GRARY

Greetings,
I am currently spending 3 months in MD and thought about getting a Drivers license. Of course the usual red tape prevails and wondered does anyone know of how to get "Proof of Residency" besides a Residential Rental Contract?? Tried one bank for an account and as I am only on a tourist visa 194 they said not possible. Is there any banks that allow you to open an account when you are a tourist? I did read in an earlier forum about Bank of America but was under the impression that they gave one only on the impending SSN number. Would appreciate any info. And lastly...........Wayne Rooney
Cheers Gary

Pulaski

I hear that most states won't allow people to obtain a drivers licence unless they have a SS number, so you are probably wasting your time trying to "establish residence" if you think that is enough to get a US drivers licence.

JerseyBoy

This is how I understand it... (in NJ at least)

You can't get a bank account without a Social Security No.
You can't get a SS# without a working visa, and a letter from your employer that you work there.

As far as the driving license goes, you will need to take a theory test, but you will only get a license that expires at the end of your visa. If you do not have visa, you can't get a license.

As for proof of residence, banks will accept a notarized signed letter from someone you are living with, (they can notarize it themselves) provided they sign it in their presence.

Hope this helps

scotch03

I just caught the tail end of the news here in LA and what I think I heard was that ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS can apply for a drivers licence. Worse was that they wont have to give finger prints!

Being rather miffed at that I just called a friend with the LA City who informs me that the LAPD have a protocol to leave immigrants alone (they are too imprtant to the economy)!.

Surley give them status or show them the door.

How does that make other people here feel?

Yorkieabroad

Yeah, I had half an ear on that as well - sounds odd to me...but even odder was that the main objection to it seemed to be that it would make life more difficult for US citizens travelling overseas as they would now need to show a passport to get back into the country rather than just a driving licence....Huh? Can they really get back in on a DL? And how did they get into the 'foreign' country they were visiting without a passport?

scotch03

Yup! And they wonder why bad people come here, Hmmm let me think!

Ray

Seems a brilliant idea when you think about it...In fact could be called The Sting of all Stings .. on Jan 1st 2004 thousands of illegals will rush in to get there licence, providing the state with their name and address...amassing a huge database of illegal immigrants...will they do any thing with it...who knows

Pharrya

I live in MD, and if you're only going to be here 3 months, I wouldn't bother trying to get a license. Here's what I had to do to get mine.

Go to MVA and fill out forms, show them my Social Security Number, British Licence and so on, Need at least 2 Proofs of residence (such as Utility bills etc).

Take Computer (or written) test - must pass with 17/20

Have eyesight exam.

Take Online 'Drugs and Alchohol Awareness' program. (Learn the difference between DWI and DUI, then pomptly forget it all)

Take exam on the above course. Must Pass

Finally, get to drive about 100 yds with driving instructor in the biggest joke of a driving test ever.

All of the above involves queues.....


Paul

Not sure

nathan barley

Hey, if they threw them out, there'd be no-one left willing to pick strawberries for $3 an hour.

Read Reefer Madness by Eric Schlosser, there's a chapter about illegal immigration in CA in which he follows a group of illegal mexican migrant workers as they try to get by working in the strawberry fields. Quite eye opening in some respects.

Personally, I think they should be bundled into a sack and then thrown over the border when they enter the DMV, but on the other hand, an illegal with a driving license and insurance is better than an illegal with no license or insurance.

robclews

OK, Maryland is now operating a new system for drivers licenses. You do not need a social security number but there are a number of primary and secondary proof of residency requirements that cannot be satisfied by a non immigrant. If you search the MVA site it will give you all the info you require, including all the info on residency

Banks are pretty much the same, but generally you need a SS#.

www.mva.state.md.us

Rob

sweetwater

sweetwater

Sorry but you will be unable to get a drivers licence without a social security number, you will also be unable to open up a bank account without a social security number. So just do not bother and use your own drivers licence or apply for an international drivers licence - it works for 3 months.

suebo

You can get a drivers licence in MD without a SSN - I have a licence and no SSN. I think I had to produce my passport with my L2 visa - can't remember that far back (3 years). I obtained my licence within a week of getting here, so did not produce any electricity bills etc. We did have to sit the DUI class, which was a pain in the butt as we had to drive (ourselves - without US licences) an hour to get there. You have to do a Q & A at the end of the class.

You will not be able to open a bank account without a SSN. I have tried a couple of different banks and get the same story. But if you are here with a partner that has one, you can be a secondary on the account.

scotch03

Illegals can get a DL in CA with no SSN as from 2004.
And anyone can open a Bank Account without an SSN. - Bank Of America is one of them.

And I am very confident that the DMV will not tell anyone who is on the illegal database as the immigrants are required for so many jobs here in CA. Strawberries could well be one of them!

suebo

Scotch - I bank with B of A and I am a secondary on hubbys account as I was told that I can not open an account without a SSN!! I am sure the rules apply countrywide. Do you know of anyone who has opened an account with them without a SSN?