mmm

Hello Everybody

Some time ago I posted a thread about what to do when living in the US and not working and how to settle in.

A lot of people replied saying I should get a driving license and get out there into the community to which I say thanks you've all been great for the encouragement.

I took their advice and went and tried to get a learner's permit so I could do all this. However Texas has passed a law (yesterday) stating that because driver's licenses are used for identification at airports and for benefits etc. that only holders of permanent resident cards are allowed to hold a drivers license. I should have phoned on Monday!

I am on an H-4 so I do not qualify. I do however live and exist in this country and want to get out and about, surely they can see that the wives of working people here need to go to the grocery store on occasion and basically live. I feel like screaming from the top of lungs I’m alive let me live!!! (And various other rants and raves I want to scream when I'm frustrated but shouldn't but in a nice respectable forum like this one)

What I want to know is who can I phone/write to have this changed or aired or anything? I need to address this issue for all the other PEOPLE (and in america I use this term loosely because apparently us H-4ers aren't classed as people more like possessions or pets or something I haven't figured it out yet) in the same situation.

Rete

Permanent resident cards are green cards and not two separate types of cards are your post implies.

What exactly are the new requirements in Texas? As an H-4B you should be eligible for an EAD card. Andy will correct me if I am incorrect. If so, is that card on the list of eligible items?

Rete

mmm

An EAD card is an Employment Authorization Document, H-4 visa holders are not eligable to be employed, therefore I don't think I'm eligable for this.

Petra

I'm so sorry to hear this!!

We had the same situation in South Carolina......BUT
With all the help from people in the same situation, we had the law changed!

If you're interested, read the following threads:

http://www.britishexpats.com/forum/s...threadid=51162

http://www.britishexpats.com/forum/s...threadid=67289

http://www.britishexpats.com/forum/s...threadid=67296

http://www.britishexpats.com/forum/s...threadid=80626

mmm

Good for you Petra

I think I may be starting my own little crusade out here in Dallas. It's unbelievable isn't it?

Where did you start? Do you think I should start by writing a letter to the DMV or something?

mailmena

H4 holders can't work for money under any capacity.
I know another poor fellow that lives in IL where his wife (h4) couldn't get a driver license either because DMV won't do it without a freakin' SSN.

Petra

Actually, Tara did most of the work, I merely jumped in and did other things *S*
Writing to DMV will not help, I'm afraid, they're just 'following orders'...
So, I cannot begin to tell you how she did it.
All I can tell you, is she managed to get quite familiar with the people in charge...
So much, that when Governor Jim Hodges signed the bill, he sent the pen to Tara!

mmm

The IRS issued me with a TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) because my husband and I wanted to file taxes (as good little immigrants should) It clearly stated on a little piece of photocopied paper that they gave me, that the TIF should be used where a SSN is required. I presumed this to be accruate and all in order. However the DMV people corrected me today and told me the IRS were wrong and I should now ring the INS.

I phoned the INS to explained my situation to see if there was anything I could do to remedy the situation (as I'm still believing it's a typo on the DMV's part) and they said "Well the DMV is the DMV they can do whatever they want" Hmmm yes very helpfull.

That poor woman !! I hope she is fighting them in IL, as I intend to in TX.

.

"mmm" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > .... I took their advice and went and tried to get a learner's permit so I could do
    > all this. However Texas has passed a law (yesterday) stating that because
    > driver's licenses are used for identification at airports and for benefits etc.
    > that only holders of permanent resident cards and green cards are allowed to hold a
    > drivers license. I should have phoned on Monday !


1/ Do you hold a full UK license? If yes I suggest you continue to drive on it at
least for the time being. If you are a non-resident, then you would be allowed
to drive for 1 yr on your foreign license. (By denying you a license because you
are not a 'permanent resident' it would seem to me that de facto they consider you
a non-resident. Normally a resident must get a driver's license within 30 days of
'becoming resident' and a non-driver would get an id card).

2/ Well it looks like now you have something to do!! Campaign for a change in the
law. Search the google newsgroup archives for recent (couple of months back)
campaign to do just that in South Carolina. Sorry I can't remember details but I
think 'Petra' was active in that. You should be able to find the threads. (Or was
it Tara, sorry, she might even make herself known if she reads your thread, or you
could post a new msg asking for anyone who knows what they did there to contact
you - reference S Caroline driver license campaign in your subject line).

Commiserations, I guess it was predictable but it seems like another of those
unthought-out proposals. How do H1B holders get a license then? They are not perm
residents either. Just out of interest. Are they supposed to use their foreign
license? Call another driver license office and ask if you get no sense from the
first one.





    > I am on a H-4 so I do not qualify. I do however live and exist in this country and
    > want to get out and about, surely they can see that the wives of working people
    > here need to go to the grocery store on occasion and basically live. I feel like
    > screaming from the top of lungs I"m alive let me live!!! (and various other rants
    > and raves I want to scream when I'm frustrated but shouldn't but in a nice
    > respectable forum like this one)
    > What I want to know is who can I phone/write to to have this changed or aired or
    > anything? I need to address this issue for all the other PEOPLE (and in america I
    > use this term loosely because aparently us H-4ers aren't classed as people more
    > like possesions or pets or something I haven't figured it out yet) in the same
    > situation.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

mmm

Good for her then!!

There is light at the end of the tunnell.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Petra:
Actually, Tara did most of the work, I merely jumped in and did other things *S*
Writing to DMV will not help, I'm afraid, they're just 'following orders'...
So, I cannot begin to tell you how she did it.
All I can tell you, is she managed to get quite familiar with the people in charge...
So much, that when Governor Jim Hodges signed the bill, he sent the pen to Tara!
[/QUOTE

Soft

On Wed, 21 Aug 2002 18:19:24 +0000, mmm <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Hello Everybody
    >some time ago I posted a thread about what to do when living in the US and not
    >working and how to settle in.
    >A lot of people replied saying I should get a driving license and get out there into
    >the community to which I say thanks you've all been great for the encouragement.
    >I took their advice and went and tried to get a learner's permit so I could do all
    >this. However Texas has passed a law (yesterday) stating that because driver's
    >licenses are used for identification at airports and for benefits etc. that only
    >holders of permanent resident cards and green cards are allowed to hold a drivers
    >license. I should have phoned on Monday !
    >I am on a H-4 so I do not qualify. I do however live and exist in this country and
    >want to get out and about, surely they can see that the wives of working people here
    >need to go to the grocery store on occasion and basically live. I feel like
    >screaming from the top of lungs I"m alive let me live!!! (and various other rants
    >and raves I want to scream when I'm frustrated but shouldn't but in a nice
    >respectable forum like this one)
    >What I want to know is who can I phone/write to to have this changed or aired or
    >anything? I need to address this issue for all the other PEOPLE (and in america I
    >use this term loosely because aparently us H-4ers aren't classed as people more like
    >possesions or pets or something I haven't figured it out yet) in the same situation.


I would check with my representative on this....maybe there is something they can do.
Check to see if this is a law....(maybe someone misunderstood it). Good Luck Karryl

mmm

Thanks for the info.

No, no other license and H1bs are now in the same boat. They are allowed to work in the country but not able to get to work. This makes absolutely no sense to me.

The person I phoned did suggest leaving the state and get a license and then they can "swop it" (or whatever they do) to a valid texas one, but don't you have to have an address in the state you are doing the test???

Mrtravel

mmm wrote:
    > I took their advice and went and tried to get a learner's permit so I could do all
    > this. However Texas has passed a law (yesterday) stating that because driver's
    > licenses are used for identification at airports and for benefits etc. that only
    > holders of permanent resident cards and green cards are allowed to hold a drivers
    > license.

If the law was just passed, was it effective immediately? I don't see the connection.
A DL is used for ID, not to prove immigrant or citizenship status. INS status is NOT
an issue for a domestic flight. INS status is not an issue for buying a beer from
the 7-11....

Of course, if you have a license from your home country, you can generally use it in
the US for a certain period of time, by treaty.

Mrtravel

An H4 is permitted to live in the US for several years. So, I don't see a sane
legislature ignoring H4 people.

The driving treaty restricts use of foreign licenses to 1 year. Of course, residency
(and employment in some states) generally requires you to get a state license.

Rete

Actually that is not correct. The DMV is governed by the laws of the State it is in. It is not a federal agency but a state agency. Therefore, each and every one of the 50 States of the Union have different laws and requirements for licenses. Here in NYS an H-1B is able to get a license as they were in Petra's state. So are Student Visa holders, J-1's, J-2's, etc.

You must remember that until the occurrence of September 11th, the DMV's were very very lax about who could just walk in and get a license. All you really needed to do was prove where you lived and have a social security number and if you didn't have a SSN, you went to the SSA and got a letter from them stating you were eligible for one and that letter got you the license.

Since the terrorists all have licenses to drive, it has become a major issue with all 50 DMV's and they have been changing their requirements left, right and center since then. Often times at the expense of the legitimate immigrant.

As for the H-4B category not being able to work, thanks all for the input. Much appreciated.

Rete