Hello everyone,



Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he gets
here, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular we
hadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given much
thought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license.



We know that he will need a SSN in order to get one. He'll need a piece
of mail addressed to him at my address to prove that he is a resident of
this address correct? And I assume that his UK birth certifiacte and
passport will be needed.



Finally, I'm curious if he will be asked to take the driving part of the
test. I know he will need to take the writen test and the eye test, but
have no idea about the driven. If he needs to take the driven, I should
have him on my car insurance before we go in to take the exam?



Any help from those that have been through this process can lend me is
greatly appreciated. Especially those moving to the States from the
countries where you're used to driving on the other side of the road, as
I'm wondering how tough a driving test would be in this situation. :)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Kae
Hello everyone,

Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he gets here, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular we hadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given much thought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license.

We know that he will need a SSN in order to get one. He'll need a piece of mail addressed to him at my address to prove that he is a resident of this address correct? And I assume that his UK birth certifiacte and passport will be needed.

Finally, I'm curious if he will be asked to take the driving part of the test. I know he will need to take the writen test and the eye test, but have no idea about the driven. If he needs to take the driven, I should have him on my car insurance before we go in to take the exam?

Any help from those that have been through this process can lend me is greatly appreciated. Especially those moving to the States from the countries where you're used to driving on the other side of the road, as I'm wondering how tough a driving test would be in this situation. :)



Hi

You would have to check with your state law on that. I am Kentucky and
my husband just got his driver's license today. It has been a major pain
in the rear and almost more complex than the visa process! I think the
problem is a lot of the employees of the local DMVs are not very
educated on the procedures for non US citizens. This is what made it
such a maze in our case. He had to take the written and road test. He
had to have a reinstatement letter (which I still to this day have no
clue what that is) and his SSN and EAD were required for it.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Hi Kae,



There was a similar thread to this a month or two ago.



1) Yes, he will have to take the driving test.

2) Yes, you should add him to your insurance.



I can't remember what else we came up with on that thread but I do
remember those two things. I haven't got that far yet in the process,
but my husband and I have talked about it several times. Should be an
adventure!



Leslie


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Leslie66
Hi Kae,

There was a similar thread to this a month or two ago.

1) Yes, he will have to take the driving test.
2) Yes, you should add him to your insurance.

I can't remember what else we came up with on that thread but I do remember those two things. I haven't got that far yet in the process, but my husband and I have talked about it several times. Should be an adventure!

Leslie

I had a related question, which occurred to me recently. What if my
fiance's English isn't good enough to take the written test? I'm sure
he'd like to drive ASAP upon arriving, since Phoenix is way too big for
him to walk where he needs to go. It will be a while before his English
will be fluent enough to understand questions about insurance, or
complicated driving scenarios. Has anyone gone through this with
someone whose English isn't fluent enough?



Thanks!



Rene (day 90 at NVC)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Kae wrote:
Hello everyone, Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he gets here, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular we hadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given much thought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license. We know that he will need a SSN in order to get one. He'll need a piece of mail addressed to him at my address to prove that he is a resident of this address correct? And I assume that his UK birth certifiacte and passport will be needed. Finally, I'm curious if he will be asked to take the driving part of the test. I know he will need to take the writen test and the eye test, but have no idea about the driven. If he needs to take the driven, I should have him on my car insurance before we go in to take the exam? Any help from those that have been through this process can lend me is greatly appreciated. Especially those moving to the States from the countries where you're used to driving on the other side of the road, as I'm wondering how tough a driving test would be in this situation. :)

The requirements to be issued a driver's license vary from state to state.
You need to check with your state DMV for their requirements.

http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Motor_Vehicles.shtml

I went to Ireland for three weeks a couple years ago and rented a car.
After three or four days of driving I adjusted to being on the "wrong" side
of the road and car. So I would assume that anyone that has been driving
for any amount of time will catch on rather quickly to driving on the other
side of the road and car.

Originally posted by Noorah101
I had a related question, which occurred to me recently. What if my fiance's English isn't good enough to take the written test? I'm sure he'd like to drive ASAP upon arriving, since Phoenix is way too big for him to walk where he needs to go. It will be a while before his English will be fluent enough to understand questions about insurance, or complicated driving scenarios. Has anyone gone through this with someone whose English isn't fluent enough?

Thanks!

Rene (day 90 at NVC)





Hi Rene!!



I know that in Texas they have Hispanic translators. Maybe you could
translate for him. But they might not allow that because you could be
giving him the answers and they wouldn't know. LOL. Or maybe there is
an alternate test like touch the screen w/ pictures instead of words?!



In other words, I have no idea.:D



Leslie


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Noorah101
I had a related question, which occurred to me recently. What if my fiance's English isn't good enough to take the written test? I'm sure he'd like to drive ASAP upon arriving, since Phoenix is way too big for him to walk where he needs to go. It will be a while before his English will be fluent enough to understand questions about insurance, or complicated driving scenarios. Has anyone gone through this with someone whose English isn't fluent enough?

Thanks!

Rene (day 90 at NVC)



Yes. My husband started English as a Second Language classes through
the local literacy council as soon as he got here. He had to take the
written test the same way as everyone else, but while he was studying,
the regulations on who could take it changed. He then had to wait
until after our adjustment interview to take the test. This was PA and
things have changed since he got his license. I think they are now
accepting proof that you have applied to adjust. He trashpicked and
fixed up a bike to ride to work in the meantime, cause mine was too
small. Phoenix won't be as cold, so your husband will be ahead of the
game as far as that goes. The times the bike slipped out from under
him on the ice caused considerable rants. The fact that the
trashpicked bike was pink was a big hit at the construction sites, as
well. He is happily licensed and driving around in his little escort
wagon, has come a long way.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Kae wrote: Hello everyone, Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he gets here, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular we hadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given much thought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license.

As people have mentioned, there is no US Driver's License (well, for
most people). In California, for instance, you will soon be able to get
a license even if you are here illegally. I would think this would be
the most liberal of the state laws....

Unfortunately, my registration was due Oct 11. Oct 1 was the date for
the new fees... I paid $495 Ouch......... But that includes the
"I<heart>CISCO" $40 plate. Yes, in California, you can have a heart.

Originally posted by Leslie66
Hi Rene!!

I know that in Texas they have Hispanic translators. Maybe you could translate for him. But they might not allow that because you could be giving him the answers and they wouldn't know. LOL. Or maybe there is an alternate test like touch the screen w/ pictures instead of words?!

In other words, I have no idea.:D

Leslie

Hi Leslie!



I thought of that too, maybe they would allow an interpreter, but had
the same thought...I could be giving him the answers...lol Seems to me
my former father-in-law (also Iranian) had a translator for his test, or
maybe just had a verbal one. But that was about 20 years ago, I'm sure
things are quite different now!



I guess Sadegh had better learn the bus routes pretty quickly! :-)



Rene (day 90 at NVC)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

In article <tYhjb.611$Qk.572@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com>,
mrtravel <mrtravel@sbcglobal.net> wrote:Kae wrote: Hello everyone, Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he gets here, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular we hadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given much thought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license.As people have mentioned, there is no US Driver's License (well, formost people). In California, for instance, you will soon be able to geta license even if you are here illegally. I would think this would bethe most liberal of the state laws....Unfortunately, my registration was due Oct 11. Oct 1 was the date forthe new fees... I paid $495 Ouch......... But that includes the"I<heart>CISCO" $40 plate. Yes, in California, you can have a heart.

$495?!? To register a car in California?? Ouch!! Maybe I shouldn't move
there after all.. How long is the registration good for? PLEASE don't tell
me it's an annual thing?!?

Here in Ontario I think it's max $100/year..

Mattias

Mattias Hembruch wrote: In article <tYhjb.611$Qk.572@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com>, m $495?!? To register a car in California?? Ouch!! Maybe I shouldn't move there after all.. How long is the registration good for? PLEASE don't tell me it's an annual thing?!?

In California, it's a property tax.
I believe it is 2 percent of the value at purchase, then it starts going
down after the 2nd year. Plus there are some other fees on top of that.
In my case $40 for the personalization (I<heart>CISCO)

The good news is the "tax" part is deductible on your federal return.

A few years ago, the state legislature voted to cut this tax
dramatically. Due to the economy and a projected deficit in the budget,
Gov Davis unilaterally decided he would dump this rollback by himself,
which he did... This was the last straw for many, and one reason why the
recall was successful...

In article <MZjjb.651$ps.246@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com>,
mrtravel <mrtravel@sbcglobal.net> wrote:Mattias Hembruch wrote: In article <tYhjb.611$Qk.572@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com>, m $495?!? To register a car in California?? Ouch!! Maybe I shouldn't move there after all.. How long is the registration good for? PLEASE don't tell me it's an annual thing?!?In California, it's a property tax.I believe it is 2 percent of the value at purchase, then it starts goingdown after the 2nd year. Plus there are some other fees on top of that.In my case $40 for the personalization (I<heart>CISCO)The good news is the "tax" part is deductible on your federal return.A few years ago, the state legislature voted to cut this taxdramatically. Due to the economy and a projected deficit in the budget,Gov Davis unilaterally decided he would dump this rollback by himself,which he did... This was the last straw for many, and one reason why therecall was successful...

I see..

So, if I bring my Canadian car into the country (assuming I USify it) which
is 10 years old... What's the value deemed to be? Book value? Or 2% of when
I purchased it in 1999 (which would have been 5 years ago by the time I get
to CA in 2004)?

I guess that's one way to keep people from trading in old, polluting cars
for newer, cleaner models... :-)


Mattias

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 18:27:02 +0000, Kae <member@british_expats.com>
wrote:
Hello everyone,Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he getshere, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular wehadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given muchthought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license.We know that he will need a SSN in order to get one. He'll need a pieceof mail addressed to him at my address to prove that he is a resident ofthis address correct? And I assume that his UK birth certifiacte andpassport will be needed.

I didn't need my birth certificate here in Phoenix. I did however need
some sort of documentation that I was here legally. The K1 Visa in my
passport did it the first time but they only gave me a license valid
to the end of the 90 days. I had to renew my license with my EAD. You
need to check the requirements of your local DMV
Finally, I'm curious if he will be asked to take the driving part of thetest. I know he will need to take the writen test and the eye test, buthave no idea about the driven. If he needs to take the driven, I shouldhave him on my car insurance before we go in to take the exam?

I had to take the driving part of the test and I was asked for my
insurance card. The test was simple, parallel park the car and then
drive round the block (4 right turns!)
Any help from those that have been through this process can lend me isgreatly appreciated. Especially those moving to the States from thecountries where you're used to driving on the other side of the road, asI'm wondering how tough a driving test would be in this situation. :)

--
Denis

The only substitute for good manners is fast reflexes.

Mattias Hembruch wrote:
I see.. So, if I bring my Canadian car into the country (assuming I USify it) which is 10 years old... What's the value deemed to be? Book value? Or 2% of when I purchased it in 1999 (which would have been 5 years ago by the time I get to CA in 2004)? I guess that's one way to keep people from trading in old, polluting cars for newer, cleaner models... :-)

I don't know how they handle out of state cars. This is probably on the
DMV website. The value wouldn't be 2 percent, the tax would be. At some
point the value of the car stops dropping. I doubt it would be based on
the 99 price.

Originally posted by Denis

I didn't need my birth certificate here in Phoenix. I did however need
some sort of documentation that I was here legally. The K1 Visa in my
passport did it the first time but they only gave me a license valid
to the end of the 90 days. I had to renew my license with my EAD. You
need to check the requirements of your local DMV

I had to take the driving part of the test and I was asked for my
insurance card. The test was simple, parallel park the car and then
drive round the block (4 right turns!)

--
Denis

The only substitute for good manners is fast reflexes.

Hi Denis!



When you had to renew after getting your EAD, I'm assuming you had to do
that in person at DMV, right? They had to see the EAD? That's probably
what will happen for my fiance, too.



You had to take both the written AND the driving test, right? That's
good news that they only required seeing the K1 visa to start. You
didn't need a SSN?



Thanks for the helpful tips in Phoenix!

Rene (day 90 at NVC)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Kae,



Thought you might find this interesting reading:



]http://www.odot.state.or.us/dmv/DriverLicensing/drivfaqs.htm#anoth-
ercountry[/url]







Noorah101,



Here is AZ's site:



http://www.dot.state.az.us/MVD/mvd.htm



It's complete crap and I couldn't find an answer there but...I DO know
that here in Michigan they offer the test to people in English, Spanish,
and Arabic. They also offer interpreters if needed.



Here is a blurb about it:



]http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_8669-23238--
,00.html[/url]



The best thing you can do is call your local DMV to find out for
certain.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by thing1
Kae,

Thought you might find this interesting reading:

]http://www.odot.state.or.us/dmv/DriverLicensing/drivfaqs.htm#ano- thercountry[/url]



Noorah101,

Here is AZ's site:

http://www.dot.state.az.us/MVD/mvd.htm

It's complete crap and I couldn't find an answer there but...I DO know that here in Michigan they offer the test to people in English, Spanish, and Arabic. They also offer interpreters if needed.

Here is a blurb about it:

]http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_8669-23238-- ,00.html[/url]

The best thing you can do is call your local DMV to find out for certain.



Thanks, Thing 2! I'm not surprised they offer Arabic interpreters,
there's a large Arab population in Michigan. I'll check with DMV
here in Phoenix. On the other hand, wanting to obtain a drivers
license might be good incentive for Sadegh to learn English more
quickly! LOL :-)



Rene (day 90 at NVC)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Mattias,



"USify[ing]" your car may not cut it. California emission standards are
the toughest in the country, tougher than federal standards.



If your car is 10 years old, you may be better off buying a 'new' car
after you get here. Even if it could be brought up to standard, it
might be more expensive than buying a good used car that already
meets standard.



Originally posted by Mattias Hembruch
In article <MZjjb.651$ps.246@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com>,
mrtravel <mrtravel@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Mattias Hembruch wrote:
In article <tYhjb.611$Qk.572@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com>,
m
$495?!? To register a car in California?? Ouch!! Maybe I shouldn't move
there after all.. How long is the registration good for? PLEASE don't tell
me it's an annual thing?!?
In California, it's a property tax.
I believe it is 2 percent of the value at purchase, then it starts going
down after the 2nd year. Plus there are some other fees on top of that.
In my case $40 for the personalization (I<heart>CISCO)
The good news is the "tax" part is deductible on your federal return.
A few years ago, the state legislature voted to cut this tax
dramatically. Due to the economy and a projected deficit in the budget,
Gov Davis unilaterally decided he would dump this rollback by himself,
which he did... This was the last straw for many, and one reason why the
recall was successful...

I see..

So, if I bring my Canadian car into the country (assuming I USify it) which
is 10 years old... What's the value deemed to be? Book value? Or 2% of when
I purchased it in 1999 (which would have been 5 years ago by the time I get
to CA in 2004)?

I guess that's one way to keep people from trading in old, polluting cars
for newer, cleaner models... :-)



Mattias


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Here in Georgia you are not required to use your Social Security number
as your DL#. This was in response to the increasing instances of idenity
fraud that results when you get your purse or wallet stolen.

Thank you everyone for responding to this topic, and thank you Thing1
for the link. :)



So many of these things seem almost to be a chicken before the egg. So
many things to get done once he does, right now we're trying to work out
what order we want to do everything, or rather, what order we can do
everything. Thank you again :)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

If anyone needs any help regarding Virginia driving licenses I will be
able to help.

Also I have recently moved from Virginia to Maryland and it's like
moving country.

I had to get a new license, which only meant filing the forms and taking
an eye test (no driving test) It cost about $40.

The worst part is re-registering the car, which needed to be state
tested and all of the paperwork for that.

Also car insurance in maryland is a lot higher.

In Virginia they have a similar system to the UK whereby a car is
inspected (MOT'd) every year.

In Maryland a car is only inspected once and that's it !!

This means there are a lot more "old bangers" driving around
consequently more claims, leading to higher premiums.

I shopped around and got quotes ranging from $1,600 for a year to
$2,400.

Anyway, if anyone wants any help on any of these point, let me know.

Roger


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 23:13:36 +0000, Noorah101 <Noorah101@aol.com>
wrote:

Hi Denis!When you had to renew after getting your EAD, I'm assuming you had to dothat in person at DMV, right? They had to see the EAD? That's probablywhat will happen for my fiance, too.You had to take both the written AND the driving test, right? That'sgood news that they only required seeing the K1 visa to start. Youdidn't need a SSN?Thanks for the helpful tips in Phoenix!Rene (day 90 at NVC)

Hi Rene,

Thinking back on it, I'm pretty sure I was asked for my SSN too. :-(

--
Denis

We're in Virginia, so our requirements are probably different. When my
husband applied for his VA driver's license, they said a stamped letter
addressed to him was not sufficient (grrr), and provided a list to
reference with acceptable proofs of residency. The best we could do (a
week later, and another 2+ hours in line) was present a bank statement
mailed to us (we had a joint bank account) with his name on it. Earlier,
they said a utility bill with his name on it would also do, but that
wasn't an option for us. It's probably different in your state, but you
might want to check with them ahead of time, to prevent any possible
delays. :D



Juliet





Originally posted by Kae
Hello everyone,

Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he gets here, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular we hadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given much thought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license.

We know that he will need a SSN in order to get one. He'll need a piece of mail addressed to him at my address to prove that he is a resident of this address correct? And I assume that his UK birth certifiacte and passport will be needed.

Finally, I'm curious if he will be asked to take the driving part of the test. I know he will need to take the writen test and the eye test, but have no idea about the driven. If he needs to take the driven, I should have him on my car insurance before we go in to take the exam?


Any help from those that have been through this process can lend me is
greatly appreciated. Especially those moving to the States from the
countries where you're used to driving on the other side of the road,
as I'm wondering how tough a driving test would be in this situation.
:)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Denis
On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 23:13:36 +0000, Noorah101 <Noorah101@aol.com>
wrote:


Hi Denis!
When you had to renew after getting your EAD, I'm assuming you had to do
that in person at DMV, right? They had to see the EAD? That's probably
what will happen for my fiance, too.
You had to take both the written AND the driving test, right? That's
good news that they only required seeing the K1 visa to start. You
didn't need a SSN?
Thanks for the helpful tips in Phoenix!
Rene (day 90 at NVC)

Hi Rene,

Thinking back on it, I'm pretty sure I was asked for my SSN too. :-(

--
Denis

Darn. LOL


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by jcapulet
We're in Virginia, so our requirements are probably different. When my husband applied for his VA driver's license, they said a stamped letter addressed to him was not sufficient (grrr), and provided a list to reference with acceptable proofs of residency. The best we could do (a week later, and another 2+ hours in line) was present a bank statement mailed to us (we had a joint bank account) with his name on it. Earlier, they said a utility bill with his name on it would also do, but that wasn't an option for us. It's probably different in your state, but you might want to check with them ahead of time, to prevent any possible delays. :D

Juliet



Juliet,



That seems pretty extreme. Do they do that to everyone, or was it
because he was a foreigner?



Leslie


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Leslie66
Juliet,

That seems pretty extreme. Do they do that to everyone, or was it because he was a foreigner?

Leslie



Hi Leslie,



I think it's for everyone applying for a new license, but I don't know
if they do that as well for someone moving in from another state with a
license already (they probably do) . It definitely was no fun standing
in line for more than 2 hours and finding that out, and then going
through another long wait the following week. :-o



Juliet


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Everyone. It's not really that extreme if you are moving here from somewhere
else in the US but it is a bit difficult when you are moving from a new
country to a home where all bills are paid for by someone else, etc.. It's a
9/11 thing - some of the hijackers got VA licenses under a previous law that
allowed any other VA resident to say, "Yeah, they live here". Now they want
proof that you do. They've also tightened the identity requirements too.

FWIW, it was the recommended approach when I got my DL six years ago. Since
I was living on my own I had no problem with the required paperwork. I had
plenty of bills coming to my apartment ;)

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.

"Leslie66" <member@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:1016216.1066318075@britishexpats.com... Originally posted by jcapulet We're in Virginia, so our requirements are probably different. When my husband applied for his VA driver's license, they said a stamped letter addressed to him was not sufficient (grrr), and provided a list to reference with acceptable proofs of residency. The best we could do (a week later, and another 2+ hours in line) was present a bank statement mailed to us (we had a joint bank account) with his name on it. Earlier, they said a utility bill with his name on it would also do, but that wasn't an option for us. It's probably different in your state, but you might want to check with them ahead of time, to prevent any possible delays. :D Juliet Juliet, That seems pretty extreme. Do they do that to everyone, or was it because he was a foreigner? Leslie -- Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Andy Platt
Everyone. It's not really that extreme if you are moving here from somewhere
else in the US but it is a bit difficult when you are moving from a new
country to a home where all bills are paid for by someone else, etc.. It's a
9/11 thing - some of the hijackers got VA licenses under a previous law that
allowed any other VA resident to say, "Yeah, they live here". Now they want
proof that you do. They've also tightened the identity requirements too.

FWIW, it was the recommended approach when I got my DL six years ago. Since
I was living on my own I had no problem with the required paperwork. I had
plenty of bills coming to my apartment ;)

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.

"Leslie66" <member@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:1016216.1066318075@britishexpats.com"]news:1016216.1066318- 075@britishexpats.com[/url]...
Originally posted by jcapulet
We're in Virginia, so our requirements are probably different. When my
husband applied for his VA driver's license, they said a stamped
letter addressed to him was not sufficient (grrr), and provided a list
to reference with acceptable proofs of residency. The best we could do
(a week later, and another 2+ hours in line) was present a bank
statement mailed to us (we had a joint bank account) with his name on
it. Earlier, they said a utility bill with his name on it would also
do, but that wasn't an option for us. It's probably different in your
state, but you might want to check with them ahead of time, to prevent
any possible delays. :D

Juliet
Juliet,
That seems pretty extreme. Do they do that to everyone, or was it
because he was a foreigner?
Leslie
--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com/"]http://britishexpat- s.com[/url]



I have not had my license renewed since 9-11, but I doubt things have
changed in Texas. You don't have to prove anything, just give them
another form of ID, SS card, old Drivers License or birth certificate,
and swear to them your not lying. Crazy huh?!?!?



Leslie


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

jcapulet" <member@british_expats.com> wrote:
I think it's for everyone applying for a new license, but I don't know if they do that as well for someone moving in from another state with a license already (they probably do) . It definitely was no fun standing in line for more than 2 hours and finding that out, and then going through another long wait the following week. :-o

Of course too late now but it is on their website, referenced from the front
page!

My license is up for renewal this year. I'm hoping that I can do it online
because it's my first renewal and you are supposed to be able to do every
other one online without the need for a new photo. But when I got mine it
was so close to the usual renewal point (they do them every 5th birthday)
that it was already extended. I'm hoping not to have to go wait in line too!

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.

In article <1015102.1066260935@britishexpats.com>,
jeffreyhy <member@british_expats.com> wrote:Mattias,"USify[ing]" your car may not cut it. California emission standards arethe toughest in the country, tougher than federal standards.

Yes, I know.. On the other hand, I looked at the CA standards for a '93-95.
We also have emissions tests here. I'll have to double-check my results, but
from memory, I would have easily passed the CA standards too..

I'd hate to give up the 'ole Corrado.. Put too much work into it..

Mattias

Originally posted by Kae
Thank you everyone for responding to this topic, and thank you Thing1 for the link. :)

So many of these things seem almost to be a chicken before the egg. So many things to get done once he does, right now we're trying to work out what order we want to do everything, or rather, what order we can do everything. Thank you again :)



Hi



I moved to Oregon from the UK a few months ago. The driving license
here seems less on an ordeal than in most states.



I went to the local DMV when we moveed here and I was told I had 30 days
to drive on my UK license.



I had to do the knowledge test and the driving test. They were both
easy. I did the driving test in Eugene - the hardest part was having
to drive into a parking space (like one at the supermarket) and
reverse out.



I didn't need a SSN or work permit or anything to apply. I just took
some ID (passport), my UK license and an electricity bill with my name
on it and it was all fine.



Lnidsey


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Posted via http://britishexpats.com

>snip


OK since we are discussing car insurance, is it possible the US
insurance company will offer the standard "safe driver discount" if you
bring a copy of your MVR from the country you were residing in.

I am USC and insured with AllState, they require 3 years clean driving
record for the 10% discount. They also will give you the discount upon
proof of completing a "defensive driver" course.

It is worth a look-see. I just know about AllState, and the only other
company I am remotely aware of is State Farm (NOT recommended for any
one, I've know people that have had various kinds of insurance with them
and many problems once they filed a claim.)

If you hold a foreign license, how long can you legally drive in the US
with it? (anyone know specifically about UK licenses?)

Originally posted by Maryanne Kehoe
If you hold a foreign license, how long can you legally drive in the US
with it? (anyone know specifically about UK licenses?)



It varies between states. In California you can only drive on a foreign
license for ten days once you establish residency and "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." In the case of my
UKC husband we interpreted that to mean once he received his EAD card.
I'm not sure how valid an interpretation that was but it's water under
the bridge at this point. Also for those interested, he had to take a
written exam. After he passed and was questioned about how long he had
held a license in England the DMV woman issued him a temporary license
for three months, during which time he was to take the road test for a
permanent license. The day after he got his temporary license I added
him to my insurance (Allstate). When the time came for questions about
how long he'd held a US licesnse I explained the situation and asked if
the fact that he'd been licensed in the UK for ten years could be taken
into account. My agent said that he'd put it in provisionally and we'd
just have to wait and see what it would do to our bill after the DMV
report came back. My bill ended up going down about 20 bucks or so.


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Posted via http://britishexpats.com

maryanne kehoe wrote:
snip OK since we are discussing car insurance, is it possible the US insurance company will offer the standard "safe driver discount" if you bring a copy of your MVR from the country you were residing in.

Not from my personal experience with State Farm.

A clean driving record in another country doesn't mean you will be a
safe US driver. I realize this because I know I just paid a policeman
in Mexico City $20 to avoid a ticket. I did the same thing 10 or 12
years ago in Cancun.. So, I would guess that getting a clean record
from Mexico wouldn't be that difficult.

Yes, it takes two to bribe.
One moron that offers a bribe and a crook taking it.


"mrtravel" <mrtravel@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:u6Ljb.134$OH1.88@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com.. . maryanne kehoe wrote:snip OK since we are discussing car insurance, is it possible the US insurance company will offer the standard "safe driver discount" if you bring a copy of your MVR from the country you were residing in. Not from my personal experience with State Farm. A clean driving record in another country doesn't mean you will be a safe US driver. I realize this because I know I just paid a policeman in Mexico City $20 to avoid a ticket. I did the same thing 10 or 12 years ago in Cancun.. So, I would guess that getting a clean record from Mexico wouldn't be that difficult.

I am USC and insured with AllState, they require 3 years clean driving record for the 10% discount. They also will give you the discount upon
proof of completing a "defensive driver" course.



I'm with Allstate and have been for years. My record with them is
squeaky clean and when I added my husband to the insurance none of my
discounts were affected without us having to send anything in to them.


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Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Sennia wrote: I am USC and insured with AllState, they require 3 years cleandriving record for the 10% discount. They also will give you thediscount upon proof of completing a "defensive driver" course. I'm with Allstate and have been for years. My record with them is squeaky clean and when I added my husband to the insurance none of my discounts were affected without us having to send anything in to them.

Stupid question... Did the rate stay exactly the same?

__>
____> I'm with Allstate and have been for years. My record with them is
____> squeaky clean and when I added my husband to the insurance none of my
____> discounts were affected without us having to send anything in to them.

Stupid question... Did the rate stay exactly the same?



I don't have the breakdown of everything in front of me to comapre the
actual numbers but I do remember that the bi-annual total went down
about twenty dollars.



Not enough to write home about but nothing to complain about either.


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Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Originally posted by Kae
Hello everyone,

Today, my sweetie and I were talking about things to do when he gets here, visa in hand. We started talking about one thing in particular we hadn't really talked about before. Neither of us have given much thought into what will be needed for him to get his driver's license.

We know that he will need a SSN in order to get one. He'll need a piece of mail addressed to him at my address to prove that he is a resident of this address correct? And I assume that his UK birth certifiacte and passport will be needed.

Finally, I'm curious if he will be asked to take the driving part of the test. I know he will need to take the writen test and the eye test, but have no idea about the driven. If he needs to take the driven, I should have him on my car insurance before we go in to take the exam?

Any help from those that have been through this process can lend me is greatly appreciated. Especially those moving to the States from the countries where you're used to driving on the other side of the road, as I'm wondering how tough a driving test would be in this situation. :)



Hi Kae,

John has been here for 4 months now and is driving quite well. He has
to think about it so he doesn't slip into his ole driving ways. In NJ
they wouldn't let him get his USA lic. until he gets his EAD. I added
him to my policy once we got married and my insurer said that he could
drive on his UK lic. until he got his new one here. It is a mess!!!

Tell your loved one to take time to get adjusted to everything. You
will find him comparing everything lol

Cindy


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Posted via http://britishexpats.com

"Michael D. Young" <mdyoung@erols.com> wrote in message
news:3F8D9C10.2E62557D@erols.com... The requirements to be issued a driver's license vary from state to state. You need to check with your state DMV for their requirements.


Don't you think that's rather odd considering that a pass in any state will
entitle you to drive in all of them?

Does anyone know how long you can continue to drive on your foreign licence
before you're forced to have a US licence?


Andy

Andy Westmoreland wrote:
"Michael D. Young" <mdyoung@erols.com> wrote in message news:3F8D9C10.2E62557D@erols.com...The requirements to be issued a driver's license vary from state to state.You need to check with your state DMV for their requirements. Don't you think that's rather odd considering that a pass in any state will entitle you to drive in all of them?

Not odd, just out of the control of the US government, like marriage.
Marriage rules vary by states, as a lot of other things, like criminal law.
Does anyone know how long you can continue to drive on your foreign licence before you're forced to have a US licence?

If you are a visitor, then international treaty generally allows you to
drive for 1 year. However, if you were just a visitor, you probably
wouldn't be in this newsgroup. For an immigrant, it depends on the state
. I believe at least one state lets you drive for up to a year on a
foreign license even if you aren't just a visitor. It's a bit stricter
in most, and I would think that filing immigration paperwork, like AOS
would tend to make you a resident for driving purposes. Of course, some
states require a SS number.