driver's license expiration date with green card

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lada84

Registered Users (C)
I'm a conditional permanent resident and will be moving to the DC area in a few weeks. My conditional GC expires in about a year. Looking at DMV sites for DC, VA and MD, it seems that DC and VA will issue you a driver's license with an expiration date the same as your immigration document (in my case the conditional GC), while MD does not state anything to this effect. Do any of you have experience with this (in these states or others)? Are green card holders treated the same as people with non-immigrant status? I'm not looking forward to the hassle of renewing my driver's license every year (as will happen when I apply for removal of conditions).

Thanks.
 
In MD they will give you the standard 5 yr DL after they verify your status (regardless of its expiration). Its been a while since I lived in DC or VA so am not sure.
 
VA is tough. I have to renew license every year after I renew my EAD and it always expires on the same day that EAD expires I've been doing this since 2004. I know they only give DL for the duration you can prove legal presence....and pending I-485 is not enough
 
Guys, thanks for your responses. It looks like driving license laws are in constant flux -- things have changed quite recently in MD, as far as I understand. Dedo, when did you last get your license -- before or after June 1, 2009? Henryetta, I'm sorry about all that hassle -- sounds really tough, esp. if you really need to drive (which anywhere in the US you most likely have to).

I'm still deciding where to live in the area, so I thought I would look into the immigration side of things too. I guess one drawback of living in DC is that I would be without Senate/House representation, if I ever needed one.
 
In Missouri, the same rule about expiry date matching immig document exists. However, the DMV is specifically instructed to ignore the i-551 card expiry date, as it does not really mean expiry of status.


From the guide:

One of the following:
• I-551 card (Resident Alien Card)
• Passport stamped “Approved I-551”
• Passport stamped “Processed for I-551”
• Re-entry Permit I-327
• I-94 stamped “Processed for I-551”
Expiration dates do not indicate the expiration of legal permanent resident status.
Click to expand...

Perhaps DC has such an exemption as well...

In fact it does:
http://dmv.dc.gov/info/proofofID.shtm
Note: DC driver's license, learner's permit or identification cards for persons without permanent US residency will expire on the US Immigration expiration date. Therefore documentation must be resubmitted upon renewal
Click to expand...

Since you have permanent residency, you are exempt from the 'expiration date' limitations. The only requirement is that your card be unexpired.
 
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lada84 said:
Guys, thanks for your responses. It looks like driving license laws are in constant flux -- things have changed quite recently in MD, as far as I understand. Dedo, when did you last get your license -- before or after June 1, 2009? Henryetta, I'm sorry about all that hassle -- sounds really tough, esp. if you really need to drive (which anywhere in the US you most likely have to).

I'm still deciding where to live in the area, so I thought I would look into the immigration side of things too. I guess one drawback of living in DC is that I would be without Senate/House representation, if I ever needed one.
Click to expand...

I got it renewed prior to June 2009. Have the rules changed? What does it say about GC holders now?
 
I lived in VA through June 2008 and they were pretty strict about the DL expiration. Going from TX where they just give you a DL for 5 years (expiring on b'day normally), it was a pain having to renew the DL ever year. One time, I had an AP with me which had a much later expiration date than my EAD and so I got my DL through the AP expiration date. If you are from a state which doesn't have property taxes for vehicles, get ready for that too!
 
Nelsona, good catch! I missed that page since I only looked at the one specifically aimed at non US citizens.

Dedo, my understanding is that MD has changed its regulations on June 1 this year and is now verifying legal presence and setting the expiration date the same as your immigration document. There is a document which summarizes nicely the DL regulations in all states (on the NILC website -- I can't post links yet on this forum). The MD DMV site does not say anything specific about GC holders as opposed to non-immigrant visa holders, as far as I can tell.

Sgsnathan, I live in CT where we have outrageous car tax. You do, however, get a lot of it back the next year with your state tax return :)
 
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