Adjustment of Status and a driver's license?

[Doodie]

Does anybody know when you can obtain a US driver's license once you submit your application for adjustment of status? I imagine you have to wait for full status of residency? Or can it be obtained once your work permit comes in?

[RevRandy]

What state are you located in? You don't need full residency in some states, just proof that you have applied for it.

[audreybella]

I live in Florida on a TN and I got my Florida's driver liscense without a problem. Just showed them my passport and birth certificate.

[Doodie]

I'm in South Dakota. Had a driver's license with a TN, had to show passport to prove I had work authorization to obtain the license. And the license expires with the TN.

[RevRandy]

Doodie have you taken a copy of your application for adjustment of status and/or the receipt that USCIS has given you for it to the DMV? In South Carolina if you can provide them with proof you have applied, they will renew your DL for 1 year.

[Reba]

look up your state on the DMV website

[Steven]

I live in Florida on a TN and I got my Florida's driver liscense without a problem. Just showed them my passport and birth certificate.

Florida is a very unusual State when it comes to applying for a DL, as they will grant any Canadian citizen a DL valid for a year. That is unique to Florida AFAIK. New Mexico will also grant people DLs without showing of immigration status, and in Texas they accept so many forms of ID you can usually get a DL without showing it.

Most States however require you to prove your immigration status, which means showing them your I-94. Few if any of those States will grant a licence to someone who has an I-94 that wasn't valid for at least a year from the date of entry. The problem with this is that Canadians specifically don't need an I-94 to enter and stay for a long time in certain categories. For example TN-1 doesn't absolutely require you to get an I-94 from USCIS, or if you're a co-habiting partner in B-2, you wouldn't get one either.

If you're applying for AOS though it does depend on the State, you'd have to check their website.

Unfortunately many States (especially the rural ones) aren't that clever with how they issue DLs to immigrants. The extension of TN-1 status to 3 years will however help significantly.