Anyone else have issues getting drivers license?

[FOSSLGRL 63]

Went to DMV, showed all my paperwork, I94 etc. They gave me a paper DL and told me that I can expect the permanent one in the mail a week later.

 

Today, a week later, I get a notice in the mail telling me that my DL is expiring and I need to go into the DMV, pay the licensing fee and have it renewed?

 

What kind of nonsense is this? I spent 3.5 hours in there last week and thought everything was good to go.

 

I called and apparently they only issued me a temporary DL. The expiration date on my paper license is Feb 18th and I assumed that was because it was the paper one and the permanent one would have a later date on it. (that's how it works in Canada). They did not have an explanation for why they issued me a temporary license, only that I needed to go back, do everything over again and bring the letter I got.

 

The only explanation I can think of is maybe it's because my I-94 expires end of Feb. But then what am I supposed to do? I've only just mailed my AOS paperwork this week. I have no way of proving that I am a legal resident now, what do I do if they give me a hard time over the expiration date and refuse to renew my DL?

 

Has this happened to anyone else?

[p-ana 933]

I don't know which state your living at, but most states need proof of legal stay, so they'll go by the i94. That's why it's best to wait for the ead to go for the drivers license. Depending on the state, they can take the aos noa1 as proof, you can try that, but I wouldn't count on that though.

You can do a search here on vj and see that happened multiple times with people. 

[Georgia16 2,858]

Happens to most people. Most K-1's can't get DL until they get their EAD.

 

Everyone gets a temporary DL until they get the real one in the mail. Even the one I got from my EAD that is valid a year says temporary DL un the top.

 

You can not get a DL there is good a year when you only have the I-94 and just be happy you even could get the DL now.

[FOSSLGRL 63]

That's good to know. But I really had no choice, insurance required a TN drivers license, they wouldn't accept my Ontario one. My Canadian insurance company wouldn't cover me after 30 days of living here, I had to insure my vehicle ASAP. What the heck do they expect people to do.

 

Will I be able to get another 30 day temp license when this one runs out or am I going to be SOL and unable to drive for a few months?

Edited January 26, 2017 by FOSSLGRL

[Georgia16 2,858]

Just now, FOSSLGRL said:

That's good to know. But I really had no choice, insurance required a TN drivers license, they wouldn't accept my Ontario one. My Canadian insurance company wouldn't cover me after 30 days of living here, I had to insure my vehicle ASAP. What the heck do they expect people to do.

 

Will I be able to get another 30 day temp license when this one runs out or am I going to be SOL and unable to drive?

There is something called a one-time-extension of 120 days that will give you time to get the EAD and get your DL at this time.

 

But as said it is a one time use. 

[p-ana 933]

You have to check with your local DMV to see if they take any other proof of legal stay like noa1 for the aos. If not, you'll have to wait and should not drive with your foreign license if the state law states so

[Californiansunset 336]

You'll be unable to drive your vehicle until you have your EAD and get your DL renewed. Have you asked or looked on the DMV website of your state whether it allows you to use your Canadian DL for a certain time to drive (usually 6 months, exception is California)? If so then you would be allowed to drive but you would just have to get another car insurance that takes your Canadian DL

[Boiler 45,516]

New residents do not usually get 6 months, normally a lot less. In Colorado the first thing you get is the EAD. However the issue here seems mainly what is required by your Insurer to insure your vehicle.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

19 minutes ago, Californiansunset said:

You'll be unable to drive your vehicle until you have your EAD and get your DL renewed. Have you asked or looked on the DMV website of your state whether it allows you to use your Canadian DL for a certain time to drive (usually 6 months, exception is California)? If so then you would be allowed to drive but you would just have to get another car insurance that takes your Canadian DL

Usually you're required to surrender your Canadian dl 

[Boiler 45,516]

A few States require you to surrender your License, all seem to be on the east coast.

[yuna628 9,676]

32 minutes ago, FOSSLGRL said:

Went to DMV, showed all my paperwork, I94 etc. They gave me a paper DL and told me that I can expect the permanent one in the mail a week later.

 

Today, a week later, I get a notice in the mail telling me that my DL is expiring and I need to go into the DMV, pay the licensing fee and have it renewed?

 

What kind of nonsense is this? I spent 3.5 hours in there last week and thought everything was good to go.

 

I called and apparently they only issued me a temporary DL. The expiration date on my paper license is Feb 18th and I assumed that was because it was the paper one and the permanent one would have a later date on it. (that's how it works in Canada). They did not have an explanation for why they issued me a temporary license, only that I needed to go back, do everything over again and bring the letter I got.

 

The only explanation I can think of is maybe it's because my I-94 expires end of Feb. But then what am I supposed to do? I've only just mailed my AOS paperwork this week. I have no way of proving that I am a legal resident now, what do I do if they give me a hard time over the expiration date and refuse to renew my DL?

 

Has this happened to anyone else?

This is pretty standard of most states. The license will only be good for as long as the I94 is. Your next chance to obtain one will be if you have filed for AOS (with an EAD). Go back when you have the EAD, and also your SSN. Return again once you have the green card. The issue for you here is your insurance company, either it's truly their policy (which seems odd to me) or it's time to argue with a supervisor. The state will also have it's own laws regarding how long a foreign citizen could continue to drive on a foreign license before they become a resident as well (which it sort of sounds like what the insurance company is doing). But, it is typically unwise to continue driving past your I94 date because you won't have documentation that will grant you a state license yet. Unfortunately this is one of those moments where state rules clash with the slow process of federal immigration. You could try looking for a different insurance, but the risk here will be driving without authorized identification. You wouldn't want to get pulled over. You are most likely going to need to find alternative transport until your EAD.

 

3 minutes ago, Boiler said:

A few States require you to surrender your License, all seem to be on the east coast.

He was not required to surrender his license thankfully. They only needed to look at it for a little bit. The agent explained to us that you only must surrender the foreign license (sometimes they will just nip a corner off) if there is a agreement between a state and a few specific countries that allows a complete fast track in the process, but that not every agent is aware of that part of the job.

[FOSSLGRL 63]

25 minutes ago, Californiansunset said:

You'll be unable to drive your vehicle until you have your EAD and get your DL renewed. Have you asked or looked on the DMV website of your state whether it allows you to use your Canadian DL for a certain time to drive (usually 6 months, exception is California)? If so then you would be allowed to drive but you would just have to get another car insurance that takes your Canadian DL

I can likely use my Ontario DL (thankfully the person at the DMV gave it back to me) but if I had an accident I'd be screwed.

 

Not keen on switching insurance companies, since they tend to punish you for being with your previous insurer for less than one year. I was already hit with that when I moved here, since I was in Ontario for less than a year prior to moving here. My broker told me that I needed a TN DL to be insured in TN so I don't think switching companies will help anyways.

 

I went to an independent broker and she went through several different companies and it literally took two days for them to find someone who would insure me and get a policy together. And it wasn't because they weren't working on it, she called me every couple hours with updates and to get more info.

 

I have done everything properly and to the best of my ability. Not being able to drive will have some major negative impacts, there isn't even a public transit system where I live. Though I am sure that I will be able to figure something out before it comes to that.

 

Everything I have done so far to become legal here, the staff have had to twist information in order to make it work for me. I can't believe how difficult they make everything. And after all I went through to get here.

 

I joke with my husband that it may be easier if I just get pregnant lol.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[FOSSLGRL 63]

18 minutes ago, Transborderwife said:

Usually you're required to surrender your Canadian dl 

He gave it back (presumably by accident)

 

Thank goodness.

 

Though, I have a feeling that when I go back to the DMV tomorrow morning I will be able to convince them to give me a permanent license. It seems like most places just want to make me happy and get me the heck out of there since my case is so complicated lol.

[FOSSLGRL 63]

11 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

This is pretty standard of most states. The license will only be good for as long as the I94 is. Your next chance to obtain one will be if you have filed for AOS (with an EAD). Go back when you have the EAD, and also your SSN. Return again once you have the green card. The issue for you here is your insurance company, either it's truly their policy (which seems odd to me) or it's time to argue with a supervisor. The state will also have it's own laws regarding how long a foreign citizen could continue to drive on a foreign license before they become a resident as well (which it sort of sounds like what the insurance company is doing). But, it is typically unwise to continue driving past your I94 date because you won't have documentation that will grant you a state license yet. Unfortunately this is one of those moments where state rules clash with the slow process of federal immigration. You could try looking for a different insurance, but the risk here will be driving without authorized identification. You wouldn't want to get pulled over. You are most likely going to need to find alternative transport until your EAD.

 

He was not required to surrender his license thankfully. They only needed to look at it for a little bit. The agent explained to us that you only must surrender the foreign license (sometimes they will just nip a corner off) if there is a agreement between a state and a few specific countries that allows a complete fast track in the process, but that not every agent is aware of that part of the job.

Yeah my agent apparently wasn't aware of that lol. It would have just been nice to know, but I give the benefit of the doubt since I know my situation isn't something they see every day... it's also possible that he didn't know it would be temporary, and it wasn't determined until after the fact.

 

The EAD waiting periods make my heart sink...

 

But I can only do what I can do. I will go in to speak to them tomorrow. Then decide what to do from there.

 

Thanks again for the replies all. Sorry if I didn't reply to everyone, I did read and consider each response.

 

Cheers.

[Limey 551]

I'm on about my 5th or 6th license now (been here in NC for 18 months). I was permitted 60 days after entering country on my UK license so took my test as soon as I could and got first license (dated to expire when i94 did). So applied for EAD and GC almost immediately after getting married. Renewed license when EAD came through, and then again when the license was about to expire and I had my GC. Along the way one license got lost in the mail, and another didn't arrive before the temp paper one expired so I went to DMV for another (the first then arrived next day). I'm on pretty good terms with the people at the DMV now, they treat me as a regular.

 

My i94 ran out about 2 weeks before I finally got my EAD, so I didn't drive during this time. It was a little annoying, but you can't work before getting EAD, so its not the end of the world.

 

My 2 year GC and hence my license expires in November 2017, so I'll be there again once I have the NOA for ROC, and then again when 10 year GC arrives. I've got a pile of old licenses sitting right next to me at this very moment.