Learner's permit
As a foreign driver who establishes residence in the United States, it it my responsibility to obtain a US driver's license within 30 days after arriving in the country. The US does not have a reciprocal agreement with any other countries (except Canada), which means that I will have to go through a full driver's license program here. The facts that I have had a license for 15+ years, never had any accidents and put about 20,000 miles on the clock last year do not mean anything.
That in itself is not so surprising, the Dutch government does also not acknowledge non-EU drivers and makes them go through the whole process too.
In the US, getting a license goes as follows:
1. Obtain a form and fill it out, and submit it to the DMV
2. Take a theory exam and obtain a learner's permit
3. Take classroom instruction
4. Take a road test
The form is easy and asks for some personal information, among which your social security number. Without that number, you will be unable to take the theory exam! After you pass the theory exam, you get a learner's permit. The permit allows you to drive under the supervision of an adult with a valid license, as long as you do not drive through DMV exam areas.
The theory exam is simple; there are 20 multiple-choice questions (a-d) and you need to answer 14 questions correctly. It is possible to re-take the test as much as you want, without any extra fees for doing so.
The questions that I got were simple; without exception, they were identical to the questions in the online quizzes of the New York State Driver's Manual and Study Guide.
When you go to the DMV, be prepared to wait for a long time. The first line gives you a ticket that entitles you to stand on the second line. The second line checks your forms of ID (passport + visa, social security card, marriage certificate, in my case), takes your photo and gives you a ticket that entitles you to stand on the third line. The third line entitles you to take the test and to take place in the fourth line. The fourth line will give you your results and takes your money ($55).
The whole process took close to 2.5 hours, and, according to the DMV-lady, this was a quiet day!
Also; people at the DMV are not nice and have no sense of humor. Remember that.
Anyhow; I passed the theory exam, got my learner's permit and I am now looking for a place to take the 5-hour (!) classroom instruction.
