SmallShinyAnt

Hi All,
With the best of luck(and a successful response to an RFE for my L1-B) me and the good wifey are hoping to be in Maryland before the end of the year. I hold a full UK driving license so understand that i just need to go do my license as soon as possible but the wifey is slightly different.

She does not hold a full UK driving license so will be learning from scratch when we get there. We know that she will not be able to work for the first 2-3months as she will be waiting on her work permit. But how soon will she be able learn to drive? Would be nice if it could be in this time span but not sure how it works.

civilservant

She will need a learners permit from the DMV. Depending upon your state, she could need her SSN before being able to get it, or possibly her Green Card.

Pulaski

Green card! ..... She's coming on an L-2, the gc could be years away, or never! ..... Perhaps you mean EAD?

civilservant

It was 8am

BigK

This may help:

Maryland Learner's Permit

She will need to get a learners permit and getting a licence depends upon time and hours logged behind the wheel. It may take more than 2-3 months

rpjs

The rules vary a lot between states. I can tell you that NYS absolutely require a SSN[1], and in fact require sight of your actual Social Security Card when you first apply for a permit/license. You also have to provide a certain number of "points" of ID which for non-citizens can include a foreign passport with valid visa or a Green Card. In my case my SSC and Green Card were sufficient.

In NYS you also have to sit a multiple-choice written test and pass a simple eye test to get your learner's permit and you have to do those when you go to the DMV to apply. You then have to attend a five-hour road safety course, which is valid for a year. Once you've done that, and so long as you're over 18[2] you could in theory take your road test the same day.

AIUI most DMVs will limit the validity of any licence / permit issued to a non-citizen to the date the immigration documentation you provide expires, so expiry date of your Green Card or of your I-94 if on a visa.

[1] Certainly for those that are eligible for an SSN.
[2] Under 18 learners have to also provide certification of a set number of hours of accompanied practice (I think it's 50 in NY)

SmallShinyAnt

Thanks all. I think from what I read can get her learners permit and start the process once she has her SSN. Being on an L2 will she get her SSN the same time as me? or will it be with the EAD?

rpjs

She can apply for it straight away (usual suggestion to wait ten working days applies). It will be annotated that it can't be used for employment without authorisation which is what the EAD is.

SmallShinyAnt

Thats cool. Well at least she gets to plenty of time to learn to drive while she waits for the EAD then.