HI,
I could cry right now I feel utterly fed up. I contacted social security to obtain an application form so I can learn how to drive (since I don't have my greencard as yet) to only find out they are no longer issuing ss# for driving lesson/test. I am wondering if this is due to what happened on 9/11. However I feel so disheartened I wanted to be able to take advantage of hubby working from home for a little while and give myself access to more freedom with the ability to use a vehicle.
Does anybody know if you can take lessons any other way then having to have a ss#. The only thing I can think of right now is returning to England and taking a two week intensive course there. Which will work out way more expensive after paying for permits, flights etc.
Thanks for any info. Zed mad
It works differently in different states but it shouldn't be a problem.
In Texas you have to go to the social security office and ask for a number and then get denied. You then take this letter of denial to the driving place and they have to accept it.
Where in the US are you?
Andy
Zed - no all you need to do is take your passport and go in person to a social security office, and tell them that you want to take your NJ driving test.
As soon as they see your visa, they will issue you a pathetic photocopied letter stating that you are ineligible to have a social security no. Then you take that with you with your passport to the Driving Licence centre. (We had to go to one in the back (South) of Newark, on the 1-9 route as we weren't Americans.
Any more probs, send me a private message. smile
Zed,
you poor sausage.
Look at it this way, the longer you stay away from the horrid DMV offices, the better.
I had all my dealings with the DMV regional centre in Wayne, NJ and just thinking about going back there next year to renew my temporary license makes me want to cry.
Chin up!
Let us know how it works out please..
Thank you for responding.
Andy - are they crazy in Texas to make you go all thru that knowing that your going to be denied and then the office has to accept it??
Dawn - I will try what you suggested during next week. If I need to contact you I am not too sure how to use the private message box. Can you tell me?
Stelesque - Oh no, that is the same one I could go to however I can find alternatives. Without meaning to intrude why did you have difficulty dealing with them?
Zed
Zed,
I posted some info here http//www.british-expats.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=1066&forum=1
Basically it was just the infernal stupidity of the process and the way you get treated by the people in there. I wasted a whole 2/3 of a day at work in that place, struggling to get my license. I really got to the stage at the end (having been denied any food or drink for 5 hours) where I was either going to cry or throw a chair at someone, fortunately the chairs were bolted to the floor so I settled for crying...
Perhaps it won't be so bad for you....
...I hope!!
wink
The Wayne DMV is the same one we went to too! It is just soooooo slow.
I think you may find, Stelesque, that you can now use the smaller DMV office, which is not far from the big Wayne one. It is much quicker and easier to use. I can find the details of it if you want.
Zed, when you go to the SS office, don't plan to go to the DMV on the same day. Do the DMV on another day and be prepared to be there a long time. Get there as soon as it opens. This does help a little. You may be lucky and be out of there by 1pm!
Zed, do you have a british driving license? If so then you only need to do the computer test. You don't need to do an actual manual test (unless that has changed since 9/11). There is a box on the application that you can tick to say you want to bypass the manual test. Can't remember the exact wording of it. sorry.
Stelesque, so you were the one creating all that fuss when I was there then! grin I will never forget the big black woman behind the counter making some smart comment to a man who was totally losing his patience. It did lighten the day - just a little anyway.
Ben,
I ended up getting my license from the Wyckoff DMV office, which was nowhere near as bad. But the reminder letter they sent me about renewing (362 days before I need to renew...??) said I have to go back to the regional centre. Ugh. mad
Well, I've got a few months to get my strength up again... let's just pray I don't have to take that written test again!
wink
I hope you don't too. I'm sorry to hear you have to go back there. It just has to be the worst place on earth to go.
Even the SS office in Paterson wasn't as bad at that place. I am so glad we moved over here. The DMV we use here is state of the art compared to Wayne. It is all computerised with lots of people serving and it also gives you a waiting time. I have never seen the waiting time more than an hour.
Shame you can't nip over the border and do it all here grin