Driving and working before AOS

[Ketsuban 1,034]

27 minutes ago, Dilorena said:

As for the driver's license I wouldn't risk driving without an american license,taking a test is beneficial since

traffic regulations change a bit from country to country, and without a green card yet it seems like asking for trouble. 

 

That must suck for all the foreign tourists who rent cars while on vacation.

[Dianalorena 1,153]

Just now, Ketsuban said:

That must suck for all the foreign tourists who rent cars while on vacation.

apples and oranges, my sweet friend.

When you rent a car you sign a contract with a liability insurance that's temporary, you leave your credit card information and if anything happens to the car, that deposit is taken away. If you get a ticket, you also pay for it but you go through the rental company/deposit.  My guess is they're not talking about a rental, since it's not an affordable option for long periods of time. 

Driving a car that's not a rental, with a pending AOS is definitely not the same, don't you think? 

 

 

[Mollie09 1,543]

Tourists aren't residents.

K-1 holders aren't tourists.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

1 hour ago, Dilorena said:

apples and oranges, my sweet friend.

When you rent a car you sign a contract with a liability insurance that's temporary, you leave your credit card information and if anything happens to the car, that deposit is taken away. If you get a ticket, you also pay for it but you go through the rental company/deposit.  My guess is they're not talking about a rental, since it's not an affordable option for long periods of time. 

Driving a car that's not a rental, with a pending AOS is definitely not the same, don't you think? 

 

 

I was going off your assertion that it was a bad idea to drive with a foreign license because of the different traffic regulations. 

[Becci391 339]

1 hour ago, Dilorena said:

The amount of people that get into the K1 without reading the fine print is too damn high.

It makes me wonder if they picked that one to ''be with their partner faster'' without realizing the complications involved.

For me, not being able to travel or work for 3-4 months was the big reason why I didn't choose that option. 

No judgment directed to OP or anyone, just curious, since there are often posts like this.

As for the driver's license I wouldn't risk driving without an american license,taking a test is beneficial since

traffic regulations change a bit from country to country, and without a green card yet it seems like asking for trouble. 

 

I came to the US on a K1 visa and both, me and my husband knew that it takes some time until USCIS will issue my EAD and that I had to be patient and were not allowed to work.

But i completely agree with you tho. Still so many people asking the same question at least once a week. It's written in the AOS guides that the non US-spouse needs to apply for their EAD(and AP) and that it as of right now can take 3.5 to 4 months for this part to be completed.

 

I was allowed to drive and used my German driver's license until my I-94 expired. Now I have to wait for my EAD so that I can get the Georgia driver's license.

Edited April 18, 2017 by Becci391

[Dianalorena 1,153]

5 minutes ago, Ketsuban said:

I was going off your assertion that it was a bad idea to drive with a foreign license because of the different traffic regulations. 

I wouldn't drive in a foreign country without knowing their traffic regulations/rules/ or even taking a driver's test beforehand (if the plan is to stay months)  but that's just an opinion. I never stated that no one should be able to drive.

But you do you

 

[zilchfox 296]

Working: No.
Driving: Depends on Arizona's DMV laws. In Georgia, I had no problem getting a license, however I had to take the appropriate tests (keep in mind I'm from Canada where 99% of the road rules are identical). Most states will make the license expire at the end of the I-94, and to continue driving on it you will have to frequently show your status and get your card updated.

Edited April 18, 2017 by zilchfox

[SariEva 17]

Every state has different requirements for obtaining a driver's license.  In Wisconsin, my husband needed his EAD card first, to show that he was authorized to reside in the state for a least 6 months. His license expires when his EAD does, so hopefully his green card will be approved before then. 

 

A quick review of the Arizona DMV website seems to indicate that she may be able to drive with her Ukranian license, since only "residents" are required to have an Arizona license.  They define resident:

Resident Definition

State law requires that you obtain an Arizona driver license and registration immediately if any one of the following applies:

• You work in Arizona (other than for seasonal agricultural work).
• You are registered to vote in this state.
• You place children in school without paying the tuition rate of a nonresident.
• You have a business with an office in Arizona that bases and operates vehicles in this state.
• You obtain a state license or pay school tuition fees at the same rate as an Arizona resident.
• You have a business that operates vehicles to transport goods or passengers within Arizona.
• You remain in Arizona for a total of seven months or more during any calendar year, regardless of your permanent residence.

See sources here: https://www.azdot.gov/mvd/driver-services/driver-license-information/proof-of-identification-age-and-authorized-presence

 

If none of those examples fit her situation, she may be okay to drive until the seventh month, when she would be required to have an Arizona license and she should have the proper identification by then. 

 

She may also be able to actually get a license with her I94, if she also has a social security number.  See the list of identification requirements that can be downloaded from this page http://azdot.gov/mvd/driver-services/statement-on-the-federal-immigration-program

 

At the end of the day, her best bet is to actually go to the DMV and ask these questions.  With the state of immigration at the moment, rules can change on a daily basis, and it says as much on the Arizona DOT website. 

 

Good luck to you both!  Hang in there, it does get easier. 

[Georgia16 2,858]

Even the rules within the state is different. 

 

As you saw above to other from GA had different rules for them. 

 

One was able to get the DL (I believe because that one is from CA)

 

The other said they could drive until the I-94 expires which is 90 days

 

And I could drive 30 days on my Danish DL before I was not allowed to drive anymore doing to the GA rules about new residents and GA DL.

 

So the best thing you can do is to contact the DMV where you live and ask how long she can drive on her out of country DL and/or she can take the state DL test before the EAD or if she has to wait for the EAD before she can take the tests and get the state DL. 

 

She cannot work either without the EAD so expect that to be 3-4 months from when you file the AOS. She can request a expedite of the EAD if she has a written job offer just know that an expedite is not guaranteed.

[Alexia TL 123]

5 hours ago, Laurel0708 said:

My husband applied for a US drivers license when he entered on a K-1. The date expired when the k-1 expired. I waited until we had filed AOS, and then we took the info back to the dmv. They gave him a drivers license that is good for six months.

 

Hi Laurel !

 

I'm currently in the middle of the K1 process and would really appreciate if you could tell me how your husband applied for the US drivers licence, and what papers he had to give to the DMV. I saw I need a SSN to get a drivers license, how was he able to get one without waiting for the EAD ? 

 

I'm also gonna be in NC

 

Thank you so much !

[Becci391 339]

38 minutes ago, Alexia Taisson said:

 

Hi Laurel !

 

I'm currently in the middle of the K1 process and would really appreciate if you could tell me how your husband applied for the US drivers licence, and what papers he had to give to the DMV. I saw I need a SSN to get a drivers license, how was he able to get one without waiting for the EAD ? 

 

I'm also gonna be in NC

 

Thank you so much !

You can get a SSN without a EAD.

[geowrian 22,337]

1 minute ago, Becci391 said:

You can get a SSN without a EAD.

Yup, assuming the I-94 stamp is still valid and will not expire soon (I think the cutoff is about 14 days before expiration?). After that, you can't get an SSN until you have an EAD.

[Becci391 339]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

Yup, assuming the I-94 stamp is still valid and will not expire soon (I think the cutoff is about 14 days before expiration?). After that, you can't get an SSN until you have an EAD.

Correct.

I wasn't allowed to get a DL because my I-94 was about to expire in 10 days.  The woman on the phone said that I now have to wait for my EAD.