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Driving in California and the U.S.A.

A valid driver's license is required to operate a motor vehicle. If you plan to get around in your own vehicle instead of public transportation, you must get a California Driver’s License. A California Driver's License is a valuable document to have for identification purposes, for example, in writing checks or finding an apartment.

 

A written test on the California Vehicle Code, a driving test and examination of vision must be passed before qualifying for a California Driver's License. Tests are given BY APPOINTMENT at the office of the DMV. The local DMV office is located @ 3120 F Street, Bakersfield, 93301. Tel: (800) 777-0133. See also their web-site for further information: www.dmv.ca.gov

 

Warning:

International students and scholars applying for a California Driver's License should be prepared to wait up to one year to receive it. For international students and scholars, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) goes through the extra step of verifying the student's/scholar’s immigration status before issuing a license.

 

First the local DMV office sends the scholar's documents to the DMV headquarters in Sacramento. DMV headquarters then communicates via computer with the USCIS in San Francisco. USCIS should respond to the Sacramento DMV, verifying the student or scholar's legal status. Unfortunately, the applications can get stuck at this stage for many months.

 

If you have not received a license for four months after filing an application, you may contact the Sacramento DMV Office for Legal Presence (916) 657-7445 and ask that they again solicit the verification from the USCIS.

 

You should send DMV headquarters another copy of passport and I-94 form, including your temporary driver's license and phone number. The DMV will renew your request for verification with the San Francisco USCIS. In the meantime, you should continue to update their temporary license until the permanent document arrives.

 

For more information:

California Dept. of Motor Vehicles