Michigan Driving License

[LukeU 413]

Hey everyone, 

 

So we're still approximately a few months from our NOA2 but there's one question often comes up during our discussions on moving over and starting a new life together over in Michigan and that's the initial driving from my POE and receiving the Temp greencard.

 

Has anyone from the UK moved over to Michigan and if so how did you go about driving/getting a license once over there on your K1 and did you have any issues? I understand driving on a tourist visa is absolutely fine and I've definitely put the miles in over there compared to here. 

 

Many thanks in advance! 

[Dashinka 24,488]

Here is something I found with a Google search.  It looks like a K1 recipient can drive legally in Michigan with their UK license and legal proof of immigration status (I94) for at least 90 days.  They can also apply for a Michigan DL once they establish Michigan residency after marriage, but that license may only be valid for the validity of the I94 from the K1 meaning they would need to go back and re-apply once they receive their EAD or GC.  Others may know better, but the best course may be to get married, file the AOS ASAP, then the foreign spouse can show legal presence (via the NOA from the AOS) and I believe can continue to drive with a valid UK DL.  Then once the GC is received apply for a Michigan DL which will only be valid for the period of the GC (2 years if a conditional GC).  Hopefully that make sense.  In our case, my fiancé (now wife) did not have a valid foreign DL, so she had to apply as a learner, so we applied for the learner's permit after we got married which gave us about 70 days of legal practice, then she applied for the MI DL when she got her GC which only took about 5.5 months back then.

 

Good Luck!

 

https://michiganimmigrant.org/sites/default/files/SB501English.pdf

[LukeU 413]

2 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

Here is something I found with a Google search.  It looks like a K1 recipient can drive legally in Michigan with their UK license and legal proof of immigration status (I94) for at least 90 days.  They can also apply for a Michigan DL once they establish Michigan residency after marriage, but that license may only be valid for the validity of the I94 from the K1 meaning they would need to go back and re-apply once they receive their EAD or GC.  Others may know better, but the best course may be to get married, file the AOS ASAP, then the foreign spouse can show legal presence (via the NOA from the AOS) and I believe can continue to drive with a valid UK DL.  Then once the GC is received apply for a Michigan DL which will only be valid for the period of the GC (2 years if a conditional GC).  Hopefully that make sense.  In our case, my fiancé (now wife) did not have a valid foreign DL, so she had to apply as a learner, so we applied for the learner's permit after we got married which gave us about 70 days of legal practice, then she applied for the MI DL when she got her GC which only took about 5.5 months back then.

 

Good Luck!

 

https://michiganimmigrant.org/sites/default/files/SB501English.pdf

Thank you, we'll be sure to keep checking through MI driving rules and what not. Hopefully it's doable relatively quickly as the time between Marriage and receiving EAD can take quite some time and without the driving that could be a pain! 

[ProudlyConfused 24]

Hey hey,

 

I'm a Michiganed, not from the UK though.

In order to "convert" your drivers license once you have your GC you'll be required to take the written test when applying (nothing hard at all - I passed it without studying since I did not know I had to take it).

 

You'll also be required to pass a practical driving exam.

 

There are a few documents and categories of documents you'll need to bring to the SOC when you apply - below is a link to their official table:

 

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/DE40_032001_20459_7.pdf

 

Best of luck!

[LukeU 413]

13 hours ago, ProudlyConfused said:

Hey hey,

 

I'm a Michiganed, not from the UK though.

In order to "convert" your drivers license once you have your GC you'll be required to take the written test when applying (nothing hard at all - I passed it without studying since I did not know I had to take it).

 

You'll also be required to pass a practical driving exam.

 

There are a few documents and categories of documents you'll need to bring to the SOC when you apply - below is a link to their official table:

 

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/DE40_032001_20459_7.pdf

 

Best of luck!

Thank you for that! I've gone through the theory side on a regular basis and quite often pass...it's just different when theoretically looking at vehicles turning at junctions etc as they're on the other (wrong 😉) side! But that's perfect, thank you.

[ProudlyConfused 24]

4 hours ago, LukeU said:

Thank you for that! I've gone through the theory side on a regular basis and quite often pass...it's just different when theoretically looking at vehicles turning at junctions etc as they're on the other (wrong 😉) side! But that's perfect, thank you.

Yup i'm familiar - I grew up in South Africa driving on the left hand side of the road too - you'll get used to it easily enough.

 

Driving in snow though is fun!

[LukeU 413]

1 minute ago, ProudlyConfused said:

Yup i'm familiar - I grew up in South Africa driving on the left hand side of the road too - you'll get used to it easily enough.

 

Driving in snow though is fun!

The physical driving on the right isn't an issue (it's only this month that I finally put more miles in on the UK roads than I have on the US ones) it's just the theoretical aspect. 

 

Snow I can imagine will be fun! 

[MLR14 37]

On 10/12/2018 at 3:57 AM, LukeU said:

Hey everyone, 

 

So we're still approximately a few months from our NOA2 but there's one question often comes up during our discussions on moving over and starting a new life together over in Michigan and that's the initial driving from my POE and receiving the Temp greencard.

 

Has anyone from the UK moved over to Michigan and if so how did you go about driving/getting a license once over there on your K1 and did you have any issues? I understand driving on a tourist visa is absolutely fine and I've definitely put the miles in over there compared to here. 

 

Many thanks in advance! 

I'm also from the UK but I've moved to Ohio. The rules probably aren't the same between states however I recommend emailing the BMV in Michigan. My husband and I took a really long time reading countless pieces of information and from what we read, it looked like I couldn't get a licence without my GC. On a whim, I emailed them one day and they were really helpful and said I'm fine to go in and take the test and gave me a list of what to bring. If I hadn't emailed them, I would've been sat around await! It's also good to have it in writing from someone so that if someone else tells you different you at least have something to argue with!  

[LukeU 413]

On 10/18/2018 at 10:31 PM, MLR14 said:

I'm also from the UK but I've moved to Ohio. The rules probably aren't the same between states however I recommend emailing the BMV in Michigan. My husband and I took a really long time reading countless pieces of information and from what we read, it looked like I couldn't get a licence without my GC. On a whim, I emailed them one day and they were really helpful and said I'm fine to go in and take the test and gave me a list of what to bring. If I hadn't emailed them, I would've been sat around await! It's also good to have it in writing from someone so that if someone else tells you different you at least have something to argue with!  

Thank you! I'll give them an email once I'm back home, it's always good to just get the little things done each day and get everything lined up. 

 

How have you found the transition from the UK to the US overall?

I know my fianceé (USC) is worried that she'll want to come to the UK after some time, so I have no doubt we'll be going through double immigration paperwork for many years to come! 😂

[MLR14 37]

8 hours ago, LukeU said:

Thank you! I'll give them an email once I'm back home, it's always good to just get the little things done each day and get everything lined up. 

 

How have you found the transition from the UK to the US overall?

I know my fianceé (USC) is worried that she'll want to come to the UK after some time, so I have no doubt we'll be going through double immigration paperwork for many years to come! 😂

I haven’t found the transition too bad, however I was previously here on a student visa for a couple years so it wasn’t completely new for us! 

 

We’re the same. We are both open to living in either country, it was just easier for me to move to him for the time being! We have been traveling together for a couple years too so our list of places we want to live one day is pretty long!