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Hi,
I am hoping someone can guide me what to do with this situation I have.
Some background. My H1B was expiring in september of this year. Being the paranoid person I am I made sure with my employer to start the renewal process in March of this year. Knowing this process could take up to 6 months I figured it should be done in time before expiry without any issues. Well, time went by and in September there was still no sign that the H1b was going to be approved any time soon. My I-94 and H1b expired in september and so did my driving license. Since I had applied for the H1b visa I had legal right to remain here until USCIS did their final determination.
I went to dmv to renew my license, but they said it was not possible since the new license got the date of the expired I-94. I went back home again and got the recpeint of the I-797 and red online that if I brought this with me dmv could get me the license. So I went to dmv the second time. This time they took copies of my passport and the I-797 and sent it in to homeland security for verification. I waited for 1 week and then got a letter that I had been verified having legal status in USA so I returned to dmv, the lady spent a long time infront of the computer mubling when seh finally said that they were still not getting the correct date on there and she had to put a ticket in the system for a solution and that she would call me once fixed. So I returned to work dissappointed driving on my home country license in the mean time since this didnt expire until november (although i hate to do this since I wanted my american one to make sure im driving legally).
She called me later the same day and said everything looked good now and that I could return down to get my license, so I went down to dmv the third time. She spent some time on the computer and the finally said that it was hopeless and she couldnt do anything until I got my new H1b extention. Almost boiling on the inside now but still with a smile on my face I returned back to work called my company lawyers and explained the situation and that we need to fix the H1b now since I require my license in my line of work and for my families sake. The company filled for the premium process the same day and 14 days later i got my H1b approved with the I-797 in my hand.
I returned back to dmv really happy and content that now finally this time of insecurity would be over. The lady took the papers and looked through the system and said that it still wasnt giving her the right info and that she had to make some calls. I sat and waited for 1 hour when she finally came out and said that she didnt have any good news for me that she would have to send in my papers and give me a call on Tuesday and hopefully it would work. She said this is "a common problem among many" so I though I would post here if this is common to maybe get some feedback on what to do in this situation and in your opinion if they are really going to be able to solve it at all?
Like I said now it is november my license from my home country is expiring, I dont have a driver and i cant afford to be without a license with work.
Please give me your input and advice.
I am hoping someone can guide me what to do with this situation I have.
Some background. My H1B was expiring in september of this year. Being the paranoid person I am I made sure with my employer to start the renewal process in March of this year. Knowing this process could take up to 6 months I figured it should be done in time before expiry without any issues. Well, time went by and in September there was still no sign that the H1b was going to be approved any time soon. My I-94 and H1b expired in september and so did my driving license. Since I had applied for the H1b visa I had legal right to remain here until USCIS did their final determination.
I went to dmv to renew my license, but they said it was not possible since the new license got the date of the expired I-94. I went back home again and got the recpeint of the I-797 and red online that if I brought this with me dmv could get me the license. So I went to dmv the second time. This time they took copies of my passport and the I-797 and sent it in to homeland security for verification. I waited for 1 week and then got a letter that I had been verified having legal status in USA so I returned to dmv, the lady spent a long time infront of the computer mubling when seh finally said that they were still not getting the correct date on there and she had to put a ticket in the system for a solution and that she would call me once fixed. So I returned to work dissappointed driving on my home country license in the mean time since this didnt expire until november (although i hate to do this since I wanted my american one to make sure im driving legally).
She called me later the same day and said everything looked good now and that I could return down to get my license, so I went down to dmv the third time. She spent some time on the computer and the finally said that it was hopeless and she couldnt do anything until I got my new H1b extention. Almost boiling on the inside now but still with a smile on my face I returned back to work called my company lawyers and explained the situation and that we need to fix the H1b now since I require my license in my line of work and for my families sake. The company filled for the premium process the same day and 14 days later i got my H1b approved with the I-797 in my hand.
I returned back to dmv really happy and content that now finally this time of insecurity would be over. The lady took the papers and looked through the system and said that it still wasnt giving her the right info and that she had to make some calls. I sat and waited for 1 hour when she finally came out and said that she didnt have any good news for me that she would have to send in my papers and give me a call on Tuesday and hopefully it would work. She said this is "a common problem among many" so I though I would post here if this is common to maybe get some feedback on what to do in this situation and in your opinion if they are really going to be able to solve it at all?
Like I said now it is november my license from my home country is expiring, I dont have a driver and i cant afford to be without a license with work.
Please give me your input and advice.
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