Should I learn to drive before I go or after?!

[Boiler 45,692]

Most places you need EAD.

The. UK certainly is useful.

[QueenOfBlades 224]

I'm confused

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I'm confused

About??

[QueenOfBlades 224]

Boiler said the UK is useful, how so? If I want to drive in the US and have a full UK licence, what steps would I take on arrival in the US?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Boiler said the UK is useful, how so? If I want to drive in the US and have a full UK licence, what steps would I take on arrival in the US?

Useful because you have some experience driving??

First off, there are many, many things in the US that are not the same for the whole country. The individual states make their own laws about marriage, divorce, driving, education, sales tax, elections, speed limits....

So your driver license will depend on the state where you will live. But the federal government (US) has put pressure on the states to not issue driver licenses without proof of your immigration status. So they've been aligning their requirements to do what the Feds wish.

Your license in most states will expire when whatever immigration documentation you have expires. Also most states will require you to pass a written test, road test, and vision test. They would take a trade-in license from another state, but not from another country. The exception may be Canada, Germany, France. I've seen some where those countries have a treaty or something, but I really don't know much about that. So to know what you will have to do, you'll have to research the specific state.

My husband drove on his UK license (as a visitor) until he got his work authorization card (EAD) because that was the minimum immigration documentation that would allow him a driving license in our state in 2008. Some people just sit at home and won't drive until they can get a license, even if it takes a greencard in their state. I will venture to guess you will be that way because you are a worrier.

One of our UK ladies Left Coast Lady put together a spreadsheet of all 50 states with links to some state services, including driver licenses. It's pinned in another forum. Here's her post with the link found in it to her spreadsheet. Find your state.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/361739-quick-reference-guide-for-state-level-services/

[Master Semaj 2]

Lots of information has been posted for you here so be sure to check it out. In short, it would not be worth paying out the money for lessons and tests in the UK, it is expensive and difficult and your money would be put to better use in the US.

If you have already had lessons in the UK then that is a plus, you'll know how to drive/control a car to a certain degree. You will have to unlearn a number of the UK's rules of the roads anyhow for when you drive in the US and learn their rules and laws. Any free driving lessons you can get from a friend or family would be useful too if you haven't paid out to a driving instructor. (please be careful/responsible about that though)