I-94 and Driver Lisence

lmk102630

Registered Users (C)
We (myself, wife and daughter) are waiting for 485 approval (RD 4/22/02). We have EAD as well. Our I-94 will be expired on Oct 2002.
When my wife received driver lisence, the expiration date of driver lisence was issued based on the expiration date in I-94 which is Oct 2003. The Motor Vehicle Service did not take my wife EAD expiration date (which is 07/2004).
If we do not have the approval of 485 on Oct 2003 then my wife driver lisence will be expired. My question is first is it obligation to renew our I-94 while we have EAD and waiting for 485 approval? Second, if we do not need to renew then can I ask my company to renew our I-94 to renew my wife driver lisence? If the company does not want to renew our I-94l then do you know any ways to renew the driver lisence of my wife. We are living in NJ.
Please give us some helps.

Thanks
 
You should be able to extend the drivers license based on the EAD expiration date. Check the NJ DMV website for approved documentation for a drivers license.
 
We also live in NJ. Last week my husband renewed his Driver's Licence. With out asking any information MVS renewed my husband's licence until 2007. They not even asked his H1, passport. They just looked at his old licence. I guess, it's all depends on mood of the MVS officer, and ofcourse luck too.
 
EAD is a valid document

NJ DMV accepts EAD as a valid doc for License renewal. I got a duplicate license last week with EAD.

I thought EAD's are given for 1 yr. How come your wife has 07/04 expiry?
 
lmk102630 ...

There is no such thing as renewing a I-94. It is always associated with your immigration status (Eg : H1,H4,F1 etc...) So unless your company is willing to renew your H1/H4 itself you cannot get a I-94 expiry date extended.

You also dont get a I-94 based on your EAD or 485 !

But anyway you dont need a valid I-94 to get a Driver License.
You need to convince your DMV(I know they are knuckle-heads)
that they should go by EAD. NJ state DOES go by EAD.

Try the Regional office in Wayne, They definitely know what is a EAD and why it expires after 1 year :) and how to obtain your Immigration status from the Alien number on the EAD card.

By the way which office did you go toin NJ ?
 
license

we live in central jersey..and last week my spouse and i renewed our drivers license without a hitch...no documents/passports/ead's/h1b's were required!!
 
lmk102630

Most of the times, when you go for renewing your existing driver's licence(same state), the DMV will not ask any documents. They do that in a way they normally do for American citizens and issue it for next 4 years.

But sometimes, as eternity said, there will be some knuckle-heads, they pose some problems.

I did my DL renew in PA (I had OH drivers licence then). First time when I went (30 days before my OH DL expires), my H1 extention was filed and my I-94 was about to expire. I asked a DMV clerk to renew my DL and he asked me where is your passport, looked at Visa stamp, I-94 and said, its about to expire and so I can't issue a PA driver's licence. I told him, I came here to findout about the required documents I need to produce to get the PA DL and he was very suspicious and suggested me to get the proper INS documents. I told him my H1 extension has been applied for and expecting the approval any time.

Next time, I went to the same DMV with my renewed H1 approval, etc and asked the clerk (different one) to transfer my OH driver's licence to PA. She asked to my new home address, SS Number, got the Money order from me and gave me printout of the receipt and said welcome to PA. Waited at the photo booth and got my new PA DL for a duration of 4 years.

Luck also plays important role sometimes.

- Bob
 
In NJ, now they are issuing Licenses stating 'Temporary INS Visa Status' right above the name. When you go for renewal they obviously look for your status at the present time.
 
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