How to obtain a driver’s license? For residents and tourists

a driver’s license, been a document that entitles people to drive vehicles, has become an identification document for national security matters. The american authorities have related it to the legal stay of the immigrants in the United States of america.

Unlike other countries, in the United States, the driver’s license is not only useful to prove that you are authorized to drive a vehicle, but it also constitutes an identification document when you want to open a bank account, cash checks, travel, or prove that you are not underage.

There is not a Federal Driver’s License, meaning that it is not emitted by the american Government, but every State emits its own driver’s license, which work everywhere in the United States and in canada.

The terrorist attack of September 11th of 2001, favor the approval of the Federal Real ID act Law, which forces resident immigrants or tourists , to prove that they are in the United States legally.

all the States agree in the fulfillment of three requirements to obtain the driver’s license: approving the written test, the driving examination and the sight test. Some States add other requirements and / or procedures.

The driver’s license that the immigrant requests, has to be enclosed to his or her passport, the permanent resident card or to the given temporal visa, as well as the valid employment authorization card, including the social security number.

Safety matters after September 11th of 2001 have provoked some States to request the demonstration of the home address, which can be proven through the renting contracts, light, water or phone bill, house ownership document. They also request the social security number verification through the presentation of the card itself or in documents where it has been printed.

Let’s not let aside that the validity of a driver’s license in a State that is different to the State in which the immigrant resides will only occur when the immigrant is visiting that state, situation that will change if he or she becomes a resident, which enforces him or her to change it in a period of time determined by the State.

The state gives up to three chances to pass the driver’s test; once the exams were approved the immigrant obtains a provisional driver’s license, which expires when the permanent driver’s license arrives with a picture of the entitled one. It is necessary to check the name (if it is the same that can be read in the Visa or Green card) as well as the consigned address.

besides, there are different kinds of licenses, depending on the type of vehicle you are driving (automobile, motorcycle and trucks) or in the type of activity you perform (passenger’s transportation, load transport, transport of dangerous or residual matters, etc). this license is given according to federal laws and after checking the driving record of the last ten years, which must be revealed by the driver when h or she completes the corresponding driving format.

Summing up, only the ones, who live legally in the United States of america, will have access to the process of obtaining a driver’s license.

 

Migrating to australia
Migrating to Usa
Migrating to canada