Drivers licensing in Michigan

[Jeff L]

Wondering if anyone has had to deal with getting a license for their foreign spouse in MIchigan? I see SoS offers interpreters for the testing. But what we are trying to find out is if they offer the handbook in chinese language? Ive been searching the web everywhere but haven't come across anything. How would one take a test without a good study guide in their language? She understands a good amount of English, but she is worried that she will come across some words she isn't familiar with. How did anyone deal with this?

[fluffyballs]

Wondering if anyone has had to deal with getting a license for their foreign spouse in MIchigan? I see SoS offers interpreters for the testing. But what we are trying to find out is if they offer the handbook in chinese language? Ive been searching the web everywhere but haven't come across anything. How would one take a test without a good study guide in their language? She understands a good amount of English, but she is worried that she will come across some words she isn't familiar with. How did anyone deal with this?

 

My wife's English isn't phenomenal by any means but she was able to get 36/40 questions correct on her second attempt. She bombed the first attempt since she didn't study at all. She studied the English road guide for 3-4 days, pretty much 5-6 hours/day, translated sentences she couldn't understand into Chinese w/a dictionary, made flash cards for the road signs, and so on. At the end of the day, there were really only 20-30 new words she had to learn that were specific to the test (things like "merge", "right-of-way", "off-ramp", etc.) There were also some practice tests online that helped alot.

[Randy W]

There are states that DO offer Chinese language handbooks, such as Washington state and California. The Washington handbook was even page-by-page compatible with the English version so that you could follow along, in case there were any differences with your state.

 

We lived just a few miles from Chinatown in Houston, where my wife was able to get a Chinese language interpreter (Cantonese).

 

This info was in the Houston phone book - http://candleforlove.com/forums/gallery/album/654-chinese-language-dl-questions/

 

CFL topic - Drivers Handbook in Chinese

 

or topics tagged Driving

Edited June 19, 2019 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

If she has a translation of a Chinese license, she can use that for 30 days in most states. You need to check the requirements in your own state.

 

International Driving Permits are not possible from China

Edited June 19, 2019 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Allon]

Arizona allows a driving instructor to be the test administrator as well. So I signed her up for driving school. She still does not speak English very well but does understand decently. And she was an office manager for the city garbage and recycling trucks while in China. I have no doubt she drove those trucks while in the motor pool. So she had some driving experience anyway.

 

She is now a damned good driver.

 

A lot of people (immigrants) come to Arizona just for the driving schools. They get the AZ license and transfer it when they get back to their state. Some states allow a direct transfer. Others require a test.

 

Check out dmv.org. There is a manual for every state and an audio one for Michigan, which may help. I did not find one in Mandarin but I did not look too deeply. There is a lot there.

[Jeff L]

 

Wondering if anyone has had to deal with getting a license for their foreign spouse in MIchigan? I see SoS offers interpreters for the testing. But what we are trying to find out is if they offer the handbook in chinese language? Ive been searching the web everywhere but haven't come across anything. How would one take a test without a good study guide in their language? She understands a good amount of English, but she is worried that she will come across some words she isn't familiar with. How did anyone deal with this?

 

My wife's English isn't phenomenal by any means but she was able to get 36/40 questions correct on her second attempt. She bombed the first attempt since she didn't study at all. She studied the English road guide for 3-4 days, pretty much 5-6 hours/day, translated sentences she couldn't understand into Chinese w/a dictionary, made flash cards for the road signs, and so on. At the end of the day, there were really only 20-30 new words she had to learn that were specific to the test (things like "merge", "right-of-way", "off-ramp", etc.) There were also some practice tests online that helped alot.

 

Yeah that may be the route that we have to go. We are going to the DMV in a few minutes to find out the exact answer. She is a smart gal for sure and is probably nervous for no reason. But she is always on the cautious side. I downloaded a manual from the dmv.org before which I thought was supposed to be translated, but it came to me in English and no way to change it. The Michigan manual here is pretty big, so its a lot to look at. Guess she has to do some studying and I will look at an idea like flash cards. After that we will probably schedule the interpreter to come to help her through the test just in case. So many more foreigners I know that barely speak English at all have drivers licenses, so something has to give. And she has been using her translated license since she got here last year in August, so I dont think we can keep getting away with that lol. Her parents helped her buy her own car as well, so Im not sure what they used for her to have an ID besides that and her passport.

[fluffyballs]

 

 

Wondering if anyone has had to deal with getting a license for their foreign spouse in MIchigan? I see SoS offers interpreters for the testing. But what we are trying to find out is if they offer the handbook in chinese language? Ive been searching the web everywhere but haven't come across anything. How would one take a test without a good study guide in their language? She understands a good amount of English, but she is worried that she will come across some words she isn't familiar with. How did anyone deal with this?

 

My wife's English isn't phenomenal by any means but she was able to get 36/40 questions correct on her second attempt. She bombed the first attempt since she didn't study at all. She studied the English road guide for 3-4 days, pretty much 5-6 hours/day, translated sentences she couldn't understand into Chinese w/a dictionary, made flash cards for the road signs, and so on. At the end of the day, there were really only 20-30 new words she had to learn that were specific to the test (things like "merge", "right-of-way", "off-ramp", etc.) There were also some practice tests online that helped alot.

 

Yeah that may be the route that we have to go. We are going to the DMV in a few minutes to find out the exact answer. She is a smart gal for sure and is probably nervous for no reason. But she is always on the cautious side. I downloaded a manual from the dmv.org before which I thought was supposed to be translated, but it came to me in English and no way to change it. The Michigan manual here is pretty big, so its a lot to look at. Guess she has to do some studying and I will look at an idea like flash cards. After that we will probably schedule the interpreter to come to help her through the test just in case. So many more foreigners I know that barely speak English at all have drivers licenses, so something has to give. And she has been using her translated license since she got here last year in August, so I dont think we can keep getting away with that lol. Her parents helped her buy her own car as well, so Im not sure what they used for her to have an ID besides that and her passport.

 

 

My wife's good friend took the written test when she arrived in the US a decade ago. At the time she spoke almost no English. She took the test 5 times. The test is 40 questions but apparently they randomly choose from a bank of 100 questions. So by her 5th attempt she had seen (and memorized) almost the entire test bank. So that's one way to do it with limited English LOL

Edited June 19, 2019 by fluffyballs (see edit history)

[Jeff L]

Well, we went and the DMV lady must have liked Wen (wife was in the DMV the day before to change plates on her car) cause she made the test easier for Wen by testing her with True or False questions instead of multiple choice and 10 sign test questions. So she passed it easily and was happy about it. Now she has her permit and has to wait 30 days and then take a driving test. So Im sure there will be no problems now. Thanks for all your input.