Renewing driver license with AOS pending - K1 Visa, TX

[phothecat 0]

Hi guys,

 

I used to have a driver license in Texas when I was going to college here under the F-1 visa. I left the country after college and just now came back under K-1 visa. I brought my old DL along with my passport, SSN card and I-94 to the local DPS office. The lady asked me if I had taken a 6-hour driver education course before, and I said yes (that's why I managed to get my DL when I was a student). She then proceeded to take my picture and fingerprint for the new DL. The new DL is only valid until my K-1 visa expires and costs $25. When I asked her why the duration of the DL is not longer (because I have submitted my AOS application and received a receipt notice from USCIS), she said she didn't choose the date and "immigration chooses the expiration date. You can come back to renew your license when you receive your card from immigration." I'm not sure what card she was referring to, the EAD or the green card, but I just went ahead and renewed my DL anyway, just to have a temporary state ID.

 

Has anyone managed to obtain a DL that is valid beyond the expiration date of the K-1 visa without having the EAD or green card? Thank you for the help!

[Hypnos 6,578]

In Texas you will need an EAD or green card to extend a driver's licence beyond your I-94 expiration date.

Edited June 17, 2017 by Hypnos

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

12 hours ago, Hypnos said:

In Texas you will need an EAD or green card to extend a driver's licence beyond your I-94 expiration date.

Not true , I got my 1 year license with my i797c from i485.

[Hypnos 6,578]

The DPS office I went to refused to accept the I-485 NoA. 

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

Just now, Hypnos said:

The DPS office I went to refused to accept the I-485 NoA. 

Yea they didn't want to run it at first, but I convinced them to scan all my papers for verification went home and waited for the letter which arrived and came back "verified lawful status" in about 4-5 business days.

[phothecat 0]

Thank y'all for the replies!

[Fr8dog 312]

For anybody else in TX having issues.

 

http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/documents/verifyingLawfulPresence.pdf

 

Print and present, it's from there own manual

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

7 hours ago, Fr8dog said:

For anybody else in TX having issues.

 

http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/documents/verifyingLawfulPresence.pdf

 

Print and present, it's from there own manual

Exactly how I "convinced" them - good share,  didn't have time fetch it earlier.

[Wiz_Fit 26]

4 hours ago, Suss&Camm said:

Exactly how I "convinced" them - good share,  didn't have time fetch it earlier.

So just curious - if wife came in on a tourist visa, and we got married we got our NOA with our alien number or I-94(I think is the number) we could go get her driver's license now before the EAD? How long would it be valid for in theory? Debating if its worth doing it now so we could go ahead and get her on insurance and such.

 

Really wanting to get her social security so can add her to the car loan we want to get for her but dunno how to rush that before the EAD.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

1 hour ago, Wiz_Fit said:

So just curious - if wife came in on a tourist visa, and we got married we got our NOA with our alien number or I-94(I think is the number) we could go get her driver's license now before the EAD? How long would it be valid for in theory? Debating if its worth doing it now so we could go ahead and get her on insurance and such.

 

Really wanting to get her social security so can add her to the car loan we want to get for her but dunno how to rush that before the EAD.

No, you can't because another requirement of documentation is SSN. Here are all the documents that are needed for a Tx DL. The link above is only a more complete list for the "lawful presence" requirement.

http://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-57.pdf 

 

edit: If one has a SSN - the license issued will be for 1 year.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Suss&Camm