R L - I'm not sure how things are in NY but you should be able to renew your license with just that I-797 extension. it extends your EAD and your driver's license is based on the EAD. go back and explain to them, and don't hesitate to ask to speak with their manager or something because many of them don't know it. be polite as you do all that though. 🙂 it happened to me in North Carolina and the agent I spoke with was adamant that she was right, contradicting what my official papers said in front of us. but at the end, my I-797 was right, and my license got extended.

Lilo Pelekai, thank you for sharing. Last time I even talked to the superviser of the branch, they still said no but then I got my ead so didn't really go for it. How were you able to get extention? did you talk to superviser?

@Mmls hey, please share your experinece after, I tried dmv branch in Brooklyn last time and they didn't accept it.

In GA they had to run SAVE which took 1 month, however I did receive license for the period of extension afterwards. Do talk to their manager.

In a state of Florida they will give you a DL if you have a pending I-485. Good luck!

@mmls with I-797 only, if you have an active EAD you get approved for a license on the spot

MnIs I and R L - you're welcome. 🤗 back then, I already had the I-797 extension for my EAD. I didn't talk to the superviser. I just calmly broke things down to the lady, who was interpreting their own system wrong too. the conversion went this way: me: I'd like to extend the validity of my driver's license, please? agent : ok. *takes my documents and proceeds to give me 6 months from the date of the notice* me: excuse me, ma'am, you made a mistake on the validity dates. agent : no, I didn't. that's 180 days from this date. *shows me the notice date*. me, showing her the exact place on the I-797: this official form extends my EAD from the expiration date printed on my current EAD card. it's written "from the expiration date printed on the card", not "from the date on the notice". agent: our system says, "from the date on the notice." me: "the date on the notice is specified as being the date, "from the expiration date printed on the card". Agent : no, ma'am. me: it is in front of us, and we both see it. let me ask you this. how do you determine how long my driver's license is valide for ? agent: I use the validity of your EAD card. me: ok. based on this official document, my EAD card is valid for another 180 days from the date of expiration printed on it. do you agree? agent: yes. me: do you agree that if my EAD card is valid until that date, then my driver's license should be valid until that same date? agent: yes. me: do you agree that this official document is referring to the date of expiration printed on the card to determine its 180-day extension? agent, hesitates: yes. me: then your system is telling you that my driver's license is valid from the date dictated by this official document, which is 180 days from the expiration date printed on my current EAD card, and not the day that they issued the notice. do you agree? agent : mmh... let me try this. I'm going to enter 180 days from the date on your EAD card. if it goes through, you'll receive your driver's license with that new expiration date. me: it'll go through. thank you, ma'am. I received my driver's license with the right dates in the mail the next week.

@Mmls thanj you for the update, if you don't mind sharing - do you have a real id or regular license?

@Mmls wow, this is great that supervisor at least authorized it, on my last visit to Brooklyn dmv they didn't even look at my i-797c receipt

MmIs I - that's so great that they let you get one. many of them don't know how to deal with the i-797 lol

@Mmls I just tried Brooklyn because it's closer to me) but in case they don't accept it, I'll have to go to another location or call USCIS, maybe they can help. Honestly, it's so frustrating that employes are not trained correctly.

MmIs I - you're so welcome! 🤗 R L - you'd be shocked at how many people are clueless about immigration. on the employment front it's worse. many companies reject immigrants on EAD because they think they have to sponsor them for visas to work. 🙄 I hope you find a DMV that gives you less to no trouble to renew your license. 🤗

wanted to share my story. i went to bklyn dmv ( atlantic ave ) to renew my ny id this morning, i had my expired ead card n the 180 day extention notice w me. they ( the staff n the supervisor ) rejected my application. they even refused to take a look at my 180 days notice!!