Update on traveling to DVLA for photo sign-off

I recently picked up the D1 form for a provisional driver's license, and read the section that requires applicants who do not have a UK form of ID (i.e., UK passport) to instead have a person who has known the applicant in the UK for 2 years confirm the applicant's identity by signing off on the applicant's photo.  This of course does not work for those of us who are trying to get a UK license within year one of our UK residency, before our US driver's license becomes invalid after 12 months. The alternative on the application form says that we should travel to a DVLA office to have a DVLA employee sign off on our photo- this was an expensive option for me, since I live in the Orkney Islands and the nearest DVLA office is Inverness!  So I wrote to the DVLA, and got this response:

"Thank you for your email.

It is no longer necessary for the holder of a passport that was issued in a country outside Great Britain such the USA to have a driving licence application witnessed and signed.

You should complete the driving licence application form D1 and send the form to DVLA Swansea together with a passport size photograph of yourself, your USA passport, and the required fee of £50.00 so that a provisional driving licence can be issued."

I hope that this information will prevent other folks from making an unneccessary trip to the DVLA; however, I would be interested to hear if anyone has had an experience opposite of the advice that this email has given to me- according to some of the posts I have read here, people have had their applications returned.  Perhaps this is a new policy?  Anyway, I hope this was helpful, and if I have any problems I will be sure to post an update!

Hmmm...I wonder when this was implemented.  Good if this is the new policy!  Try it! Maybe send a copy of this email along with your application, just in case?

That's an excellent idea, phatbeetle, I'll be sure to include the email along with my application.  I'm waiting until after my trip to the USA in September since I'll need my passport for travel, so watch this space in October, and I'll let everyone know how it goes!

Good luck

And I'm jealous that you live in Orkney! I was up there a few weeks ago and its just gorgeous!  I could see myself living there.  However, the commute to Inverness would get old quick!   

My advice would be to make sure you register and insure your passport and application when you post it.  I did the register bit, so I could track the delivery, but not the insurance and my application never made it to Swansea.  I am sure the passport was swiped because my address was on the outside of the envelope, on the application, etc. and I never saw my passport (with my ILR stamp) again.  The guy at the Embassy who processed my passport application said that quite a few passports go missing this way.

It cost me over £600 to replace the passport and the ILR (plus the time off, photos, etc. to go to the Embassy and Croydon to get everything replaced.)

So, insure, insure, insure.  And figure in all your transportation costs that would be incurred when you figure the amount you will need if a replacement is necessary.

WOW. That is really good advice, and I will absolutely insure my passport when I send it off! Thanks for the information, and I am so sorry that happened to you! 

UPDATE: I sent off my application for a Provisional License and my US passport along with a copy of the email from the DVLA that stated that my US passport would be enough identification for processing the application ( i.e., I didn't have to have someone sign off on my photo, or travel to a DVLA office to have a representative sign off my photo, as the application directions instruct).  I sent it registered special delivery, which includes insurance up to 500 GBP (total cost for me was 5 GBP), so I was able to track and confirm that it arrived at Swansea safely. I mailed it out November 4, and received my Provisional License and passport (two separate mailings, surprisingly with no signature required, just through the mail slot!) on November 13.  I live in Orkney, which is pretty much as far away from Swansea in the UK as you can get (other than Shetland), so I was very surprised how quickly my application was processed. I hope this info helps someone else, now I am off to study for the theory test!

Wow thanks so much for this info.  I'm probably going to get my provisional licence after the new year, so it's great to know I won't have to hunt down a DVLA office to get the thing signed.

Awesome, glad to hear it went so well & quick for you!  This will definitely make it easier on anyone who doesn't have a DVLA office nearby or the time to go in in person.

Wow thanks so much for this info.  I'm probably going to get my provisional licence after the new year, so it's great to know I won't have to hunt down a DVLA office to get the thing signed.

Devil's Advocate: The DVLA office can prove useful on one hand, if you need your passport or if you don't want to send it in the post.   As going to the DVLA won't cost you anything other than travelling costs, however it isn't always the economical option as bound4orkney has proven.   

Devil's Advocate: The DVLA office can prove useful on one hand, if you need your passport or if you don't want to send it in the post.   

You still need to send your passport to the DVLA in Swansea by post to actually get your provisional license. But at least bringing it into a local DVLA, you get into their system and it goes through a bit quicker.
However, not travelling, like a couple hour ferry ride, then a 3.5 hour car ride on narrow back roads to get from Orkney to Inverness to get your picture signed and just being able to drop it in the post is a good thing!

Rhetorical question here...if you are able to take your passport to the DVLA, why can't they just verify the passport is genuine and then make a copy for the records? They could then give the passport right back. Why the need to hold on to it?

Wish I knew...

It would have saved me a lot of grieve because I had urgent work travel when they had my passport and I had to practially pretend someone was dead in order to get it back...