Drivers license in Alabama

[Alabamak1 688]

Hi there:

 

I have a question related to getting a DL in Alabama. Do you have to surrender your current DL from the country you resided before coming to the US, when you get your US license? I know some states do this to prevent the use of the former DL being used. 

 

1) Can the person applying for one, just say they do not have a DL and get one as most teenagers do? Get their first one here. Taking it away would be a problem since some countries like Ukraine that document is valid for life and it would be a headache traveling back to get the DL again and getting another document issued.

 

2) Do adults need to take somekinda class outside the DMV prior getting a DL? 

 

Thanks for any input  

[JunkTardis 183]

On 10/23/2018 at 4:55 PM, Alabamak1 said:

Hi there:

 

I have a question related to getting a DL in Alabama. Do you have to surrender your current DL from the country you resided before coming to the US, when you get your US license? I know some states do this to prevent the use of the former DL being used. 

 

1) Can the person applying for one, just say they do not have a DL and get one as most teenagers do? Get their first one here. Taking it away would be a problem since some countries like Ukraine that document is valid for life and it would be a headache traveling back to get the DL again and getting another document issued.

 

2) Do adults need to take somekinda class outside the DMV prior getting a DL? 

 

Thanks for any input  

Hi, 

 

I moved on 2/10/2018 on a K1 visa to Missouri. We got married 2 weeks later, applied for Social Security the day after marriage.

 

For the US Driver's test (My Missouri experience), I turned up at the DMV with

 

- i94 

- Passport

- Receipt showing I had applied for Social Security (Though if you have your SSN, this is preferred)

- Utility bill with my address and name on it (I also brought a UK HMRC tax form with my US Address on it, just in case)

 

I lined up at the desk and asked specifically for a 'Full US Driver's license'. All the DMV instructor asked me for was my Passport and my i94. I was then ushered into the office area to take my written test, which is really easy. Just make sure you know your road signs and have common sense. You can retake this 3 times in a single day in Missouri if you fail it. Once you've completed this, they'll ask you to do a vision test. Takes 20 seconds.

 

I then waited about 20 minutes for an instructor to become available to sit with me during the practical test. I did the practical test, took about 10 minutes in total (I scored 98/100) on this. It's insanely easy compared to the UK standards. 

 

They congratulated me, and gave me my paperwork and told me to take it to the license office next door. I arrived there, told them I needed my drivers license. Gave them all my information (They asked me for Passport and SSN receipt only - though it's normal to be asked proof of address), paid $10 and was all done with paper license in hand awaiting my card license. 

 

It's really that easy. I did not tell the DMV I had a full UK driver's license as I did not want to surrender my UK license either. So I now have a UK and a USA full drivers license. 

 

Do not ask the DMV for a learners permit or an intermediate license, ask them for a FULL driver's license.

 

Also, NO you do NOT need to do any driving lessons as an adult in the US, however that being said I would advise you do some driving around the US roads so you get accustomed to their road rules. You should be legal to drive on your Ukraine license provided you're insured to drive. I have included a picture of the documents I used to obtain my drivers license in the attachment.

 

Good luck! 

Edited October 30, 2018 by JunkTardis
Added picture and further information

[Alabamak1 688]

2 minutes ago, JunkTardis said:

Hi, 

 

I moved on 2/10/2018 on a K1 visa to Missouri. We got married 2 weeks later, applied for Social Security the day after marriage.

 

For the US Driver's test (My Missouri experience), I turned up at the DMV with

 

- i94 

- Passport

- Receipt showing I had applied for Social Security (Though if you have your SSN, this is preferred)

- Utility bill with my address and name on it (I also brought a UK HMRC tax form with my US Address on it, just in case)

 

I lined up at the desk and asked specifically for a 'Full US Driver's license'. All the DMV instructor asked me for was my Passport and my i94. I was then ushered into the office area to take my written test, which is really easy. Just make sure you know your road signs and have common sense. You can retake this 3 times in a single day in Missouri if you fail it. Once you've completed this, they'll ask you to do a vision test. Takes 20 seconds.

 

I then waited about 20 minutes for an instructor to become available to sit with me during the practical test. I did the practical test, took about 10 minutes in total (I scored 98/100) on this. It's insanely easy compared to the UK standards. 

 

They congratulated me, and gave me my paperwork and told me to take it to the license office next door. I arrived there, told them I needed my drivers license. Gave them all my information (They asked me for Passport and SSN receipt only - though it's normal to be asked proof of address), paid $10 and was all done with paper license in hand awaiting my card license. 

 

It's really that easy. I did not tell the DMV I had a full UK driver's license as I did not want to surrender my UK license either. So I now have a UK and a USA full drivers license. 

 

Do not ask the DMV for a learners permit or an intermediate license, ask them for a FULL driver's license.

 

Good luck! 

thanks for the answer. i will keep your experience in mind. 

 

We do have currently EAD and my wife was able to get her drivers permit here in Alabama. Before EAD it was not possible, although we tried. We also found out that it is irrelevant if you had a DL in the prior residing country. Alabama still will have you tested and road tested all in one day possibly if you want to do so. The paper permit is valid for 30 days and actual drivers permit (looks like a real drivers license) is valid up to 1 year. 

 

My wife doesn't feel comfortable driving an Automatic, so she will practice a little more till she decides to take the road test. We happen not to disclose the fact that she did drive and had a Ukranian DL to the DPS (department of public safety aka "DMV" here)