Legal Question in Immigration Law in Pennsylvania

Re: applying for work permit

Yes, you're basically correct. Your wife can't get a driver's license and social security number, at least in California, until she gets a work permit from the INS. Maybe the Pennsylvania Dept. of Motor Vehicles has a different policy of issuing driver's licenses to aliens who don't have work permits, but I don't know much about PA. The TIN (taxpayer identification nunber) is only for income-tax filing purposes, and not enough for a driver's license and is not a substitute for a SSN.

Your wife is not entitled to receive a work permit until her case is ready to file for adjustment of status. That won't happen until the INS processes cases similar to yours (spouse of petitioner who's a permanent resident) with the October 26, 1998 priority date or after. Right now, they are processing cases with priority date of March 1, 1996. If you're both from Mexico, then they're even more behind and are now only processing cases with a July 1, 1994 priority date. So, assuming that your I-130 has been approved or will be approved, your wife's case still has at least 2.5 years to go, probably 3 or maybe even 4 years, before she can file for adjustment of status.

You didn't state in your question how long you've been a permanent resident of the U.S. and if you've applied for citizenship. If you become a citizen (after taking the oath and everything) before the next 3 or 4 years, then your wife can apply for adjustment of status immediately at that time and the wait might not be so long. Also, you didn't state whether she has applied for or qualifies for other possible immigration benefits, such as political asylum, that entitle one to a work permit.