How to prove CA residency quickly?
Jul 9th 2009, 4:25 am
#16
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Northern California
Posts: 381
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
If you've never been to a California DMV, your best bet is to make an appt online so that you're not waiting forever and a day. Here is the link: https://eg.dmv.ca.gov/foa/welcome.do?localeName=en
Something else to keep in mind is that California now has 3 furlough days each month. In July, DMV will be closed the 10th, 17th and 24th of this month.
Good luck!
Something else to keep in mind is that California now has 3 furlough days each month. In July, DMV will be closed the 10th, 17th and 24th of this month.
Good luck!
Jul 9th 2009, 9:40 am
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 65
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
Here in Alaska, they very nicely give us 90 days.
Jul 9th 2009, 5:09 pm
#18
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
Hey baby, California girl here! I had the traditional 16th birthday celebration of my dad taking me to DMV to get my licence as *soon* as I possibly could!
Jul 9th 2009, 5:31 pm
#19
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Google Town
Posts: 7,532
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
which is probably why they say 10 days but probably really mean 30.
Jul 9th 2009, 5:42 pm
#20
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,390
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
The visa in your passport and the I-94 stamped by the agent at the POE will only prove your residency in the US and not your residency in California. For that you will most probably need an utility bill in your name sent to a California address, a rental lease, a house deed, etc. which proves your California residency.
Jul 9th 2009, 6:15 pm
#21
Democracy advocate
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,460
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
I know half a dozen Brits who moved to CA and none of them bothered getting their license in the 10 days so I wouldn't be too concerned about it.
Jul 9th 2009, 7:50 pm
#24
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 4,913
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
The visa in your passport and the I-94 stamped by the agent at the POE will only prove your residency in the US and not your residency in California. For that you will most probably need an utility bill in your name sent to a California address, a rental lease, a house deed, etc. which proves your California residency.
The DMV in California with not ask you for proof of residency in the state because, to the best of my knowledge, that is not a requirement in order for you to get a California driver's license.
What the California DMV web site says is:
If you are a visitor in California over 18 and have a valid driver license from your home state or country, you may drive in this state without getting a California driver license as long as your home state license remains valid.
If you become a California resident, you must get a California driver license within 10 days. Residency is established by voting in a California election, paying resident tuition, filing for a homeowner’s property tax exemption, or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents.
If you become a California resident, you must get a California driver license within 10 days. Residency is established by voting in a California election, paying resident tuition, filing for a homeowner’s property tax exemption, or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents.
Nowhere does it say that a non resident cannot get a license or that you need to prove that you are a California resident in order to get one.
If you look at the list of things that you have to do in order to get a license, you will notice that proving that you are a California resident is not one of them:
To apply for an original driver license if you are over 18, you will need to do the following:
* Visit a DMV office (make an Appointment(s) for faster service)
* Complete application form DL 44 (An original DL 44 form must be submitted. Copies will not be accepted.)
* Give a thumb print
* Have your picture taken
* Provide your social security number. It will be verified with the Social Security Administration while you are in the office.
* Verify your birth date and legal presence If your current name no longer matches the name on your birth data/legal presence document, see "True Full Name" and "How to Change Your Name" for more information.
* Provide your true full name
* Pay the application fee
* Pass a vision exam
* Pass a traffic laws and sign test. There are 36 questions on the test. You have three chances to pass.(Sample Test)
* Visit a DMV office (make an Appointment(s) for faster service)
* Complete application form DL 44 (An original DL 44 form must be submitted. Copies will not be accepted.)
* Give a thumb print
* Have your picture taken
* Provide your social security number. It will be verified with the Social Security Administration while you are in the office.
* Verify your birth date and legal presence If your current name no longer matches the name on your birth data/legal presence document, see "True Full Name" and "How to Change Your Name" for more information.
* Provide your true full name
* Pay the application fee
* Pass a vision exam
* Pass a traffic laws and sign test. There are 36 questions on the test. You have three chances to pass.(Sample Test)
Jul 29th 2009, 11:17 pm
#25
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 78
Re: How to prove CA residency quickly?
UPDATE:
I got my CA drivers license.
In the end they didnt ask for any proof that I was a CA resident.
It was relatively straightforward. It was important to book an appointment ahead before visiting the DMV though.
There was a bit of explaining to do when showing my I-551 visa in my passport. They thought it was out of date....I had to explain about it being stamped and good for one year (I havnt got the actual green card in the post yet...My POE was July 10)
I passed my written test 100%...then they said "Ok now make an appointment to take the road test...we have slots one month from now"
No way! I want my license ASAP so I went down to the Clovis office the next two mornings to see if there was a standby slot. I got lucky and got an appointment. I passed the road test with another 100% (never even did that in the UK lol)
If you are not used to driving in the USA its worth getting a few lessons with an instructor. I did that and he took me around the test route and got me ready for the test.
Thanks to everyone on here.
I got my CA drivers license.
In the end they didnt ask for any proof that I was a CA resident.
It was relatively straightforward. It was important to book an appointment ahead before visiting the DMV though.
There was a bit of explaining to do when showing my I-551 visa in my passport. They thought it was out of date....I had to explain about it being stamped and good for one year (I havnt got the actual green card in the post yet...My POE was July 10)
I passed my written test 100%...then they said "Ok now make an appointment to take the road test...we have slots one month from now"
No way! I want my license ASAP so I went down to the Clovis office the next two mornings to see if there was a standby slot. I got lucky and got an appointment. I passed the road test with another 100% (never even did that in the UK lol)
If you are not used to driving in the USA its worth getting a few lessons with an instructor. I did that and he took me around the test route and got me ready for the test.
Thanks to everyone on here.
