannot be a resident of one of the 50 states of the Union the same way a gay guy can't be a gay guy if he isn't a guy.

As soon as an EAD has been issued or an AoS application has been approved, the foreigner becomes a resident. Then he has another 10 days to apply for a California Driver License. Until then, the foreigner will use the driving license from his country of citizenship like any other person from his country of citizenship who is temporarily in the United States with permission of the U.S. government.

Look, I agree in principle with your position, and I tried to argue the same (without the gay guy example) with the DMV back then. However, be it because CA is broke and they want to make money out of this, be it because they do not understand the law, be it whatever you want, if you get pulled over, you get a ticket. An acquaintance on a student visa got a ticket, another person i know on a K1 visa got a ticket. You can fight it, but it's time-consuming and stressful. Is it worth it?

[M&Pooh 12]

Look, I agree in principle with your position, and I tried to argue the same (without the gay guy example) with the DMV back then. However, be it because CA is broke and they want to make money out of this, be it because they do not understand the law, be it whatever you want, if you get pulled over, you get a ticket. An acquaintance on a student visa got a ticket, another person i know on a K1 visa got a ticket. You can fight it, but it's time-consuming and stressful. Is it worth it?

I second that.

OP, if you will search through the site, you should find the horror story from somenody who was in the same situation and decided to fight to the end. The result? He was virtually forced to plea guilty and accept ~$1000 ( yes, one THOUSAND ) fine to avoid even more legal troubles. Seems it's really unsafe to drive with a foreign license in California.

No matter what other people tell you, unfortuanately, the CA police's viewpoint is the only one that counts.

[pieroot 43]

I second that.

OP, if you will search through the site, you should find the horror story from somenody who was in the same situation and decided to fight to the end. The result? He was virtually forced to plea guilty and accept ~$1000 ( yes, one THOUSAND ) fine to avoid even more legal troubles. Seems it's really unsafe to drive with a foreign license in California.

No matter what other people tell you, unfortuanately, the CA police's viewpoint is the only one that counts.

Thanks M&Pooh, I will heed your advice. The state's really broke and I know I've paid my share of tickets...no matter how I try to explain to the police officer. LOL.