lonestargirl

Ok this question follows on a little from the 'do you carry your green card?' thread.

I got my Texas DL on Saturday, 5 months after passing the test (they changed computer systems and 'lost' it, I had to go back and get a new photo etc.). I expected it to only be valid until June when my current status expires. But the expiry date is in Jan 2017, on the day of my 33rd birthday, which I'm sure is an error. They have put 'Temporary Visitor' and 'visitor status expires 06/23/2010' annotations on it. I am a J2, husband an alien physician J1, who is in a 5/6 year program but only gets annnual contracts and hence we have to renew status each year.

As far as I can see I'm ok in terms of driving on the licence for the next few years in terms of it's validity as a driving licence I'm just worried if I get pulled over. I am quite hesitent to keep my passport on me every day (but I was going to photocopy all my documents and keep them in the car). Even if I carry my passport I doubt a standard cop will know the difference between 'visa' and 'status' and I don't fancy explaining that on the side of the road.

Do you think I should carry my passport or would the copies be ok?

Bob

Doesn't matter, cops aren't allowed to ask about your immigration status.

Noorah101

They are allowed to here in AZ now, though, right?

Rene

Bob

federal law still trumps state law, so technically they wouldn't be allowed to ask regardless....still you'd probably spend a few hours in prison while they sort it out.

scrubbedexpat091

You dont spend a few hours in prison, that would be jail. Jail and prison are not the same.

lisa67

I too have a Temporary Visitor DL and have to renew it every time I renew my AP docs (every year) although it is "valid" until 2014.
It is a pain in the butt because I have to explain myself and my status to the 2 very nice ladies behind the desk who then go and look stuff up in their big folder and usually ring Austin to double check everything
I don't carry my passport unless I'm going towards the south part of Texas (see my previous post) I have been stopped a couple of times for speeding, but the sherriff and state trooper in question have never queried my status.

meauxna

That law is not yet in effect in Arizona.

lisa67

sorry, when I wrote "see previous post" I thought I was in the "do you carry your GC" thread! <sigh>
it's been a long week

lifehouse51

1. In retrospect, carrying a photocopy of the passport and I-94 may be a good idea. Didn't do that while I was in the U.S. There may be legal requirements to carry both as a visitor, but in reality it's just not practical to carry the original documents around.

2. I have a current Texas License with the usual expiry date but no additional annotation. I got it when I was a F-1 student and switched from a California license. They didn't check my passport or I-94, I believe.

3. It's usual for the Resident Physician contracts to be renewed one year at a time, but was your spouse able to get a J-1 Visa for a longer period instead? I feel that you should try to persuade DMV to give you a DL with a longer temporary visitor annotation instead. I feel that what they put on the annotation can be rather arbitrary.

4. An interesting issue will be how legally important/valid is the temporary visitor annotation on the DL. After all, the EXPIRY date is longer, and a DL proves IDENTITY and DRIVING PRIVILEDGE but not any citizenship/immigration status (Passports and I-94 are). One can enter as a B visitor but later become a permanent resident.

lifehouse51

But the murky issue is: Even if The cop doesn't ask about it in this case, they can check the DL of the OP and ASSUMES that he/she's not a citizen/resident based on the annotation, even though that's not neccessarily the case (Peoples' immigration status can change over time)

It'll be a different scenario for say, someone like me, who has a DL without any of the annotation.

lisa67

I used to have a DL without any extra annotation, but then we changed address and had to get the DL changed, in the meantime the law changed and now, if you're not a LPR or USC you have to have temporary visitor on it and every time your status changes (or you renew your status) you have to renew your DL
Not sure if this happens only in TX or applies to other states (like Arizona??)

lifehouse51

WHen did the law change? I got my TX license about 2 years ago (June 2008 to be exact)

lonestargirl

Thanks lifehouse51

I think I am going to do that, I've had my wallet stolen already and that's what makes me nervous about carrying my passport areound.


They gave me a lot of hassle, I don't think they see J2s very often. They wanted a letter from my husband's employer before they would let me sit the test, they employer really didn't want to issue the letter as they are not the visa sponsor (ECFMG are).


As a doctor I'm sure you are familiar with the Match. My husband initially scrambled into a prelim gen surg spot and then this year matched into a categorical position. He still doesn't know if he'll be a PGY1 or 2 in July (a current PGY1 has not signed her contract yet). I think next year I'll put pressure on International Services to try and get a longer J1. But seeing as both ECFMG and International Services charge for processing the applications it wouldn't be in their interests. It's a pain in the neck as I have to wait for the status renewal to renew my EAD.

This is really the essence of my quesion. Why give me a licence that doesn't expire for 7 years if you want me to renew it annually?

lifehouse51

J-1 Visas are frustrating on many levels, because instead of your employer being your visa sponsor, now ECFMG takes over. Also you have to look at the visa reciprocity table to see the max duration of visa stamp they'll issue for a particular country. I know a FMG who's Brazilian, and because of reciprocity, the max duration he could get on a visa stamp is 1 year. He'll just make all these annual trips to different countries while renewing his visa overseas...gotta make the best out of it, right?

Foreign Physicians have put up with the unfavorable J visa for this long because we don't have much bargaining power. But nevertheless, congrats on your husband for getting a categorical position. It's not the end of the world if he has to repeat PGY-1, but being a surgical intern all over again is VERY tough...and my guess for the current PGY-1 who hasn't signed the contract is she's burnt out and is debating about switching specialty/program. That's why it's good to have spousal support for your husband during the tough time!

chartreuse

The DL ceases to be valid on the date of the annotation, not the regular date.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverL...StatusDLID.htm

It changed 1 October, 2008.