tigerbaywarrior

http://www.immigration-law-answers-b...cked-by-judge/

A bit of background: Texas DPS brought this online about 2 year ago. The bottom line is that anyone that is not a GC holder and is able to hold a license is now issued with a license that is in portrait orientation. This clearly shows anyone you show the license that you are 'not a local'. If Arizona thinks the right for law enforcement to ask for your papers is rough, here in the state of Texas, they don't even have to ask!

Looks like this judge in Austin is finding some issues with this stance.

lonestargirl

The fact that the licence is different or that it expires when your status does is not a problem for me. I wonder if the DMV will know the difference between visa and status when I go to renew my licence at the end of June, I don't fancy explaining it to them. The 6 month expiry bit is a pain, my husband can't get a licence at the moment until we get our status renewal back as our visas expire in June (he hasn't had a weekday off since he started work apart from 2 weeks which we spent in Ireland).

aussie_best

The thing is if you forget to appear in the long queue of license renewal at DPS after every couple of years, even if u have updated(extension) I-94(I-797) and the police will see the visitor status expiry date on your license then you may be in trouble.....Where is the dual intent of H1B?

lifehouse51

On the surface, issuing driver's license with limited validity and different design for non-PR, non-citizens may seem straightforward, but it does create a lot of problems because the U.S. immigration system in general is just NOT simple.

If they're interested in creating some sorta DL that is linked to immigration status, it should be something that's linked to the USCIS, so it'll be possible to quickly check the legal status of a person (If admitted as temporary visitor, when that status will end). The info will also be more updated as people can renew/change status within the U.S. through USCIS. Unfortunately this is unlikely to happen soon due to the cost of instituting such a system and concerns about exposing sensitive info to local law enforcement. However, it will people trouble from the not-so-well-thought-out renewal policy at DMV.

lisa67

[QUOTE=lifehouse51;8557401] (If admitted as temporary visitor, when that status will end). QUOTE]

The end of your status is printed on the current TX temporary visitor driving license. Not that that will mean diddly squat to most people who look at it

The only time I've been asked about my Temporary status when showing my driving license is when I've used it as ID in a store...then the cashier is just curious, and I laugh and say "it's complicated"
I'll be off to renew my license for the 3rd time in 18 months when my renewed AP docs turn up..then the fun really starts!!

neil

My NJ license always had "TEMP IMMIGR" on the front, my first one expired when my visa expired, the subsequent ones expired 3 months after the visa expiry date (I guess they'd had a lot of problems and figured it was best to give a grace period). I asked them to remove the legend when I got my Green Card, and for some reason it took them about an hour to do that - not sure they'd come across that before and had to make phone calls.

chartreuse

That story, from April '09, has been overtaken by events. DPS appealed the temporary injunction and won (in December '09). AFAIK, the substantive challenge has yet to be heard.

tigerbaywarrior

Thanks Chartreuse.

I wonder what all the illegals that had a license but now can't get one will do. Some of them actually do own homes/pay taxes/have loans built around the state ID. Wonder how I would feel if I got in an RTA with someone who doesn't even have a license/insurance.
MY wife was stopped by a cop yesterday and had some pretty probing questions about her legal status - where do you live? How long you been here? Is this your car? She was pretty shaken up and felt like a criminal/illegal.
Australia sure looks inviting now......

aussie_best

[QUOTE=lisa67;8557773] I went for a car lease from Honda on H1B and by just looking at texas DL status expiry date on the face of DL the dealer asked me to apply for foreign resident car lease. The car lease plan for H1B holders was 12-24 months term with double lease monthly payments and much more high down payment.For a car of $22000 they were asking above $8000 as down payment...

I am afraid to get a house on mortgage and home in Texas, its because I think by looking DL face with status expiry date the banks or the lender will apply foreign national shorter term mortgage plans, which means double/triple monthly payments and higher down payment

lifehouse51

After hearing all these horror stories, I'm gonna keep my current TX license for now!! (No Temp Visitor annotation, valid till 2015)

sir_eccles

In answer to your question they will end up paying "Bob" at the DMV an extra few bucks by the back door.

I'm sure I don't need to point out that there are plenty of USCs without licenses or insurance, it isn't a sole preserve of illegal immigrants.

neil

True, but the difference is that there are plenty of illegals who would get insurance etc. if they were able to.

sir_eccles

An excellent point. I hate how illegal immigrants are tarred with the same brush and labeled as drug running criminals etc.

aussie_best

I hate this too but infact in reality these illegal immigrants build roads, they are in construction, they are building America,plucking fruits,making prices cheaper and contributing in US economy as well.The procedure,policies and requirements for green card and H1B is not easy for a simple construction worker or simple fruit plucker. Its the USCIS who is behind making a legal immigrant into illegal immigrant.The fact is America cannot run or built by bringing in only rocket scientist or Phd's (EB-1, EB-2).

You and all legal immigrants' will pay 3 times more prices if these illegal immigrats are stopped of banned.

meauxna

What does this mean? I don't understand the question in here.