For people who are considering to go work and live abroad; here's some nice first hand experiences. You'll love them for sure!
1. US driver license: I needed to renew it. So I called the phone number listed on their website. Got a computer and a zillion options which are only useful for US citizens. So I filled in an online contact form with all my questions since I'm a foreigner and know that I need to bring extra documentation and stuff.
I did get an official response with answers so I went to a driver license center which should be able to help me according to the official response. Wrong. They tell me I need to go to another center which can update my INS status (meaning my visa status). I go to that 2nd center, wait for 2.5 hours and then am being told I miss 1 form which states that I am being employed by CMU. I complain. They tell me I can make an official complaint at an office adjacent to this central helpdesk. I walk over and complain some more. The guy tells me to come back directly to his office once I get the CMU statement.
So after obtaining that statement I go directly to his office. He asks me when my current driver license expires, I tell him August 31. He responds that they can't renew it now since you can only do that between 3 days prior and 3 days after the expiration date. I tell him I'll be in Europe from August 25 on. Only then he asks me if I'm a US citizen. Ah, since I'm not he can help me renew the license right now.
Total time needed to finally attain my new US driver license: 2 weeks.
2. Dutch driver license: since it expired in June 2007 I requested the required forms from the Dutch company called RDW. They send it to my parents' address even though I explicitly asked them to send the forms to my US address. After my dad has sent the forms I fill in everything and realize I need a new photograph. A Dutch size photograph. Which is a different size than the ones they have here in the US. I've been unable to find a photography place which can provide me with the correct size photograph.
Current status: I'll wait until I get back to the Netherlands, then have my picture taken and send in all required materials to obtain my new Dutch driver license.
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