yensidtlaw

Hey all.

Well our Wedding has passed and we just got back from our Honeymoon. I'm just wondering what other people have done about getting a drivers license?

When I lived in Florida, all I had to do was show my full UK license and I was given a Florida license. I'm now in Tennessee and I know it's different from state to state. From what I've read it seems that I'll have to take the full US drivers test.

I'll be calling the DMV later today, but I just wanted to get some input from this forum since you've all been such a great help already. What have others here done about this?

Cheers for you help.

sir_eccles

Do you still have the Florida license and is it unexpired? If so, you'll just swap it for a Tenn one. That said, I didn't know Florida handed out licenses that freely.

Pulaski

May have been some time ago, probably pre 9/11/01.

yensidtlaw

Yes it was a long long time ago.

It's expired now.

civilservant

We've done what you've done, complied with the law, including taking the test as appropriate.

The one in GA is a joke.

Pulaski

OK so you now you need to apply for a licence from scratch per whatever TN requires, which will likely mean a road test, and quite possibly some classroom training.

Noorah101

You need to apply for your driver license from scratch. Be prepared to get a license which is only valid for the length of whatever immigration document you use to prove your status in the USA. You may be going in to DMV several times between now and becoming a USC.

Rene

yensidtlaw

Thanks for the help everyone. I'm not too sure how this all works with the licenses, can I take the written test, vision test and the road test all at once? I think the test in the UK now makes you wait a while between the theory and the road test. I wonder if the US test is the same?

So could I just renew it without taking the test again once my immigration documents come back from my AoS?

Also another question that I was wanting to ask is, is this page (URL below) still up to date with everything I have to send for my AoS? Is there anything else I need to take care of?

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Adjustment_of_Status

I already have my SSN, I just need to change the address attached to it as it's still showing that I'm in Florida.

robin1234

I got my MA license in 1976 just on the strength of my UK license, no test required. That must have been the norm in all states back then. Then I left the US for many years. When I returned to live in MA in 1991, they were able to reinstate my MA license even though it was long expired. I was fortunate, because by 1991, a road test was required in MA. Then later, I swapped the MA license for a NY license.

So by that analogy, why can't your expired FL license get you a license in another state?

civilservant

Varies by State, in GA it's 24 hours, I'm sure in some of the more liberal states it's probably longer than that.

Your Florida license? You aren't resident in FL anymore, so I'd be surprised if they would do that, and TN won't substitute a valid TN license for a long expired FL one.

I think you'll need to take the whole lot again, but I guess you have nothing to lose (except time and a little money) by trying.

Because it's no longer 1991, and things might have changed since then?

robin1234

Not very tolerant of free enquiry and such, are you?

md95065

Come on, you have lived in the US before so you know this - there is no "the US test" - there is whatever your particular state requires and, quite often, what the employees of your local Department/Bureau of Motor Vehicles *think* that it requires (which is usually different).

Good luck!

yensidtlaw

Thanks for your help. I meant if I get a license (by passing all three tests) but only for the period shown on my K-1 entry (which will expire in Jan) then could I just renew that license once I get my documents back adjusting my status to permanent resident? I would have thought so, but just wanted to see what others think.

Also they ask that I bring proof of lawful permanent residency. Here is the list of acceptable proof that I need to bring 1 of the following:

"- Permanent Resident Alien Card (I-551)
- Foreign passport stamped by the U.S. Government indicating that the holder has been
"Processed for I-551"
- Permanent resident Re-entry Permit (I-327)
- Arrival Departure Form I-94 with “Temporary I-551” stamp and holder’s photograph affixed
- Travel Document issued to Permanent Residents (I-327)
- Travel Document issued to Refugees (I-571)
- Form I-94 stamped with one of the following statuses: Asylee, Parolee or Parole, Refugee, Asylum, HP-humanitarian parolee or PIP-public interest parolee"

I'm not really sure what to bring as I don't have most of these yet. I have my I-94 DETAILS but no card as the immigration officer told me it was all done online now. So I have the details, would I just need to print the information and show it with my passport? I also have the stamp on the page that my K-1 visa is, but it says nothing about "temporary I-551." It's just a stamp of entry with "K-1" and the date of my K-1 expiry.

yensidtlaw

Ok sorry to double post. I just found this from cbp.gov/I94,

"Effective April 26, 2013, DHS began automating the admission process. An alien lawfully admitted or paroled into the U.S. is no longer required to be in possession of a preprinted Form I-94. A record of admission printed from the CBP website constitutes a lawful record of admission. See 8 CFR § 1.4(d)."

So I guess I can just print the information and use that.

Bob

Because you normally need a valid, none expired license to transfer a state license.