Driving in America with a foreign license

[Hicham♥Sara 15]

Hello to all,

My fiance' Hicham is coming to the United States soon on a K-1, and I am curious if he will be able to drive here. He has a Moroccan driver's license, with a commercial class assignment, and I wonder if that is valid for his first few months, before we are able to adjust status and start the process of SSN, etc. I know when I am in Morocco my license is valid and I am able to drive ( I love driving there, except in Casa, haha) . I hope it is the same for him. We will live here in Virginia. Anyone have any knowledge, experience or advice?

Thank you

Sara

[deleteddd 35]

It's good for a year from his arrival in the US

http://www.interexchange.org/work-travel-usa/j-1-exchange-jobs/driving-united-states

[shayma 22]

no he will have to get an american license.. when my husband first came he was driving we got stopped bu a cop and he have us a warning but every state is different my best advise is call ur DMV they will give u the right answer

[Highyella72 11]

I think it depends on the state I live in Connecticut and my husband was told he could drive on his foreign nigerian license for one year before he had to get a Connecticut state license. He got his CT license just this month, after 7 months. So I would check with your state dmv.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Highyella72

[Peace.... 281]

Yeah mohammed wasn't able to use his moroccan license either.

[Hicham♥Sara 15]

^{That makes sense, to call DMV since it does vary from state to state. I will check on that soon. But really, if you can drive in Morocco, surely you can drive in America. Driving in Morocco is so much fun , yet challenging at the same time Thanks for the info guys}

[Hicham♥Sara 15]

So if anyone ever asks this again and comes across the thread, for the state of Virginia it says:

§ 46.2-307. Nonresidents licensed under laws of home state or country; extension of reciprocal privileges.

A. A nonresident over the age of sixteen years and three months who has been duly licensed as a driver under a law requiring the licensing of drivers in his home state or country and who has in his immediate possession a driver’s license issued to him in his home state or country shall be permitted, without a Virginia license, to drive a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth.

[aaron2020 11,651]

So if anyone ever asks this again and comes across the thread, for the state of Virginia it says:

§ 46.2-307. Nonresidents licensed under laws of home state or country; extension of reciprocal privileges.

A. A nonresident over the age of sixteen years and three months who has been duly licensed as a driver under a law requiring the licensing of drivers in his home state or country and who has in his immediate possession a driver’s license issued to him in his home state or country shall be permitted, without a Virginia license, to drive a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth.

That's for non-residents.

This is for residents of Virginia.

http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/drivers/#eligibility.html

New Residents

Within 60 days of moving here, you must obtain a Virginia driver's license. However, if you hold a commercial driver's license (CDL), you must obtain a Virginia CDL within 30 days.

If you are age 19 or older and you hold a valid driver's license issued by a U.S. state or territory, a Canadian province, France or Germany, you may not be required to:

• take the two-part knowledge exam or the road skills test
• show proof of successful completion of a driver education course or hold a learner's permit for 60 days.

However, you must pass a vision screening test.

If you are age 19 or older and you hold a valid driver's license issued by a country other than Canada, France or Germany, you may not be required to show proof of successful completion of driver education or hold a learner's permit for 30 days. However, you must pass the two-partknowledge exam, road skills test and a vision screening.

You must possess your driver's license for at least 60 days prior to obtaining a Virginia driver's license. If your current driver's license does not display an issue date, you will be required to provide proof of the date of issue (i.e. driver's transcript).

If your license has been suspended or revoked by another state, a Virginia license may not be issued until your driving record in that state is cleared and you meet Virginia requirements.

[Dave&Roza 748]

So if anyone ever asks this again and comes across the thread, for the state of Virginia it says:

§ 46.2-307. Nonresidents licensed under laws of home state or country; extension of reciprocal privileges.

A. A nonresident over the age of sixteen years and three months who has been duly licensed as a driver under a law requiring the licensing of drivers in his home state or country and who has in his immediate possession a driver’s license issued to him in his home state or country shall be permitted, without a Virginia license, to drive a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth.

That's for non-residents.

This is for residents of Virginia.

http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/drivers/#eligibility.html

New Residents

Within 60 days of moving here, you must obtain a Virginia driver's license. However, if you hold a commercial driver's license (CDL), you must obtain a Virginia CDL within 30 days.

If you are age 19 or older and you hold a valid driver's license issued by a U.S. state or territory, a Canadian province, France or Germany, you may not be required to:

• take the two-part knowledge exam or the road skills test
• show proof of successful completion of a driver education course or hold a learner's permit for 60 days.

However, you must pass a vision screening test.

If you are age 19 or older and you hold a valid driver's license issued by a country other than Canada, France or Germany, you may not be required to show proof of successful completion of driver education or hold a learner's permit for 30 days. However, you must pass the two-partknowledge exam, road skills test and a vision screening.

You must possess your driver's license for at least 60 days prior to obtaining a Virginia driver's license. If your current driver's license does not display an issue date, you will be required to provide proof of the date of issue (i.e. driver's transcript).

If your license has been suspended or revoked by another state, a Virginia license may not be issued until your driving record in that state is cleared and you meet Virginia requirements.

So it then boils down to the definition of what a "RESIDENT" is. I know for Colorado they list several items of how you establish residency within the state. One of them is physical presence for a certain period of time. Another thing to consider is if the insurance company will cover the foreign drive. I would check that first. Then if the foreign driver is covered, I would check on how your state defines resident--it looks like for VA you have 60 days after moving there to apply for a VA DL ( I say 60 as I do not think having a CDL from another country matters as CDLs are handled by the DOT here in the US and it is actually a national DL and not state specific which means the CDL endorsement expires within 30 days and the DOT requires a valid address and all that does not apply to someone with a foreign CDL).

Good luck,

Dave

Edited February 5, 2014 by Dave&Roza

[Peace.... 281]

This was posted from a member just last year from Virginia who's wife was not able to obtain a drivers license until AOS approval as LPR, which is exactly the same requirements we gad to show as well.

You will need to show proof of legal presence. VA is one of those states that no longer accepts the EAD for this purpose anymore.

http://www.dmv.state...pres_review.pdf part (i) indicates that an applicant for AoS is eligible for an ID card; you should show them a copy of the I-797C receipt for your wife's pending I-485 as proof of this.

[Hicham♥Sara 15]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing , that the word non-resident may not apply. I wonder if he would be considered non-resident until the AOS is done, because he can't really claim to live here until we fulfill our obligation to marry in 90 days. I am asking for private vehicle use, I didn't expect him to be driving commercially as he would need a job doing that first. I assumed he would have to be certified here as well to driver commercially. I have USAA for my auto insurance. Anyone can drive my car, and would be covered if there was an accident, as long as that person has my permission to drive. So I wonder for that 60 day time frame he would be legally allowed to drive, but once the AOS started it's like hey you now have to get your VA license. WHY can't it be easier to figure these things out

Thanks for all the feedback! Keep it coming if you can think of anything else