RV purchase for non-US citizens

[EYAL]

We are interested in purchasing an RV in the US and traveling the country for a long time. Is it possible to make a purchase in one of the US states if you are not a citizen and do not have an address?

[durangodon]

2 hours ago, EYAL said:

if you are not a citizen

I've been buying vehicles of all sorts all my life and never had to prove citizenship

2 hours ago, EYAL said:

do not have an address

Many people own vehicles in States where they don't reside.  I don't know, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't just use your regular address, assuming you have one.

[Kirk W]

Buying an RV in the US is not difficult but you will need to have a US address in some state in order to license it and to insure it. While these areicles are not recent, I suggest that you read this story by folks who have done what you are thinking of. There are mailservice companies that will serve as your legal address in several different states, but not all states allow that so be very careful in selecting where you get one to use. 

[EYAL]

Great thank you for your quick reply

now I will do my homework

have a great weekend

Eyal

[bruce t]

We are Australian who have owned 5 vehicles in the USA.

Join SKPs. Get an address as SKPs. Find a vehicle and get insurance for it. I would suggest buying in Texas to make it easier. Hit the road and have fun.

Don't over think it. 

[sandsys]

19 hours ago, bruce t said:

We are Australian who have owned 5 vehicles in the USA.

Join SKPs. Get an address as SKPs. Find a vehicle and get insurance for it. I would suggest buying in Texas to make it easier. Hit the road and have fun.

Don't over think it. 

That might not be true for some. I understand there are some countries from which you cannot get an Escapees address. We don't know of that applies to the OP. I hope it works for him.

Linda

[bruce t]

Linda there are a number of 'what if's'. But I was putting up the 'simple' solution. Such as, the USA is a member of a group of countries that recognize each others driving licenses. Likewise with the 'visa waiver program'. There are all sorts of treaties between various countries.

Long story but the short version !!! - years ago I started a war between the feds and the Texas state DMV in Livingston. The DMV insisted I needed a SSN to get a Texas license. The feds said no it was illegal for anyone to withhold goods or services based on no SSN. (There were some exceptions). I got a letter from the feds. The DMV refused to acknowledge the letter. The short version is that an insurance guy in Livingston made a phone call to Livingston DMV. The result was I had to be at the DMV within 15 minutes. They gave me my Texas driving license. I never found out what was said but the DMV wasn't happy. My point is that no two foreigners will have the same path to RVing the USA. But I encourage them to keep it simply and enjoy the experience. Unless you go through it it's hard to get a 100% answer to the OPs question.

 

 

[TXiceman]

Back in 2007 we moved back to Texas after a 2 year stint in Oklahoma and surrendered the Texas license to get the Oklahoma license.  On the move back to Texas, they insisted that I had to provide my SS card to get a new license. 

My SS card was packed away in a fireproof box that went into storage until we found another house.

After some haggling, they looked up my old license as I still remembered the number.  The license was still current, and they issued a replacement license.  I tried getting them to accept mt passport as proof of US citizenship, but no way.  

Texas DMV and DPS are still screwed up.

Ken

[EYAL]

Hi 🙏 thank you 
I know that there are few countries in USA that let you buy a car and a Fifth Whell even if you don't have citizenship and address in US. 
Can you assist me which countries are they? 

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, TXiceman said:

I tried getting them to accept mt passport as proof of US citizenship, but no way.  

A passport is the ultimate proof of citizenship and it is what both Pam and I used to get the "Real ID" driver's licenses in Texas. 

2 hours ago, EYAL said:

I know that there are few countries in USA that let you buy a car and a Fifth Whell even if you don't have citizenship and address in US. 
Can you assist me which countries are they?

Do you mean a few states or counties? There are no states or counties in the USA where one can own either one unless you have it licensed and registered in your home country and bring it here. There are people from other countries who ship an RV from their home country with it licensed in that country and this can be done. You may not take any type of vehicle on the US roads that is not legally licensed and insured and that requires you to have an address in the state where you register and insure it in order to accomplish those tasks. 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Kirk W

[2gypsies]

This might help answer some questions:

https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/47807/road-trip-in-usa-can-a-foreigner-buy-a-car

 

https://www.road-trip-usa.com/blog/things-to-consider-when-buying-a-vehicle-in-the-usa

Edited August 1, 2022 by 2gypsies

[sandsys]

8 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

This might help answer some questions:

https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/47807/road-trip-in-usa-can-a-foreigner-buy-a-car

 

https://www.road-trip-usa.com/blog/things-to-consider-when-buying-a-vehicle-in-the-usa

Those were interesting links even though none of it applies to me.

Linda

[TXiceman]

16 hours ago, Kirk W said:

A passport is the ultimate proof of citizenship and it is what both Pam and I used to get the "Real ID" driver's licenses in Texas. 

state where you register and insure it in order to accomplish those tasks. 

Nope Kirk,  At that time, they insisted on the SS card.  About 2 or 3 years ago when I had to renew and get my official ID proof license renewed, they accepted my passport.

The problem you run into is the individual offices and clerks making up their own interpretation of the rules,   You should hear all of the problems we had getting a class A (non-CDL) license and not taking the full CDL license.  Finally had to call Austin and they spoke to the licensing office to get the testing straight.

Ken

Edited August 2, 2022 by TXiceman

[Kirk W]

3 minutes ago, TXiceman said:

The problem you run into is the individual offices and clerks making up their own interpretation of the rules,

This is taken from dps.tx.gov

Quote

• • Proof of citizenship will be required if not previously established
• Valid, unexpired U.S. passport book or U.S. passport card
• U.S. Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of Naturalization with identifiable photograph (N-550, N-560, N-561, N-570 or N-578)

 

[2gypsies]

13 hours ago, sandsys said:

Those were interesting links even though none of it applies to me.

Linda

.... but you didn't start the post.  😉

[sandsys]

2 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

.... but you didn't start the post.  😉

No, I simply found it interesting. I find lots of things interesting. They don't even have to apply to me for me to find them interesting. I'm sorry you misinterpreted my response. I was hoping the smiley face would indicate I was enjoying what I learned.

Linda

[bruce t]

I'm sure it's individuals who "think" they know the rules. In our case the Livingston DMV said, and I quote from memory, "the Feds aren't going to tell us what to do".

We travelled several times between Livingston and Tyler to the Feds in Tyler. The Feds in Tyler even wrote a letter and gave it to us to give the the Livingston DMV. Nope that never worked.

As I said above, we had an insurance agent in Livingston phone the Livingston DMV. As soon as the phone call ended he told us to get our butts up there asap. When we arrived at the DMV they all but threw the license at me. To this day I have no idea what that insurance guy said. But it worked.

It is very dangerous to simply say "do this and do that". So many variables.

 

[2gypsies]

2 hours ago, sandsys said:

No, I simply found it interesting. I find lots of things interesting. They don't even have to apply to me for me to find them interesting. I'm sorry you misinterpreted my response. I was hoping the smiley face would indicate I was enjoying what I learned.

Linda

You're right!  I gave a smiley, also.

[EYAL]

Dear Brice & Pam and Linda, thank you for sharing your experience! 

There are companies that arrange for your purchases registration and insurance, it’s legal easy and fast, that is your opinion about it? 

Eyal 

[bruce t]

If anyone can help you it would be PPL in Texas.

[Kirk W]

On 7/30/2022 at 2:42 PM, sandsys said:

I understand there are some countries from which you cannot get an Escapees address.

I just checked with Escapees and you are correct.  At this time those from Israel are not elgible for an SKP address. 

Quote

clubbusiness@escapees.com

to Kirk

Good morning,
Thank you for your email. At this time we are not able to sign up anyone who is a citizen of Israel.

Leslie Fisher

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Kirk W

[EYAL]

And Swedish? My wife from Sweden
 

[Kirk W]

Contact them and ask. That is what I did. 

[2gypsies]

Kirk... your last link doesn't work.

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

Kirk... your last link doesn't work.

What link is that? The only links that I have posted goes to the article written by BruceT and one to the TX-DMV site and both do work. There are no links in my response to Sandsys.