Drivers Licence

[Papafaith]

1. Being tryin to locate the URL of DVLA, cant seem to find it, can someone give it to me.
2. Is it safe to send my international passport as form of identification to DVLA as form of identification
3. Is there in other form of identification that will be acceptable to DVLA

[Kayalami]

Papa,

Welcome to the UK.

1. DVLA

2. Yes - send it by special delivery = blue label at a Post Office.

3. No - alternative forms of ID are only accepted for EU/EEA nationals and those born in the UK.

Note - DVLA may require you to apply for a licence after establishing residence in the UK = after 6 months. However they may consider the grant of HSMP as conclusive proof that you are a resident.

[Papafaith]

Thanks Kaya.

[hk_007]

From what I understand, the 6 months residency rule applies only to those who hold a EC/EEC licence and were permanently resident in one of those countries and want to apply for a UK licence. For practically everyone else, the home contry licence can be used for upto 12 months after entering the UK. Within this period one must obtain the full UK licence by applying for a provisional licence and then pass theory and practical tests. Surprising that for one year you are considered competent to drive and then DVLA thinks that you are a danger!

[tvt]

It is not that the DVLA thinks that you are only competent to drive for the first twelve months. The UK is simply bound by a multilateral treaty of mutual recognition of driving licences for non-residents.

[hk_007]

I find it ill-logical that one can drive for a year with the home country licence and then to get the UK licence one has to clear the theory+practical tests. Either one has to clear the tests before one starts driving in the UK or it should be possible to simply exchange the home country licence for the UK licence after a year subject to ofcourse a clean driving record in that period.