I wanted to share my wife's experience getting a driver's license in Maryland while adjusting status from a K-1 visa. Our experience is Maryland specific, so other states may have different rules. From our experience and talking to others in Maryland, it is a difficult process in Maryland and not everyone will have the same outcome. Just be persistent!
My wife has a Vietnamese license, so she skipped the learner's permit step. Still had to take a 3-hour drug and alcohol course and exam. After submitting paperwork, paying $120 for MVA-approved translation of her Vietnamese license, passing the written test, and then passing the driving skills test . . . a 2 week process . . . we met with a supervisor for photo and final review to print the license. When he handed her the temporary paper license, it had an expiration date that was the same day as her I-94 in just 5 weeks! I asked about a longer license and he said that we could come back before Sept. 30. Once we are "in the system" we "might" be able to request an 8-month license.
Since my wife wanted to take classes this fall she needed a driver's license beyond Sept 30. She couldn't register and pay tuition hoping that she "might" be able to drive to school after October 1. He shrugged his shoulders. He said if I didn't like it, I was welcome to get another ticket and ask someone else.
I did just that. Three hours later, the MVA was closed and my wife, daughter, and I were the only people waiting. We saw several people talking about us and wondering what we were doing. A supervisor walked over and asked what we were waiting for and if we had a number. Apparently, our number was never entered into the queue! I explained the situation and she asked if we could come back tomorrow. I said no. We have waited 3 hours to be seen now.
That evening, we spoke to 3 additional supervisors before we got one who knew what to do. We were there for an 1 1/2 hours after the MVA branch closed. They re-scanned all her paperwork (SSN, I-797, marriage license, utility bills, etc). However, they were unable to delete the "erroneous" 5-week license without the original supervisor who had already gone home or the help of headquarters staff. We still had to return the following morning to complete the process.
The next morning, I got another number, waited about 15 minutes, and the supervisor we worked with the night before saw us and called us to an empty window. An hour later, my wife had a new temporary paper license with an April 2019 expiration date. The supervisor waived the fee for the 8-month license and it should arrive next week. The 5-week license arrived in the mail today and is valid until the other arrives. We can return with her EAD (December hopefully) for a 1-year extension that should get us to the green card and the 8-year duration license.
So . . . I can certainly understand why so many people are having trouble in Maryland. Three supervisors insisted she was only eligible for a license valid until her I-94 expired. If my wife had gone alone or if I had not been persistent, she would not have gotten the 8-month license. We'd been to the MVA 8 times since July, so many of the staff recognized us and a couple were sympathetic and I think tried to help a little more than normal. For most MVA employees, we were just a number, though. Several were very abrupt and rude until the last supervisor explained that they were mistaken. Only then were they kinder to us.
A very long and frustrating process! You really are at their mercy regardless of whether you are right or wrong. Just be persistent and know that there is at least one person in Annapolis who can help in this situation.
Jason
My wife was in a similar situation this past January with a naturalization interview and approval 10 days before a planned overseas trip. She told the USCIS interviewer about her travel at the interview. Although the interviewer made a note on the account of our travel, we still got a ceremony confirmation letter 2 days before we left. The letter notes that pre-planned travel IS a valid reason to reschedule. We sent a letter requesting a new ceremony date along with the original scheduling letter and proof of travel (plane ticket confirmations from months earlier). We asked for a date after our return. As instructed we sent this to the field office where the ceremony was scheduled. Within a week - while we were overseas - her online status changed to "ceremony cancelled / to be rescheduled." Soon after we returned from travel, we got a letter confirming her rescheduled ceremony. No problems at all. I read that some suggested traveling on a naturalization certificate and green card. Your green card is no longer valid as soon as you take your oath. At the ceremony, they will require you to surrender it. (Two people at my wife's ceremony were denied the oath and rescheduled because they did not bring their green cards with them to surrender.) The USCIS agent specifically told my wife that the naturalization certificate would not be acceptable for travel. You must have a US passport after taking the citizenship oath. Just an FYI - my wife applied for her US passport in March. You will need to send your original naturalization certificate with the application. Approaching week 13 and still waiting for the passport and return of her documents. Jason
