driving in TX after poe

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Hey Sweetwinks, just some information for you. A SSN is in no way, shape, or form, a proof of address. Like a passport, it is not tied to your address. It is a number to track your retirement benefits, that is all. it is not proof of legal status or proof of much.

Each state has different requirements for a DL.

A K-1 is eligible for a SSN upon arrival. There is no need to marry first.

OP:

You can check the Texas rules, but most people cannot drive until they get their EAD at least. Expect some down time in the US when you arrive.

In TX, you will be able to get a drivers license, but they will only make it valid to the i-94 expiration date; unless you have an EAD at least, in which case 5 years.

But, this us TX -a whole other country as the slogan says; and you want to check the requirements as it needs something with your address to prove residency, besides the id (which could be a passport, prior to EAD).

https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/ApplyforLicense.htm

Another thing, here is called DPS-Dept Public Safety; and in at least in Houston, prepare to spend at least 4-6 hours. Get there before it gets hot, which in South TX is around the corner. You might want to have your camera phone ready...it's always entertaining the effect of what several hours of extreme boredom and really non customer service oriented clerks can cause in people.

Edited April 16, 2014 by Gosia & Tito

[Gosia & Tito 199]

My husband drove on his UK license until he got a TX license. He even got a speeding ticket on it. It's not spelled out anywhere, but are you really anything more than a visitor until the USCIS grants you something that says you can stay, ie EAD or a greencard? I dunno. We argued that point with the highway patrolman who knew zip about immigration and he did not cite my husband for failure to have a TX license within 30 days, which was the rule in 2008.

Agree that you will need EAD and SSN to get a license.

Agree in TX her car is insured and you can drive it with her permission.

Agree you will take written (computer) test and driving test.

Just adding another TX experience to what Kiwi said well.

And the police here does not have a sense of humor.....first hand experience

[raven52 233]

Would only suggest you get yout SSN as soon as you can. Do not make the mistake me and my wife made, she waited ""until after we got married".,,., there was no such person in the Dept. of Homeland Security, for her new marrried name.

Should not be a problem for a man.,.,but save yourself.,.,some severe grief we went through.,.,.just get that SSN, when you get here.

[Owen_London 65]

In TX, you will be able to get a drivers license, but they will only make it valid to the i-94 expiration date; unless you have an EAD at least, in which case 5 years.

But, this us TX -a whole other country as the slogan says; and you want to check the requirements as it needs something with your address to prove residency, besides the id (which could be a passport, prior to EAD).

https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/ApplyforLicense.htm

Another thing, here is called DPS-Dept Public Safety; and in at least in Houston, prepare to spend at least 4-6 hours. Get there before it gets hot, which in South TX is around the corner. You might want to have your camera phone ready...it's always entertaining the effect of what several hours of extreme boredom and really non customer service oriented clerks can cause in people.

I'm not sure when you were last at the DPS, but they now work better than they did a few years ago. There are two decent options to avoid queueing for that sort of time:

1. Drive out to one of the outlying towns (though not just the suburbs). My wife drove out to Hempstead DPS when her license needed renewing. There was no queue at all, and the agents were really friendly.

2. Book an appointment online for one of the new DPS mega-centers. There will still be a long queue, but they text you with the expected time you will reach the front of it. When I did this to get my permit (basically the learner's license), I saw someone about half an hour after the expected time, but that's much better than the DPS used to be.

A few other things:

- As long as you're over 24, The theory test can be done online, though I actually went and did it on a Saturday morning with a load of 18 year olds. For someone who's even been in cars in the UK, most of the questions are easy, apart from the differences between Texas and UK (like turning right on a red light), some questions on the punishments for things like DUI (driving under the influence - i.e. drunk driving), and stopping distances.

- The actual practical test is incredibly easy. 1. Parallel park (a nearly pointless skill in Texas). 2. Drive around the block obeying stop signs, school zones and speed limits. 3. Nothing else.

- Make sure you bring passport, proof of address, permit (if you get that before taking your test), I94 record, visa, green card (if you have one) each time you go to the DPS. I went to my test assuming that since I had my permit then I had all the ID needed, which is normal in Texas. The DPS needed more before they'd test me, partly because they did a bad job of scanning my license when they first created it.

[bosfred 1]

Hey Sweetwinks, just some information for you. A SSN is in no way, shape, or form, a proof of address. Like a passport, it is not tied to your address. It is a number to track your retirement benefits, that is all. it is not proof of legal status or proof of much.

Each state has different requirements for a DL.

A K-1 is eligible for a SSN upon arrival. There is no need to marry first.

OP:

You can check the Texas rules, but most people cannot drive until they get their EAD at least. Expect some down time in the US when you arrive.

Yes. You can use your SSN for proof of address, if only, you have not separated the name/number side of the card from the address. Just used it yesterday inTexas

[lizascissors 65]

A friend of mine's husband is here from the UK. He said that it was helpful to get an international driving permit prior to leaving the UK. With the international driving permit he was actually allowed to be on his American wife's car insurance (at least Geico let him). He's been here a year and is actually just now getting an American license.

[Gosia & Tito 199]

I'm not sure when you were last at the DPS, but they now work better than they did a few years ago. There are two decent options to avoid queueing for that sort of time:

1. Drive out to one of the outlying towns (though not just the suburbs). My wife drove out to Hempstead DPS when her license needed renewing. There was no queue at all, and the agents were really friendly.

2. Book an appointment online for one of the new DPS mega-centers. There will still be a long queue, but they text you with the expected time you will reach the front of it. When I did this to get my permit (basically the learner's license), I saw someone about half an hour after the expected time, but that's much better than the DPS used to be.

A few other things:

- As long as you're over 24, The theory test can be done online, though I actually went and did it on a Saturday morning with a load of 18 year olds. For someone who's even been in cars in the UK, most of the questions are easy, apart from the differences between Texas and UK (like turning right on a red light), some questions on the punishments for things like DUI (driving under the influence - i.e. drunk driving), and stopping distances.

- The actual practical test is incredibly easy. 1. Parallel park (a nearly pointless skill in Texas). 2. Drive around the block obeying stop signs, school zones and speed limits. 3. Nothing else.

- Make sure you bring passport, proof of address, permit (if you get that before taking your test), I94 record, visa, green card (if you have one) each time you go to the DPS. I went to my test assuming that since I had my permit then I had all the ID needed, which is normal in Texas. The DPS needed more before they'd test me, partly because they did a bad job of scanning my license when they first created it.

Last time there was about 1 1/2 years; when my now wife needed an Id. She did not need a drivers license. She had to be in person and it was not accepted to make an appointment. In fact, we went twice, because the first time, before she had the EAD, we wanted to use her passport; however, my wife does not have a middle name, so what they wanted to do was to use her maiden as middle and my last as her last *as she had changed names). Esentially they were changing her name; to which we oppose. In TX, you MUST have a middle name apparently. Once we had the EAD, we went back and they issue the id without a middle name as it was in the EAD.

Why was this handle differently you would ask? That was my same question to the office head. No explanation other than with the EAD they had "proof" that they were not breaking their rules as they were following the "Federal" id. I asked then why is not same with foreign passport, they said it was not a US document; then I asked why then it's used to establish id.....You know where this is going. You can't reason with non-intelligent life. At this point I'm just having a heck of fun with all the contradictory statements and the increasing level of agitation of this individual who can't just admit that there certain rules that make no sense and should be disregarded. I felt for this lady, after all, I'm questioning her livelihood.

My conclusion: clerks at DPS are bored to death and need to find ways to amuse themselves and prevent them to shot themselves to death out of boredom (which they can probably do by just going to their parked cars and take their shotguns from the trunk)..Did i say this is TX, land of the everybody has a gun?

Driving to Hempstead is not high in my list of things, even when it is highly amusing to go into a local eatery and find that it is a dry county, which I find hilarious.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Last time there was about 1 1/2 years; when my now wife needed an Id. She did not need a drivers license. She had to be in person and it was not accepted to make an appointment. In fact, we went twice, because the first time, before she had the EAD, we wanted to use her passport; however, my wife does not have a middle name, so what they wanted to do was to use her maiden as middle and my last as her last *as she had changed names). Esentially they were changing her name; to which we oppose. In TX, you MUST have a middle name apparently. Once we had the EAD, we went back and they issue the id without a middle name as it was in the EAD.

Why was this handle differently you would ask? That was my same question to the office head. No explanation other than with the EAD they had "proof" that they were not breaking their rules as they were following the "Federal" id. I asked then why is not same with foreign passport, they said it was not a US document; then I asked why then it's used to establish id.....You know where this is going. You can't reason with non-intelligent life. At this point I'm just having a heck of fun with all the contradictory statements and the increasing level of agitation of this individual who can't just admit that there certain rules that make no sense and should be disregarded. I felt for this lady, after all, I'm questioning her livelihood.

My conclusion: clerks at DPS are bored to death and need to find ways to amuse themselves and prevent them to shot themselves to death out of boredom (which they can probably do by just going to their parked cars and take their shotguns from the trunk)..Did i say this is TX, land of the everybody has a gun?

Driving to Hempstead is not high in my list of things, even when it is highly amusing to go into a local eatery and find that it is a dry county, which I find hilarious.

Here's some info that may help you understand the name stuff. Texas seems to use a maiden name on licenses. I am the USC and have had a TX license for centuries now. When I married way back, my license name became--

First Middle Maiden Married ---all four names.

My two daughters are the same. That's how they do it. In the case of your wife, they weren't requiring a middle name but were using the maiden name like they always do. she ended up with three-- First (none) Maiden Married

Now for an immigrant name. Because they are not citizens, their name must match their DHS authorization. My husband's licenses have been---

John Doe (because EAD came in that name as well as I-94) one yr license

John T Doe (greencard name) went to show greencard and got a 6 yr license. They changed name.

John T Doe (we moved and did an address change) license still in greencard name.

John Thomas Doe (went to show naturalization certificate to update ther records from alien to USC) they said they were required to issue a new license in the immigration record name. The naturalization certificate was in the full name. Social Security cards went through the same thing.

We go to Angleton to do DPS and SSA. Small offices, short wait. Brazoria County is a dry county, but Angleton has a local option allowing liquor in restaurants as well as liquor stores. You can have a drink. Now that the megacenters are open, we will go there.

Something interesting I just found out because a USC lady I know went to the Spring megacenter to renew her license because she was notified it must be done in person. She got there and was told she needed to prove her citizenship with a birth certificate or US passport. The law changed in 2008 so all who had six year licenses issued pre-change that are up for renewal now have to show proof they are citizens. That's going to catch a lot of people off guard who have renewed for decades without a question of citizenship.

Edited April 16, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Here's some info that may help you understand the name stuff. Texas seems to use a maiden name on licenses. I am the USC and have had a TX license for centuries now. When I married way back, my license name became--

First Middle Maiden Married ---all four names.

My two daughters are the same. That's how they do it. In the case of your wife, they weren't requiring a middle name but were using the maiden name like they always do. she ended up with three-- First (none) Maiden Married

Now for an immigrant name. Because they are not citizens, their name must match their DHS authorization. My husband's licenses have been---

John Doe (because EAD came in that name as well as I-94) one yr license

John T Doe (greencard name) went to show greencard and got a 6 yr license. They changed name.

John T Doe (we moved and did an address change) license still in greencard name.

John Thomas Doe (went to show naturalization certificate to update ther records from alien to USC) they said they were required to issue a new license in the immigration record name. The naturalization certificate was in the full name. Social Security cards went through the same thing.

We go to Angleton to do DPS and SSA. Small offices, short wait. Brazoria County is a dry county, but Angleton has a local option allowing liquor in restaurants as well as liquor stores. You can have a drink. Now that the megacenters are open, we will go there.

Something interesting I just found out because a USC lady I know went to the Spring megacenter to renew her license because she was notified it must be done in person. She got there and was told she needed to prove her citizenship with a birth certificate or US passport. The law changed in 2008 so all who had six year licenses issued pre-change that are up for renewal now have to show proof they are citizens. That's going to catch a lot of people off guard who have renewed for decades without a question of citizenship.

That is an explanation that fits and makes sense, but not what was told to us: we were told they "needed to fill the middle name" which fits with your explanation BTW; just apparently these people we talked to did not why and only that it has to be filled. And, we had a SS card already, with the Name MarriedLast, I guess SS is not an "approved" document to establish identity, except that it was when I first showed up in the Lone Star in 2004. I have renewed mine at end of 2009 and no one asked for proof of citizenship. Go figure, maybe they'll ask next time.

Thanks for the explanation

[Owen_London 65]

Last time there was about 1 1/2 years; when my now wife needed an Id. She did not need a drivers license. She had to be in person and it was not accepted to make an appointment. In fact, we went twice, because the first time, before she had the EAD, we wanted to use her passport; however, my wife does not have a middle name, so what they wanted to do was to use her maiden as middle and my last as her last *as she had changed names). Esentially they were changing her name; to which we oppose. In TX, you MUST have a middle name apparently. Once we had the EAD, we went back and they issue the id without a middle name as it was in the EAD.

Why was this handle differently you would ask? That was my same question to the office head. No explanation other than with the EAD they had "proof" that they were not breaking their rules as they were following the "Federal" id. I asked then why is not same with foreign passport, they said it was not a US document; then I asked why then it's used to establish id.....You know where this is going. You can't reason with non-intelligent life. At this point I'm just having a heck of fun with all the contradictory statements and the increasing level of agitation of this individual who can't just admit that there certain rules that make no sense and should be disregarded. I felt for this lady, after all, I'm questioning her livelihood.

My conclusion: clerks at DPS are bored to death and need to find ways to amuse themselves and prevent them to shot themselves to death out of boredom (which they can probably do by just going to their parked cars and take their shotguns from the trunk)..Did i say this is TX, land of the everybody has a gun?

Driving to Hempstead is not high in my list of things, even when it is highly amusing to go into a local eatery and find that it is a dry county, which I find hilarious.

I'm sorry you and your wife had such a bad experience. From Nich-Nick's post, though, it does sound like a communication problem between you and the staff, rather than them acting like jobsworths.

And Waller County (which includes Hempstead) is wet, as is most of Texas. Even if it were dry, I don't understand why this would prevent you getting a license.

[Kiwinyc 62]

I just got my license here in Austin, TX, i passed the road test this morning. My license has been issued with the exact same name format as my EAD. For whatever reason my middle name happens to be initialized on the EAD. I wrote it out in full on my Drivers license application and they made me cross it out leaving just the initial. So it was issued with the format First Name - Middle Initial - Last Name - Last Name (I kept my original and added my husbands)

That probably doesn't add anything to this thread. Except that here in Austin (North Lamar) the first bit (Application photograph and theory test done on a PC) took 40 mins. They have an online system called 'QLess' that allows you to get online to see someone before you leave your house if you do it from home which cuts waiting time. Appts for the road test are also booked online, I showed up early and did my test 20 mins before my scheduled appointment and I was tested and done in 10 minutes. I had to practice my parallel parking for the test because I haven't had to do any since arriving here and I'm pretty sure I'll never have to do another ever again!

Also I'll repeat that I didn't need an international license to be covered by my Fiance/Husbands insurance (State Farm) - I just drove on my UK license. In Texas it seems the policy holder only has to give permission to another driver (doesn't matter if they have a US or foreign license) for coverage.