SSN and DL questions

[Crazy Cat 41,898]

1 hour ago, Neonred said:

People hate it when I ask, how can one be considered a resident if they are not a legal permanent resident?

State resident requirements are different from national requirements.  Most states specify that a resident of that state is someone who takes actions to live there such as buying a house, leasing property, etc.  

Edited April 24, 2021 by Lucky Cat

[SalishSea 17,839]

5 hours ago, Sparkey said:

I will be moving from Canada to Florida on a K1 visa and importing my car when I cross the border. 

How do I go about getting a drivers license?

Can I drive with my Canadian license until I receive my EAD and SSN?

 

You should also look into the Florida requirements for licensing your car.  Here in Washington, when people move from another state, they have 30 days to license a vehicle with the state DOL.

[JFH 12,190]

*~*~*moved from “K-1 fiancé visa process and procedures” to “moving to the US” where similar questions are asked*~*~*

[SteveInBostonI130 3,459]

11 hours ago, Sparkey said:

I will be moving from Canada to Florida on a K1 visa and importing my car when I cross the border. 

How do I go about getting a drivers license?

Can I drive with my Canadian license until I receive my EAD and SSN?

 

1.  You need to check with US Customs about how to get your car acceptable to import to the US.  It needs to qualify for certain emission and safety criteria.   If the car was actually manufactured in the US, it helps a load because the inspection will be easy (just a paperwork exercise).

 

2.  For a DL, you will need an SSN or a letter from SSA stating that you do not qualify for an SSN.   On a K1, you do qualify for an SSN if you apply before marriage.  FL also allows non-immigrant visa holders fro Canada to get a DL if they are in the country without a valid work permit.  I am not sure how this works, or if it applies to K1.  Hopefully someone from FL can respond?

 

https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/what-to-bring/canadian/

 

 

3.  Most states only allow you to drive for 30 days with an out-of-state license.  Tourists from another country are treated differently.  But if you establish residency in a state, you will need to get that state's DL.

 

You asked later on if importing a car makes any difference for state DL requirements.  It does not.  In fact, it adds additional burden -- you need to register your car in the state.  There may be excise or use taxes involved ( it does in MA)... I just checked:  FL requires a 6% excise tax on vehicles brought in from a foreign country:

 

Quote

The full amount of use tax (6 percent) and applicable discretionary sales surtax are due on any motor vehicle imported from a foreign country into Florida. It does not matter if the motor vehicle was used in another country for a period of 6 months or more prior to the time it is brought into Florida. Florida does not recognize tax paid to another country when calculating the tax due. Tax is calculated on the value of the vehicle at the time it is brought into Florida, not on the original purchase price.

 

https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/gt800025.pdf

 

 

[Sparkey 17]

5 minutes ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

1.  You need to check with US Customs about how to get your car acceptable to import to the US.  It needs to qualify for certain emission and safety criteria.   If the car was actually manufactured in the US, it helps a load because the inspection will be easy (just a paperwork exercise).

 

2.  For a DL, you will need an SSN or a letter from SSA stating that you do not qualify for an SSN.   On a K1, you do qualify for an SSN if you apply before marriage.  FL also allows non-immigrant visa holders fro Canada to get a DL if they are in the country without a valid work permit.  I am not sure how this works, or if it applies to K1.  Hopefully someone from FL can respond?

 

https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/what-to-bring/canadian/

 

 

3.  Most states only allow you to drive for 30 days with an out-of-state license.  Tourists from another country are treated differently.  But if you establish residency in a state, you will need to get that state's DL.

 

You asked later on if importing a car makes any difference for state DL requirements.  It does not.  In fact, it adds additional burden -- you need to register your car in the state.  There may be excise or use taxes involved ( it does in MA)... I just checked:  FL requires a 6% excise tax on vehicles brought in from a foreign country:

 

 

https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/gt800025.pdf

 

 

Thanks! 

I spoke with someone today who moved from Canada to Florida as well and all she needed was her marriage license, k1 and i-94 as well as proof of residency and they swapped her Canadian DL for a Florida DL. 

SSN wasn't required 

[Charlie_SK 4]

I am just jumping on the back of this thread and wondering how people have gone about applying for the SSN during covid? I have done research about getting an SSN but it all says to take your original documents in or to mail in the originals or "copies certified by the issuing body". I'm not comfortable mailing in my Australian birth certificate and passport (what if they never mail it back?). I am almost certain that the issuing body of my foreign passport and birth certificate do not do "copies" that are "certified" since they issue the original....

How did people get around this? Thanks

[Mike E 11,739]

Apply for an SSN 48 hours after entering the USA on your K-1.  Verify that you have an I-94 record.
 

This assumes that you will be able to walk into an SSA office, or make an appointment to apply for an SSN.  With Covid I don’t believe any office is open for walk ins, but some do accept appointments.  If SSA says mail your documents (I.e. Canadian passport) then no SSN for you, imho.  
 

Getting an SSN after marriage while still on the K-1 non immigrant status can be a challenge and I don’t recommend attempting it.  
 

Florida has special (I.e. relaxed) requirements for Canadian citizens when it comes to drivers licenses.  I believe you won’t even be required to take a road test.  
 

I also don’t recommend name changes until after your naturalize.  They are a hassle enough without Covid.  They are worse during Covid.  For a K-1 there is so much to do in the first 90 days and the first 30 days are most critical for lining up SSN, marriage, marriage cert, and DL/state ID.  So many moving parts that a name change can detail momentum.  
 

After the first 30 days you can focus on getting evidence of bonafide marriage: joint bank account, joint utility bills, authorized user on credit card, etc, and work today applying for AOS. It is not mortar to apply for AOS before 90 days.  

Edited April 25, 2021 by Mike E