Can get a drivers license before you get your SSN?

[AnSteWe]

My wife is taking driving lessons in china and hoping to get her drivers license in the US ASAP. (It's too late to get a Chinese license, which we now realize would have been transferable.). We could show residence in Illinois because we have a joint bank account there and get our taxes mailed there.

 

Anyway, how long does it take to get you SSN once you arrive?

 

Is it possible to get a drivers license before you get your SSN?

 

Thanks in advance.

[dnoblett]

No, virtually all states require SSN before they will issue a learner's permit or license, and most require evidence of legal presence like an EAD or green card.

[warpedbored]

I don't think A Chinese DL is transferable. My wife drove for 10 years in China before coming here. neither the Oregon DMV or my auto insurance would recognize her valid Chinese DL. She had to get a learner's permit and I had to insure her as a new driver. It took 2 years for the rate to go down.

[dnoblett]

Same here, my wife got a learner's permit, and it took her 6 road tests over a period of a year and a half to get her drivers license.

 

It is a major challenge to unlearn the bad driving of China.

 

Don't expect this to he a quick thing especially if had never driven before, also with my wife, she kept trying the Chinese learning method of memorizing, it took her time to realize the examiner in not looking for memorized driving, they are looking at competence in handeling the car.

[warpedbored]

It wasn't too bad for my wife. As I said she had already driven for 10 years in China so she was fine at handling the car. She only needed to learn the little things, you know, like staying in your own lane, stopping at red lights, not parking on the sidewalks. Seriously though I was proud of her. She passed the written test on the first try and after a few months of practice passed the driving test on the first try. She studied hard poring over the Oregon Driver's Handbook translating it to Chinese. We went down to the DMV and followed the people taking the driving test to see what they were looking for.

[Randy W]

My wife is taking driving lessons in china and hoping to get her drivers license in the US ASAP. (It's too late to get a Chinese license, which we now realize would have been transferable.). We could show residence in Illinois because we have a joint bank account there and get our taxes mailed there.

 

Anyway, how long does it take to get you SSN once you arrive?

 

Is it possible to get a drivers license before you get your SSN?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

If you checked the box on the immigration forms and are waiting for it to arrive in the mail, you don't need to. It often doesn't.

 

As long as she shows up on the SS computers - this usually takes around 10 to 14 days - she can go to the SS office and apply in person. This will make sure that you get one within a couple of weeks. You can usually find out what the number is from the SS office the day after you apply.

[dnoblett]

An example of driving habits that need to be worked out of a Chinese spouse before trusting on American roads.

 

http://youtu.be/MwDCKFzYZIQ

[nevermind65]

It took my wife about 2-3 weeks for a SSN card to arrive. The license took 2 years. I swear the guy giving the test felt bad for her and just passed her. She passed by 1 point and she was telling me he gave her suggestions about going around corners etc.

 

Oh well! She has it now!