Driver's License Extension for H1B Holder

Pachai_Tamizhan

Registered Users (C)
My Driver's License expired last month, so I took it to my nearest DMV for renewal,
and got extended it for 3 months, because that's when my current H1B expires. I applied for H1 extension this month and was told that it will take 6 months for approval. In three months my drivers license expires.

Is there anyway I can take my H1B receipt to DMV and ask them to issue a temp license until I get my H1B approval. I won't be able to drive my car after three months. Ironically I complete 6 years by the time My H1 will be approved. My green card is in processing in Atlanta :mad: ------------and MY LCA is close. Please help me if any one has gone through this :confused: !!!!!!!!
 
If nothing works out, get an international DL from either Mexico or one of those agencies man. At leat you can keep driving until you get h1 extension.
 
I'm in CA. I qualified to renew by mail - they renewed for full 5 years, even though the H1 they have on record has expired (and my current H1 expires next year).

So if you qualify to renew by mail, DO NOT try going in person.
 
Hi:

I got the same problem when I was in Pittsburgh, PA last year. By the time I have 8 month valid visa, so DMV denied my driver's license application even I showed up my H1B receipt notice.

Later I brought a letter from employer that described I have a full-time employment and my present assignment will go more than a year and describing the filing of my H1B for the H1B period and all.

I used this employer letter along with H1B receipt notice to DMV. They accepted and issued the license for 4 more years.
 
talkative said:
I'm in CA. I qualified to renew by mail - they renewed for full 5 years, even though the H1 they have on record has expired (and my current H1 expires next year).

Hey, how does the renewal work exactly in CA? You renew by mail,
but do you have to go somewhere to get your new photo taken?
I still keep the CA licence even though I had to move to PA.

Thanks!
 
Thanks for the Suggestions

Thanks for your valuable suggestions, I'll give a try in every possible way.

Thanks Again
Pachai Tamizhan :)
 
I also have similar problem in Ohio, therefore I am not I am not taking ohio license and keeping Michigan license..
Only some states are creating problem, what I can suggest that you can get license from your neighboring state..

good luck
 
sotiredofwaiting said:
Hey, how does the renewal work exactly in CA? You renew by mail,
but do you have to go somewhere to get your new photo taken?
I still keep the CA licence even though I had to move to PA.

Thanks!

No - they use the old photo if you renew by mail. But if your address has changed, you can't renew by mail :(
 
Drivers license extension problem in NJ

My H1B visa is expiring in October 6th, also my drivers license expires on the same day. H1B extension has been applied two months back, and waiting for approval. My green card is in I140. Does anyone was successful in renewing their license in NJ in such situation ?
 
rsaji said:
My H1B visa is expiring in October 6th, also my drivers license expires on the same day. H1B extension has been applied two months back, and waiting for approval. My green card is in I140. Does anyone was successful in renewing their license in NJ in such situation ?
Try to renew it online. That way you will get your license renewed for four more years, but that will not have your Picture on it. You can use the old one with the picture and new one together, if anybody asks for a picture Id. (I did the same and in Post Office they recognized it).
Good Luck.
 
Good news - Driving license renewal(3 months only) for H1B holders on expired I-94

Hi,
Yesterday i got a 3 months driving license renewal on my expired I-94.

Two months back, my company has filed for my H1B extension,but till now i didn't get the approval notice.My current I-94 is going to expire on Dec 5th 2004 ,so my license is also going to expire on dec 5th. Two weeks back ,I went to Deptford regional DMV to renewal my license based on my H1B extension receipt notice,but they denied to renewal my license.

As per my HR manager suggestion,Yesterday i went to Trenton DMV to renewal my license. Those pepole are very good and they all know the immigration rules.Just they have looked my current I-94(expires on dec 5th) and gave a 3 months renewal(up to March 5th).

Just try at Trenton Regional DMV,surely you will get the renewal on license.
 
vijay117 said:
Hi,
Yesterday i got a 3 months driving license renewal on my expired I-94.

Two months back, my company has filed for my H1B extension,but till now i didn't get the approval notice.My current I-94 is going to expire on Dec 5th 2004 ,so my license is also going to expire on dec 5th. Two weeks back ,I went to Deptford regional DMV to renewal my license based on my H1B extension receipt notice,but they denied to renewal my license.

As per my HR manager suggestion,Yesterday i went to Trenton DMV to renewal my license. Those pepole are very good and they all know the immigration rules.Just they have looked my current I-94(expires on dec 5th) and gave a 3 months renewal(up to March 5th).

Just try at Trenton Regional DMV,surely you will get the renewal on license.

Your company applied for H1 extension 2 months back (in October) and you haven't gotten the approval yet? It says on the site that VSC processes cases for H1B with a receipt date of Sept.9.

I am asking this because I will be in the same situation as yours next year and also in NJ (DL expires in August and H1B in October) and just wondering how proceed.

Thanks for the information.
 
Driving liscence

I think the extension of DL may not be tied to H1B expiry. My DL from CO state recently expired. I moved to CA a few months back and applied for CA liscence. Got DL valid until 2009, even though it took about five months for getting the DL.
 
Extension in Seattle

Had no issues. Showed the DL and got it renewed for another 5 years. 1 year to go on H1 and I-140 and I-485 pending.
 
Drivers licence expired..

I have a FL drivers licence and i live in TX. Moved to TX a year and half back coz i got laid off. My H1 expired March 2005 and so did my DL. I applied for AOS (marriage to US citizen ) in march 2005 and I am waiting for my EAD. Is there anyway I can obtain a TX DL on the basis of pending AOS or do I have to wait for my EAD to apply for DL. I got my 765 receipt notice and waiting anxiously for further course of action (fingerprinting,etc) from USCIS.

any inputs.

thanks rkg 72
 
NJ Driver License Extension while H1, Labor, or GC pending

Hi All,
I just got my license extended for 8 months in New Jersey while my H1 extenion is in process. I don't know the reason but at NJ DMV no one is aware of this situation and they simply deny your application. In Trenton, after much discussion I was able to get it. The process is that you'll have to get a letter from your employer in certain format along with the H1 receipt. The format is given below. It is absolutely necessary to show both the letter and notice. The letter should be on company letterhead. And this possible in only Regional Service Site(RSS), like Trenton. Good Luck.




Date

Motor Vehicle Commission
RSS Site Name
RSS Site Address


I hereby certify that ________________ is currently employed by ____________ and has been employed since ______________.

I certify that, on ______________, I filed an H1B petition extension and application for extension of stay on behalf of this individual (see attached receipt notice from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)).

Pursuant to 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(20), this individual is authorized to continue employment with ____________ for a period not to exceed 240 days beginning on the date of the expiration of the authorized period of stay (as indicated on the immigration documentation).

I further certify that if I receive that the USCIS had denied the application prior to the 240 day period and if <name, Driver license number>, ceases to be employed by ________________ during the 240 day period, I will notify the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), in writing as soon as practicable. I will send such notice to:

Legal & Regulatory Affairs Unit
Motor Vehicle Commission
PO Box 162
Trenton, NJ 08666-0162



Sincerely,



Signature of
individual certifying
the information

Print Name & Title
 
Last edited by a moderator:
toraboraus said:
Had no issues. Showed the DL and got it renewed for another 5 years. 1 year to go on H1 and I-140 and I-485 pending.

Lucky you.
I tried the same thing, got a new one valid for 9 months. :mad: I live in FL though.
Looks like those guys already remember my face. I show up there every few months for a few years already, they probably think I'm dumb enough to lose my ID every so often. :rolleyes:
 
IndoKiddo said:
get an international DL from either Mexico or one of those agencies man. At leat you can keep driving until you get h1 extension.

There's no such thing as an International Drivers License. They are 'permits' which are merely translations of your home country driving license, assuming it is not in English. Many State DMV web sites warn against these so-called 'International Driving Licenses'.

In many states, too, it is illegal to not have applied for a license in that state within a certain number of days of taking up residence there. In the case of California, it's 10 days.
 
H1B extension ... expiring drivers license

wik said:
There's no such thing as an International Drivers License. They are 'permits' which are merely translations of your home country driving license, assuming it is not in English. Many State DMV web sites warn against these so-called 'International Driving Licenses'.

In many states, too, it is illegal to not have applied for a license in that state within a certain number of days of taking up residence there. In the case of California, it's 10 days.

I am waiting for my H1-B extension and my driver license is expiring in the next few weeks. I found the below on the AZ MVD Site. I have an unexpired Indian Driver's License. What do you guys say?

34) What is needed for a person from another country to drive in Arizona?
You may legally drive in Arizona using a valid driver license from another country. An International Driving License or Permit is not required, but is recommended since it can be printed in English, and can be used in conjunction with the driver license from the other country. If an International Driving License or Permit is used alone, it must be issued by a country other than the United States. Vehicle rental companies may have additional requirements.

http://www.azdot.gov/mvd/faqs/scripts/faqs.asp?section=dl#31
 
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