Number of cases processed hit new high!

[AndiB 677]

So I'm at work and on my mobile so struggling a little but basically look up which states allow 'undocumented immigrants' drivers

Wiki has from 2022

"State laws permitting this are on the books in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Nevada, Massachusetts,[1] New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Virginia[2] and Washington"

[AndiB 677]

2 minutes ago, Vashezzo said:

Gotcha, that's crazy! How do they expect you to start working when you get EAD if you have no license? It's not like the US is famed for its public transit..

I'm guessing I never heard about this because my state is one of the 17 that allows people to get a license without documents.

An EAD shows you're 'documented' and is accepted as proof for a driver's license so thankfully don't need a gc. It's just you need a valid i-94(so for 90days then expires), an EAD or a GC

[Bh_sarah 942]

It's a Missouri thing too as far as it seems  But some people say they can get someone to agree to give you a license if you show the AOS filing notice, but depends on the DMV (saw these statements here on VJ but need to research more).

I feel we can drive for the first 3 months with a foreign license (as long as it's in English). Doesn't that apply to us too?

[AndiB 677]

1 minute ago, Bh_sarah said:

It's a Missouri thing too as far as it seems  But some people say they can get someone to agree to give you a license if you show the AOS filing notice, but depends on the DMV (saw these statements here on VJ but need to research more).

I feel we can drive for the first 3 months with a foreign license (as long as it's in English). Doesn't that apply to us too?

Usually only if you're not a resident but the flexibility may again vary by state. I got in contact with higheay patrol in kansas and I would be a resident so can't and cant apply without EAD. They're very particular. May still try but basically planning to be without until EAD

[Bh_sarah 942]

18 minutes ago, AndiB said:

Usually only if you're not a resident but the flexibility may again vary by state. I got in contact with higheay patrol in kansas and I would be a resident so can't and cant apply without EAD. They're very particular. May still try but basically planning to be without until EAD

I see, I didn't know being a resident made a difference, will need to check specifics for Missouri (not easy when their official website simply blocks my Brazilian IP). There are a few threads here on VJ but I am still to find a recent one. And I am not even sure if I will drive if I am indeed able to, my fear of driving just was recently overcome and I need time to get used to driving in new places... so 3 months doesn't seem enough either! haha

Hopefully we won't need to wait too long when the time comes, but of course is nice to be prepared.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Bh_sarah

[AndiB 677]

Lol 50/50 chance and i mixed up i-94 and i-95 again....assume yall understood tho

[AndiB 677]

11 minutes ago, Bh_sarah said:

I see, I didn't know being a resident made a difference, will need to check specifics for Missouri (not easy when their official website simply blocks my Brazilian IP). There are a few threads here on VJ but I am still to find a recent one. And I am not even sure if I will drive if I am indeed able to, my fear of driving just was recently overcome and I need time to get used to driving in new places... so 3 months doesn't seem enough either! haha

Hopefully we won't need to wait too long when the time comes, but of course is nice to be prepared.

Google implies you're correct on the 90 days before you need a US licence for Missouri. Can always check directly with dmv/highway patrol 

 

Edit: actually the i-95 would give you 3 months anyway 

Edited May 18, 2023 by AndiB

[Naterson 129]

5 minutes ago, Bh_sarah said:

I see, I didn't know being a resident made a difference, will need to check specifics for Missouri (not easy when their official website simply blocks my Brazilian IP). There are a few threads here on VJ but I am still to find a recent one. And I am not even sure if I will drive if I am indeed able to, my fear of driving just was recently overcome and I need time to get used to driving in new places... so 3 months doesn't seem enough either! haha

Hopefully we won't need to wait too long when the time comes, but of course is nice to be prepared.

You should have your fiance call the DMV and talk to them about it. That's probably the quickest and most reliable method since websites are often out of date (and in the case of the Utah official site hard to find exactly what you're looking for).

 

I sometimes wonder how my fiancee will adapt to the higher speed limits here when she decides she wants to drive.

[easyeddie 9]

4 hours ago, FromMexico W/Love said:

Just did some napkin math and by mid August, USCIS should be starting my month's NOA1 dates. 

 

I'm exactly one month before you with my NOA1. Are you telling me we could hear something by mid July? 🙏

[Bh_sarah 942]

5 minutes ago, AndiB said:

Google implies you're correct on the 90 days before you need a US licence for Missouri. Can always check directly with dmv/highway patrol 

 

Edit: actually the i-95 would give you 3 months anyway 

Thank you! I will take my NVC waiting time to research those clearly and take note. It's not a priority to me, but it's good to know the possibilities and not miss something along the way.

 

3 minutes ago, Naterson said:

I sometimes wonder how my fiancee will adapt to the higher speed limits here when she decides she wants to drive.

And I gotta tell you Brazil traumatized me when it comes to driving. I was only able to really drive in Canada and it took me ages to be comfortable (and only because being a pedestrian in North American cities is more dangerous than driving). I got a small car out of fear. But then I got way too comfortable on the highway with no speed cameras or big trucks around like we do! haha

Now I can drive in Brazil but it's not my favourite thing to do. If she is used to driving in Brazil, especially in big cities, normal US transit will look like heaven to her. Cars are bigger, but parking lot spots, the lanes, and the spacing between cars is also bigger there than here which is great for being more comfortable driving.

[Naterson 129]

1 minute ago, Bh_sarah said:

And I gotta tell you Brazil traumatized me when it comes to driving. I was only able to really drive in Canada and it took me ages to be comfortable (and only because being a pedestrian in North American cities is more dangerous than driving). I got a small car out of fear. But then I got way too comfortable on the highway with no speed cameras or big trucks around like we do! haha

Now I can drive in Brazil but it's not my favourite thing to do. If she is used to driving in Brazil, especially in big cities, normal US transit will look like heaven to her. Cars are bigger, but parking lot spots, the lanes, and the spacing between cars is also bigger there than here which is great for being more comfortable driving.

Unfortunately it's true, if you're not in a vehicle (and I'm going to even exclude motorcycles from this), you're at higher risk traveling. Luckily in Utah we have a really good sidewalk system in most cities, but when I was in Texas you were mostly limited to a specific neighborhood if you wanted to be on the sidewalk.

 

Driving in Brazil is very different. My fiancee lives in the interior, so lots of dirt roads and the rainy season washes those out. You're absolutely right that it will feel more comfortable here. I guess my thoughts are more how she'll feel the first times she has to merge onto a freeway at 70 mph when there's a lot of traffic.

[Vashezzo 43]

18 minutes ago, easyeddie said:

I'm exactly one month before you with my NOA1. Are you telling me we could hear something by mid July? 🙏

I'm also August 2022 and I'm anticipating approvals to start coming around then, hoping I get approved by mid-August and can avoid the stress of being in the tail.

[AndiB 677]

11 minutes ago, Naterson said:

Unfortunately it's true, if you're not in a vehicle (and I'm going to even exclude motorcycles from this), you're at higher risk traveling. Luckily in Utah we have a really good sidewalk system in most cities, but when I was in Texas you were mostly limited to a specific neighborhood if you wanted to be on the sidewalk.

 

Driving in Brazil is very different. My fiancee lives in the interior, so lots of dirt roads and the rainy season washes those out. You're absolutely right that it will feel more comfortable here. I guess my thoughts are more how she'll feel the first times she has to merge onto a freeway at 70 mph when there's a lot of traffic.

If anything like me a lot of internal screaming 😂

 

Uk is very strict on licences, I can do everything but reverse park so keep failing and covid backlogs so I'm just gonna take lessons and get a license there as it's cheaper/easier. May be worth getting them a couple lessons just to get comfortable?

[FromMexico W/Love 244]

10 minutes ago, AndiB said:

If anything like me a lot of internal screaming 😂

 

Uk is very strict on licences, I can do everything but reverse park so keep failing and covid backlogs so I'm just gonna take lessons and get a license there as it's cheaper/easier. May be worth getting them a couple lessons just to get comfortable?

I would look up what country DLs are accepted by the US, because Mexican and Canadian citizens drive in the US daily, so I would be surprised if you couldn't drive in the US with an UK DL. 

[Bh_sarah 942]

14 minutes ago, Naterson said:

Unfortunately it's true, if you're not in a vehicle (and I'm going to even exclude motorcycles from this), you're at higher risk traveling. Luckily in Utah we have a really good sidewalk system in most cities, but when I was in Texas you were mostly limited to a specific neighborhood if you wanted to be on the sidewalk.

 

Driving in Brazil is very different. My fiancee lives in the interior, so lots of dirt roads and the rainy season washes those out. You're absolutely right that it will feel more comfortable here. I guess my thoughts are more how she'll feel the first times she has to merge onto a freeway at 70 mph when there's a lot of traffic.

Yep, I survived as a pedestrian for 2 years in Canada. Can't rely on public transportation either. It wasn't fun. Especially when there is snow and cars splash you with that nasty mixture of water and dirt! hahah and I see, I'm from the interior as well but it's the southeast and in a city that is growing fast, transit is becoming unbearable. Big cities and federal highways here give me driving anxiety and I developed a terrible fear.

I feel she will be fine, but of course it takes time to get used to things, especially new traffic rules. I second @AndiB suggestion. I took a 1-hour driver's class in Canada and it really helped me start driving. You can also go with her when there is less movement (no rush hour) as a routine and take it from there. I still don't know how I managed to be comfortable with taking a left or a right turn while on a traffic light (with straight traffic flowing) in Canada because this is an unconceivable idea here. I would say it's easier to get used to US transit than Brazil's transit, she'll be just fine once she gets the hang of it.