Getting a Drivers license in Texas

[8xeno8 1]

Can anybody help me?... I did my research, went to the DPS... waited for 2 hours, then was told that i could go ahead if i wish, but when i get my drivers license it will expire on the expiry date shown on my I-95 (Dec 24th)... then i will have to renew my license, however, problem is that after december 24th i will have no proof that i am on a legit visa or that im waiitng for AOS (filed AOS docs 2 weeks ago)... so i wont be able to renew my license!??

So this means i will have to wait until i physically receive my Green card until i can prove i am a LPR and show some sort of expiry date so they can give me either a 2 year or 6 year license. Ok so why dont i just wait i hear you ask?... because im only allowed to drive on my UK DL for 90 days upon POE and also Geico want to know my Texas DL number by March 2013 latest or they will no longer cover me.. then im screwed because i wont be insured therefore i cant take my driving test!!

I must be missing something, a way around this, or something, otherwisde every K-1 who goes to Texas would have the same problem. There is basically no way for me to obtain a Texas DL in a reasonable amount of time or without doing something illegal with insurance.

I guess my question is, do the DPS accept any kind of document that i have now or will be getting very soon as proof of LPR ? They are very strict and will not accept just any old document.

I hope this makes sense, if not, please ask and i shall try to explain further... really appreciate any help. Thank you!

[Hypnos 6,576]

You will need to show TX DPS your EAD once you receive it; your new license will then expire on the day that your EAD expires (but you should have your green card by then and can renew with that).

USCIS are required to issue your EAD (assuming you applied for it using an I-765) within 90 days of your application.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Hypnos

[C-ma'am 684]

Usually, they take your EAD as proof of lawful status. So, you should be able to renew it when you have your EAD (about 30 days - give or take - from the day you filed).

IF they don't take the EAD (some offices won't). You'll have no other choice, other than to wait for your GC; I'm afraid.

[Hypnos 6,576]

TX does recognise the EAD as proof of lawful status (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/documents/ImmigrationStatusChart.pdf p3).

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Can anybody help me?... I did my research, went to the DPS... waited for 2 hours, then was told that i could go ahead if i wish, but when i get my drivers license it will expire on the expiry date shown on my I-95 (Dec 24th)... then i will have to renew my license, however, problem is that after december 24th i will have no proof that i am on a legit visa or that im waiitng for AOS (filed AOS docs 2 weeks ago)... so i wont be able to renew my license!??

So this means i will have to wait until i physically receive my Green card until i can prove i am a LPR and show some sort of expiry date so they can give me either a 2 year or 6 year license. Ok so why dont i just wait i hear you ask?... because im only allowed to drive on my UK DL for 90 days upon POE and also Geico want to know my Texas DL number by March 2013 latest or they will no longer cover me.. then im screwed because i wont be insured therefore i cant take my driving test!!

I must be missing something, a way around this, or something, otherwisde every K-1 who goes to Texas would have the same problem. There is basically no way for me to obtain a Texas DL in a reasonable amount of time or without doing something illegal with insurance.

I guess my question is, do the DPS accept any kind of document that i have now or will be getting very soon as proof of LPR ? They are very strict and will not accept just any old document.

I hope this makes sense, if not, please ask and i shall try to explain further... really appreciate any help. Thank you!

You can drive on your UK license.

Just a few years ago, my husband had to wait on his EAD. An I-94 had to have at least 6 months remaining for them to issue a license. K1s were shut out. They have now evolved to be more K1 friendly. If you will look at the document http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/documents/ImmigrationStatusChart.pdf , you will see near the bottom of page 3:

Applicants for adjustment of status

Note: These are individuals applying to become lawful permanent residents.

Immigration documentation with an alien number or I-94 number

This can include but is not limited to a form I-797 indicating pending I-485 or pending application for adjustment of status

.

That's your NOA1 for filing for AOS. We never tried this because it wasn't available in late 2008. Better print out the list to show in case they don't know their rules. I think they give you a one-year license.

Edited December 14, 2012 by Nich-Nick

[Hypnos 6,576]

I believe that any such document you submit to TX DPS must contain an expiration date. An I-797C receipt for AoS (indicating a pending I-485) has no expiration date, so I'm not sure you can use it. Certainly you can try (they can only say no), but I suspect the OP will need to wait on their EAD to get any traction here.

[himher 634]

They do expire the licenses on the date that the I94 expires HOWEVER as soon as you get your NOA1 after filing I485 (AOS) you can go back and get it renewed.

You can also renew it with an EAD card

In 2008 I recall you had to have at least 1 year of I94 validity before they would issue a license and K1 visaholders used to have to wait for their EAD card. It's a lot better now.

Good luck!

Can anybody help me?... I did my research, went to the DPS... waited for 2 hours, then was told that i could go ahead if i wish, but when i get my drivers license it will expire on the expiry date shown on my I-95 (Dec 24th)... then i will have to renew my license, however, problem is that after december 24th i will have no proof that i am on a legit visa or that im waiitng for AOS (filed AOS docs 2 weeks ago)... so i wont be able to renew my license!??

So this means i will have to wait until i physically receive my Green card until i can prove i am a LPR and show some sort of expiry date so they can give me either a 2 year or 6 year license. Ok so why dont i just wait i hear you ask?... because im only allowed to drive on my UK DL for 90 days upon POE and also Geico want to know my Texas DL number by March 2013 latest or they will no longer cover me.. then im screwed because i wont be insured therefore i cant take my driving test!!

I must be missing something, a way around this, or something, otherwisde every K-1 who goes to Texas would have the same problem. There is basically no way for me to obtain a Texas DL in a reasonable amount of time or without doing something illegal with insurance.

I guess my question is, do the DPS accept any kind of document that i have now or will be getting very soon as proof of LPR ? They are very strict and will not accept just any old document.

I hope this makes sense, if not, please ask and i shall try to explain further... really appreciate any help. Thank you!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Drive on your U.K. license until you have your Green Card. If you now get a Texas license and it expires, you will be in the computer as a licensed driver with an expired license, and that means you can't use your U.K. license anymore.

Take this one step at a time.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

]

In 2008 I recall you had to have at least 1 year of I94 validity before they would issue a license and K1 visaholders used to have to wait for their EAD card. It's a lot better now.

Until October 1, 2008 you could get a six-year license with any I-94 or other valid proof regardless of expiration. It was later than many states made the changes. People were flocking to TX to get licenses before their visas, etc expired. That way, they "appeared" legal by having a valid state ID. On 10/1/08, it changed to minimum 6 months validity on an I-94 to be allowed to take the tests to get a license. That was, a year or so later, revised to allow a license to the end of any I-94 and the publishing of their document given in the link.

Regarding the other comment about any document needs an expiration, i don't know for sure. The DPS list in the link was revised two months ago. The previous version was in landscape mode with a third column telling how long a license would be issued. The Applicant for Adjustment (NOA1) item was at the bottom of page 4, and the third column said a one-year license with that proof. This 10/2012 version of the list doesn't spell it out.

[himher 634]

We applied for and got a license in March, 2008 on the basis of a 2-year K3 I94 issued Jan, 2008, were initially turned away, and came back the next day with the website info about the I94 validity. My wife's license expired Jan, 2010 which is the same date as the I94 expired.

So I know that the I94 6-month validity was applied at that time. K1 visaholders did not qualify for a license at that time until they got their EAD card.

They do now however.

Not saying you are wrong, but this is what happened to us and at that time there was an I94 validity requirement. I thought it was a year but it might have been 6 months. Ours was for 2 years.

In 2009 we switched both to Louisiana licenses. The Louisiana license had a 5? year validity even thought the green card expired the following year. LOL

Until October 1, 2008 you could get a six-year license with any I-94 or other valid proof regardless of expiration. It was later than many states made the changes. People were flocking to TX to get licenses before their visas, etc expired. That way, they "appeared" legal by having a valid state ID. On 10/1/08, it changed to minimum 6 months validity on an I-94 to be allowed to take the tests to get a license. That was, a year or so later, revised to allow a license to the end of any I-94 and the publishing of their document given in the link.

Regarding the other comment about any document needs an expiration, i don't know for sure. The DPS list in the link was revised two months ago. The previous version was in landscape mode with a third column telling how long a license would be issued. The Applicant for Adjustment (NOA1) item was at the bottom of page 4, and the third column said a one-year license with that proof. This 10/2012 version of the list doesn't spell it out.

Edited December 14, 2012 by himher

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

We applied for and got a license in March, 2008 on the basis of a 2-year K3 I94 issued Jan, 2008, were initially turned away, and came back the next day with the website info about the I94 validity. My wife's license expired Jan, 2010 which is the same date as the I94 expired.

So I know that the I94 6-month validity was applied at that time. K1 visaholders did not qualify for a license at that time until they got their EAD card.

They do now however.

Not saying you are wrong, but this is what happened to us and at that time there was an I94 validity requirement. I thought it was a year but it might have been 6 months. Ours was for 2 years.

In 2009 we switched both to Louisiana licenses. The Louisiana license had a 5? year validity even thought the green card expired the following year. LOL

We had a different experience sorta. My fiancé arrived Sept 30 with 90 days and we went to the DPS a few days later to inquire. They said, you should have come last week. The rules changed Oct 1. You could have gotten a full license last week, but now you can't because your I-94 expires in less than 6 months. And an article in the Houston chronicle said the same thing, so I believed them but both could have been wrong. He did get a 1 year license by the end of Dec 2008 with his EAD. Then in March, he got a six year license with his 2-year greencard, for another fee of course. I think now they may be giving a license up to greencard expiration (2 years for K1s) instead of the full 6 years. And this year they added proof of residency in the state, like a utility bill or such as that. I was reading signs posted to that effect at the DPS office when we went in May to get his US citizenship recorded in DPS records.

[himher 634]

hmmm so we left for 3 years and returned this year (early march). At the DPS this year my wife just turned in her louisiana license and showed them the passport with the fresh new stamped IR1.

She got a full-term Tx license based on that alone. she already had a "not authorized to work" SS card.

We had a different experience sorta. My fiancé arrived Sept 30 with 90 days and we went to the DPS a few days later to inquire. They said, you should have come last week. The rules changed Oct 1. You could have gotten a full license last week, but now you can't because your I-94 expires in less than 6 months. And an article in the Houston chronicle said the same thing, so I believed them but both could have been wrong. He did get a 1 year license by the end of Dec 2008 with his EAD. Then in March, he got a six year license with his 2-year greencard, for another fee of course. I think now they may be giving a license up to greencard expiration (2 years for K1s) instead of the full 6 years. And this year they added proof of residency in the state, like a utility bill or such as that. I was reading signs posted to that effect at the DPS office when we went in May to get his US citizenship recorded in DPS records.

[8xeno8 1]

Guys I'm going to drag this topic back up as I am having awful trouble with the dps and would like some help if anyone can figure this out....

So my i94 expired on dec 24th.... I went to dps early jan with my I-797 for aos. The lady said yep no problem I can use it etc. we went through the processing of it all, had my picture taken etc and I was thinking great, finally I can book the road test. Then, right at the end, computer said no and I was told in should go home and wait for a letter explaining the hold up.

So, I got my letter and it says that my I-94 couldn't be verified! I guess this is because it is expired, but that's not my fault and I can't change this fact.

So I went back to the dps and they just tell me that they can't do anything Neil the computer lets them, she showed me the screen and next to my A number it just says "pending".

So basically DHS are trying to verify me but they can't because they see my i94 is expired. It's driving me nuts! I just want a damn license and I'm being made to feel like I don't have my immigration docs in order. Which I know I do. I have a valid noa1 which they as they accept, so why won't they? Is there anything else I can do?

I should have my advanced parole doc through in the next coupe days, I'm told that dps accept that also, but I think that when the computer asks for all the numbers such as my a number and I-94 as well as the sveis for advanced parole, it's still going to reject me as it sees my i94 is out. Even though its impossible for me to fix that because I'm k-1. Grrrr

[dstrausser83 14]

Question: I was looking up in laws in Cali for my wife and it says:

Notice of Action (I–797 Approved Petition) – must indicate approved extension of stay or change in status that grants temporary or permanent residency, or indicates that an original, duplicate or renewal Resident Alien card is forthcoming.

Does that mean once we get her Notice of Action she can go apply for a license in California?

Thanks!!!

David

[dstrausser83 14]

Question: I was looking up in laws in Cali for my wife and it says:

Notice of Action (I–797 Approved Petition) – must indicate approved extension of stay or change in status that grants temporary or permanent residency, or indicates that an original, duplicate or renewal Resident Alien card is forthcoming.

Does that mean once we get her Notice of Action she can go apply for a license in California?

Thanks!!!

David

NVM, it says Approved... so that means we have to wait for the EAD.