lisa67

you should be ok as long as you don't have to apply for a new license for any reason (eg.change of address)
The temp. visitor one is vertical, not horizontal and always gets second glances and some quetions if I use it as ID, especially at the airport

lonestargirl

Thanks for the link chartreuse. I guess I'll have to go get a new licence in June then - although it looks like they should have given me 1 year seeing as I was admitted under D/S. I think I'll print that page and bring it with me when I go to get it sorted.

lifehouse51

Mine is valid till 2015, so I guess I got 7 years validity on it. However, I'll be moving to Connnecticut soon, and want to change to a CT license instead. I checked the CT DMV site and CT also has the similar requirement to show passport, I-94, etc., but didn't mention anything about temporary visitor annotation or shortening the DL validity to the visa status validity.

lisa67

lifehouse51

I hope you didn't pay too much for the DL...as it's only valid for like...2 months? Do they charge a reduced fee for a DL with shorter validity like that?

lonestargirl

$24, that was back in October. I've had multiple temporary paper licences since then while they figured out what had happen to my record. I got the actual card licence last Saturday.

chartreuse

I'm not sure that's correct (according to their dodgy procedure) as the expiration date is, effectively, the expiration date of your status.

FWIW (we've discussed this before) this procedure has been challenged in court. Not least because somebody with a work visa with less than 6 months remaining is effectively prevented from getting to work by DPS' refusal to issue a license.

MALDEF got a TRO in April '09. DPS appealed and it was overturned in Dec '09. I haven't found anything more recent.

lifehouse51

That's the standard charge for a DL that's usually valid for 6-7 years. I wonder if they'll give you a replacement with a new temporary visitor annotation without a charge, up to the usual expiration of the DL?

Also, anyone know if this temp visitor annotation is currently in effect in Texas only?

lonestargirl

This is causing a problem for us, my husband arrived in the US the day before he started work and had planned on doing his test next month (on an ER rotation which is shifts and hence has some weekdays off) and now with less that 6 months left on his visa he can't do it unless we get our status renewal back soon. At the moment I do all the driving.

Hopefully they won't charge me, each paper temporary licence I got was treated like a renewal and I wasn't charged (i.e. the issue date on my proper licence is actaully March as that's when the most recent temporary licence was issued).

lisa67

I've been charged each time ($12 I think).
As Chartreuse pointed out, it's a real problem for people with less than 6 months on their status..luckily I scraped in last time by a few weeks
I do resent having to explain myself and mt status every few months, and charged a fee for the privelidge when I might have my current status for years to come.

meauxna

I think you'll find now that all states will issue the license to the max (for citizens/PRs) or only to the end of your evidence of legal stay (I-94), IF they are in compliance with REAL ID.

The annotation is going to be on a state by state basis.

lonestargirl

Update:

Part of what I was questioning in my initial post was that DPS didn't tell me to come back at the expiry of my status and the actual expiry on my licence was 01-12-2017 and I was confused.

So a few weeks ago I got a letter from DPS:

Dear Lonestargirl,
A review of our records indicates your temporary visitor status expires 06/23/2010. To avoid cancellation of your Texas driver licence 123456 you must visit your local driver license office and provide proof that your lawful status in this country has been extended for a minimum of six (6) months. Failure to comply will result in the cancellation of your Texas driver license effectve 08/07/2010.

So, they do write to you and give you adequate notice of your license expiring and they give you 6 weeks grace before cancelling the licence.


Today, I went to my local office with my new DS-2019, passport, I-94 valid D/S and a letter from my husband's employer (same letter as last time - no problem with the date). Two hours and $11 later and out I walked with a new temporary licence. A reminder to myself - DPS workers need to eat and the queue will be longer at lunchtime - lucky I brought my laptop and finished rewriting a paper I had some changes to make on. One year before I need to darken their doors again.