BritishGuy36

Ok, first of all, there's no need for anyone to go off the deep end.

Even though I was wrong, all I said was "I believe what you heard was someone talking rubbish". That does not reflect in any way on Jo1973, as you can't do anything wrong just by listening. So please take a chill pill.

Thank you for those who corrected me (and no doubt enjoyed doing so ). This is another occurence of beurocracy gone mad, why there is any advantage to destroying one's previous foreign driving license is beyond comprehension. Yet another ridiculous factoid to be aware of on my journey.

No DMV will be getting their mitts on my UK license. End of.

Has anyone taking an OH test been asked to relinquish their UK license?

danfan

Bloody 'ell, I've got 3 driving licenses. UK, Virginia and Pennsylvania. I even used my VA license as a form of ID at the DMV in PA and they never asked for it.

The last license I got in UK, when I changed address and got a photo ID one, expires in 2010. I was looking at it the other day for some reason and noticed the date. I forgot they added expiry dates to them.

dh010447

I didn't bother changing my address with DVLA - if they can not put a non-uk address on the license, then thats their problem. Just keep your UK license as is. When I go back to the UK I drive on my US license. Also helps with speeding tickets (not that I have any). They may not try and track you down for the fine and they cant put points on your US license.

ILM

I still have my old paper licence too, and if I was asked to surrender the licence at any time which is now very unlikely, I have noted the number and I would use my dads address in the UK as my address toi get a new one at any time.

Dont forget all your UK licence is valid till your 70 so I can see no problems here at all getting a replacement.

ILM

dh010447

There is probably something about it being valid only for 30 days after becoming a resident, at least thats how it works in Georgia. In Georgia you become a resident after you have lived there for 15 days.

Jerseygirl

How can they live in NY for years and not be residents...unless of course they're illegals?

ILM

I believe this is the exact reason why NYS does this with licences purely to stop you producing a licence they cant control with points etc in the event of a ticket

ILM

Jerseygirl

Only the old paper UK licenses are valid to the age of 70...the new photo ID ones need to be renewed every 10 years.

ILM

I know they are NOT illegals, they both are bosses of a local company in the area, I can ask them about their visa's for you at another time, but I do know the company renews thier visa's every so often , Once again a bit vague till I see them but I think its every 3 years but not sure.

so they have no need to become residents, it wont help them, it would only complicate their stay here such as the licence for a start.

sorry cant at this stage be any clearer

ILM

lapin_windstar

You have 30 days from arriving in NYS to obtain an NYS drivers license; after that time, you can't drive in NYS on the basis of a license obtained somewhere else.

As far as NYS is concerned for licenses, a "resident" is anyone who "with the intent to make NYS a "fixed and permanent" place to live. To live in a house, a home, an apartment, a room or other similar place in NYS for 90 days is considered "presumptive evidence" that you are a resident of NYS": http://www.nysdmv.com/resident.htm

Being an NYS resident is not the same as being a Permanent Resident of the United States (with caps i.e. green card holder) and is not determined by your immigration status. Otherwise, that would mean that illegal immigrants couldn't be ticketed for not having an NYS drivers license!

However, having said all that, IANAL, and wonder if (in a very tight spot) you could claim that the fact that you were admitted on a non-immigrant visa and had an intention to eventually return could be proof that NYS was not your permanent place to live. It all depends on whether you can dispute "presumptive evidence", I suppose.

IMO, considering how cheap and easy it is to get an NYS license, the risk of tickets and (even worse) an insurance company trying to weasel their way out of a claim seems like an unnecessary risk to take.

Jerseygirl

If they have visas they are residents...not permanent residents but residents none the less.

The problem with being a state resident and driving without a state license arises if you are stopped by the cops or are involved in an accident.

Bob

There's two or three states that technically require you to hand over your foreign license, they are supposed to then return them to the country of origin...but in reality, most people just say they don't have a license, or leave it at home...

Sally Redux

Is there any point using your UK licence in the UK? If you had a problem it would become clear you didn't live at the address on it.

ILM

This seems a little ott for me here.
I came to NYS in nov 2006 on a K3, I lived in an appartment for 4 months waiting for my green card premanent residency, which I got in march 2007

I could do NOTHING until I got that card once I had the card I then had to get a social securty number, The DMV would not entertain me until I had this,
once I had the SS card I took the written test.
then the 5 hour course , then the test itself which was in August it took that long.
I even turned up in my own car on my own for the test on the strengh of my UK licence, the examiner asked who was with me I said no one I dont need anyone I have a licence & produced it, we proceeded with the test without question or issue, and after the test wa over I offered the UK licence and he refused it & left me with a pass , that was it.

ILM

ILM

True