NORTH CAROLINA DRIVERS - PLEASE HELP

[S*UK 543]

I'm really hoping someone can help me out, i've been looking for answers to this for so so long now.

 

Basically, I have my UK driving license. I want to drive in NC when I arrive on my K1 visa.

 

1) Can I use my UK driving license for 60 days? (Ok, so i've read online that in NC you can use an international driving license (i.e. a UK license) to drive for up to 60 days as long as you are not a resident ??)

 

2) How and when can I apply for a NC license? (so again, ive read online that to get a NC license you must present ID (passport, SSN), proof of legal stauts (I-94 and passport stamp) and proof of insurance (can I get on my fiance's insurance?)

 

3) Has ANYONE ever been able to do this in North Carolina before getting their EAD ?  (so far I have NOT read ANYONE who has been able to sucessfully do this!)

 

I dont think I can live there for months without being able to drive so any info please help.

Edited September 22, 2017 by S*UK

[Salty2305 504]

My assumption is that you can apply once you have your SSN, you can apply for your NC driving license.

 

This link looks pretty helpful, https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/examples/ looks as if your I-194 and SSN card are enough but I don't know for definite I'm afraid

[S*UK 543]

Just now, Salty2305 said:

My assumption is that you can apply once you have your SSN, you can apply for your NC driving license.

 

This link looks pretty helpful, https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/examples/ looks as if your I-194 and SSN card are enough but I don't know for definite I'm afraid

I think this is true, however it is only valid for the 90 days of the K1.

After that you have an expired license. And you cannot get another one until EAD, it seems. Which is around 3 months atm! I can't go 3 months not being able to drive

Thanks for the link!

[Salty2305 504]

Just now, S*UK said:

I think this is true, however it is only valid for the 90 days of the K1.

After that you have an expired license. And you cannot get another one until EAD, it seems. Which is around 3 months atm! I can't go 3 months not being able to drive

Thanks for the link!

Aww that sucks! I still don't know how to drive here never mind in the US so it's a bit irrelevant to me at the moment 

 

Hope you find the answer! 

[NDB052714 122]

23 minutes ago, S*UK said:

I'm really hoping someone can help me out, i've been looking for answers to this for so so long now.

 

Basically, I have my UK driving license. I want to drive in NC when I arrive on my K1 visa.

 

1) Can I use my UK driving license for 60 days? (Ok, so i've read online that in NC you can use an international driving license (i.e. a UK license) to drive for up to 60 days as long as you are not a resident ??)

 

2) How and when can I apply for a NC license? (so again, ive read online that to get a NC license you must present ID (passport, SSN), proof of legal stauts (I-94 and passport stamp) and proof of insurance (can I get on my fiance's insurance?)

 

3) Has ANYONE ever been able to do this in North Carolina before getting their EAD ?  (so far I have NOT read ANYONE who has been able to sucessfully do this!)

 

I dont think I can live there for months without being able to drive so any info please help.

we've just been through this in NC. You can drive on your UK license for 60 days. You cannot get a permanent license until you have your EAD. Even the state-issued ID card that you can get through DMV expires when the K1 visa expires. It is a pain in the neck, for sure! 

[S*UK 543]

Just now, Salty2305 said:

Aww that sucks! I still don't know how to drive here never mind in the US so it's a bit irrelevant to me at the moment 

 

Hope you find the answer! 

I think thats kinda lucky actually, its hard to leave yet another thing behind. I take so much for granted, but at the same time I feel like its a basic human right

Thanks for your help

[S*UK 543]

Just now, NDB052714 said:

we've just been through this in NC. You can drive on your UK license for 60 days. You cannot get a permanent license until you have your EAD. Even the state-issued ID card that you can get through DMV expires when the K1 visa expires. It is a pain in the neck, for sure! 

Thanks so much. This really really sucks.

I dont know if you can help but... since i'll be marrying someone in the military I will get some form of military ID once married. Do you think perhaps this could be used to prove residency on the military base? hmmm

[troika 307]

On 22/09/2017 at 4:59 PM, S*UK said:

I think this is true, however it is only valid for the 90 days of the K1.

After that you have an expired license. And you cannot get another one until EAD, it seems. Which is around 3 months atm! I can't go 3 months not being able to drive

Thanks for the link!

I feel you, I too, can't think what I will do with myself without being able to drive while waiting for EAD.

 

The thing is, what are we, residents ? What defines a resident ? Somewhere I read, only when you take up education/work, you become resident, which I think we won't do until we have our EAD anyway, so can't we drive on our UK licenses for up to a year as a "visitor" ?

[June2017UK 430]

On 22/09/2017 at 5:35 PM, S*UK said:

 

1) Can I use my UK driving license for 60 days? (Ok, so i've read online that in NC you can use an international driving license (i.e. a UK license) to drive for up to 60 days as long as you are not a resident ??)

 

The international drivers permit can be obtained from a UK Post Office for £5.50. Not all branches offer the service though. You’ll need your passport, a passport photo and your driving license.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/international-driving-permit

 

Also, read the J and R section at the bottom of this page.

http://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/driving-abroad/idp-country-list

Edited September 23, 2017 by June2017UK

[Ontarkie 14,231]

~~Moved to Moving Here and Y Our New Life, from K1 progress reports.~~

[trudi 1,317]

My experience is this:

 

Arrive on K1

get I94, birth certificate etc

Go to DMV, sit theory test & take driving test

Get issued a NC license valid for 90 days

 

Licence expires before EAD arrives, go back to DMV

They tell me nothing they can do until I have official status.

Go to the police station and ask them if I can use my expired NC license along with my UK license until my EAD arrives.

They were basically clueless, agreed it is an impossible situation and said that as I had no legal residential status I 'should' be ok with my UK license but that it is a grey area.

 

The insurance company had no problem with me using my UK license throughout.

 

Its one of the unseen pitfalls of the K1, have no real status until EAD/AOS is approved

[S*UK 543]

15 hours ago, trudi said:

My experience is this:

 

Arrive on K1

get I94, birth certificate etc

Go to DMV, sit theory test & take driving test

Get issued a NC license valid for 90 days

 

Licence expires before EAD arrives, go back to DMV

They tell me nothing they can do until I have official status.

Go to the police station and ask them if I can use my expired NC license along with my UK license until my EAD arrives.

They were basically clueless, agreed it is an impossible situation and said that as I had no legal residential status I 'should' be ok with my UK license but that it is a grey area.

 

The insurance company had no problem with me using my UK license throughout.

 

Its one of the unseen pitfalls of the K1, have no real status until EAD/AOS is approved

I read in another forum someone emailed the person in charge of the DMV in NC. Basically said 'hey, your website says NOA is suitable for proof of status but your staff arent allowing me to use it, blah blah'

 

Worth a shot and its def what i'll be doing!

17 hours ago, June2017UK said:

The international drivers permit can be obtained from a UK Post Office for £5.50. Not all branches offer the service though. You’ll need your passport, a passport photo and your driving license.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/international-driving-permit

 

Also, read the J and R section at the bottom of this page.

http://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/driving-abroad/idp-country-list

International drivers permits are not accepted in North Carolina.

[S*UK 543]

18 hours ago, troika said:

I feel you, I too, can't think what I will do with myself without being able to drive while waiting for EAD.

 

The thing is, what are we, residents ? What defines a resident ? Somewhere I read, only when you take up education/work, you become resident, which I think we won't do until we have our EAD anyway, so can't we drive on our UK licenses for up to a year as a "visitor" ?

In North Carolina, you can use your UK license itself (not an international drivers permit though) for 60 days only. So basically, no, we cant just use the UK license.

[June2017UK 430]

3 minutes ago, S*UK said:

 

International drivers permits are not accepted in North Carolina.

It wouldn't surprise me. When I started researching IDP's, there were warnings everywhere on the google results stating that there are unapproved agencies issuing them.

[S*UK 543]

1 minute ago, June2017UK said:

It wouldn't surprise me. When I started researching IDP's, there were warnings everywhere on the google results stating that there are unapproved agencies issuing them.

Yea, they are obviously more content seeing a real UK license in NC. You can use your UK license, but only for 60 days as a 'visitor' and then if you got stopped you would be driving illegally. Which, of course, for a K1 visa holder is no use. You can get a NC DL for 90 days anyway.