Have you ever applied for a GA driver license?

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coody

Registered Users (C)
Do you know whether a US Permanent Resident can get a 10 years Georgia driver license?
 
I have recently renewed in GA and got for only 3 years. I am not sure how they came up with 3 years and also the expiration date is not my birthday which it used to before.
 
My girlfriend's German licence is valid indefinitely! It was a funny surprise. And, my friend's Finnish one is valid for 50 years or something. Just some quirky licence trivia :)
 
S_Reddy said:
I have recently renewed in GA and got for only 3 years. I am not sure how they came up with 3 years
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You should have asked. Based on what I read, the GA DL for a permanent resident would be issued for 5 years or the expiration date of the card, whichever occurs first.
 
S_Reddy said:
I have recently renewed in GA and got for only 3 years. I am not sure how they came up with 3 years and also the expiration date is not my birthday which it used to before.
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Is your driver license date your PR card date? By law, the PR has the same right and obligation as the citizen except the voting right. Since the expiration date on the PR card is not a period of the PR authorized stay, matching that date to issue the driver license in GA does not make sense. Neither does issuance of 5 yrs. diver license. The PR has the same right to get the same driver license as the citizen, right?
 
No the expiration is the issue date with 3 years validity. They should have given 5 years with expiration date as of my birthdate. I think there probably don't understand what a PR is or it could be there negligence.
 
Why did you not ask the GA DDS to correct it? Their policy (though it does not make sense to the PR and it is believable they do not know the difference between the immigrants and non-immigrants and the form I-551 and I-94) is “a Georgia driver’s license or identification card may be issued with an expiration date that matches the immigration documentation expiration date, but no longer than 5 years.” So, you should be issued a 5 years driver license if your PR card expiration date is beyond 5 years or more at the time of an application of your driver license.
 
I just got a 1 year drivers license in GA even after showing my GC and explaining the DMV officer their own policy. Their response was that they are changing the policy and some other BS%^# about non-citizens. GA is becoming one of the most anti-immigrant states, and their DMV sucks..
I moved to CA and I received a 5 year license no questions asked..
Good luck

Nacho.
 
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After contacted the GA DDS about years of driver license, I was told the law has changed in 2009. All none citizen is issued 3 or less years of driver license. Here is the new law that the GA DDS relies on.

O.C.G.A. § 40-5-21.1

GEORGIA CODE
Copyright 2008 by The State of Georgia
All rights reserved.

*** Current through the 2008 Regular Session ***

TITLE 40. MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
CHAPTER 5. DRIVERS' LICENSES
ARTICLE 2. ISSUANCE, EXPIRATION, AND RENEWAL OF LICENSES

O.C.G.A. § 40-5-21.1 (2008)

§ 40-5-21.1. (For effective date, see note.) Temporary licenses, permits, or special identification cards; foreign licenses or identification cards as evidence of legal presence in the United States


(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, an applicant who presents in person valid documentary evidence of:

(1) Admission to the United States in a valid, unexpired nonimmigrant status;

(2) A pending or approved application for asylum in the United States;

(3) Admission into the United States in refugee status;

(4) An approved application for temporary protected status in the United States;

(5) Approved deferred action status;

(6) Other federal documentation verified by the United States Department of Homeland Security to be valid documentary evidence of lawful presence in the United States under federal immigration law; or

(7) Verification of lawful presence as provided by Code Section 40-5-21.2

may be issued a temporary license, permit, or special identification card. Such temporary license, permit, or special identification card shall be valid only during the period of time of the applicant's authorized stay in the United States or three years, whichever occurs first.

(b) A driver's license or identification card issued by any state or territory which, on or after July 1, 2006, authorized such driver's license or identification card to be issued to persons not lawfully present in the United States may not be accepted as evidence of legal presence in the United States.

The Statute states “…may be issued a temporary license, permit, or special identification card. Such temporary license, permit, or special identification card shall be valid only during the period of time of the applicant's authorized stay in the United States or three years, whichever occurs first."

Apparently, the Georgia DDS has applied the law wrongly to the Lawful Permanent Resident because the LPR has no period of time of the applicant's authorized stay in the United States. Since “the period of time of the applicant's authorized stay in the United States” never occurs to the LPR, how can the Lawful Permanent Resident be issued a temporary license, permit, or special identification card? This is same to the other States that they have applied the law wrongly imposing additional limitations to the US lawful Permanent Resident, which is not provided for by the said Code.

After the issue was raised with the GA DDS, they ducked. They do not understand the PR card is just a proof of LPR status. It has nothing to do with the LPR residency in the USA. Even if the PR Card has expired, the LPR still can reside in the US. The DDS has been informed the issue will be raised with the Authority. If you want, you can file a complaint. The GA DDS is wrong. If someone reads the law differently, please provide your comments.
 
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