Provisional DL-the road to UK driving....

Okay so do I really have to send my passport away to get my provisional?  I had someone sign my picture and now am just confused or too lazy to comprehend what to do with the appilcation  thing now that it's filled out. 

Yes - you do have to send you passport, along with your application and the money for the fee.  It will arrive back quite quickly...passport first and then license.

Fraid so hon. If it makes you feel any better, I got mine back in less than a week when I had to send it in.

Blech.... I guess I had better wait until we get back from France then...

Thanks!

There is a procedure by which you take identification and the pictures to a local Vehicle Licensing Agency and let them do the verification and return your passport straightaway.  Sorry I don't have the link to that procedure.

Jim

There is a procedure by which you take identification and the pictures to a local Vehicle Licensing Agency and let them do the verification and return your passport straightaway. Sorry I don't have the link to that procedure.

Jim

I'm not sure they do that anymore, actually.

There is a procedure by which you take identification and the pictures to a local Vehicle Licensing Agency and let them do the verification and return your passport straightaway.  Sorry I don't have the link to that procedure.

Jim

They'll verify your photo (in case you haven't known anyone in the UK for 2 years), but you still have to send your passport away.

I travel a lot for work, and so I could not be w/o my passport for more than 2 weeks or so.  So, I wrote a letter to DVLA, explaining this, and explaining that I would be willing to actually bring my passport to their offices for verification.  They wrote back and said it was ok, they didn't need my passport. 

I don't want to sound as if I am arguing, but the verification without sending in documents scheme is described on the current DVLA web site,

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/applydl.htm#post_office

and my wife was just on the phone to DVLA, where the recorded message is putting out the same information.

Maybe DVLA is putting out wrong information.  But I'm certainly going to try this.

JH

The service you're talking about, Jim, is for UK passport holders only. 

The service you're talking about, Jim, is for UK passport holders only. 

Yup, I tried a few years ago when I had to change address and apply for one of those spiffy picture licences.  Was told at the counter you need to hold a UK passport to use this service as the staff are not trained to verify any other passports. 

Happy camper I was not.

In the words of Snidely Whiplash...

JH
P.S. The spousal visa was so easy compared to getting a driver's license.

ROFL.... yes I agree the spousal visa was easier! 

I just applied for mine Saturday and the man at the post office could not have been less helpful about the entire thing. I knew they could not verify the US passports but once he saw I had one he stepped back from the counter and kept repeating "you'll have to post that yourself." Um, that's why I came to the post office - to post it myself. But he acted like he could not help me at all! I got all flustered and we ended up leaving, letting me have a good cry and then going back in and this time we got someone helpful enough to get my paperwork together and money orders straight and everything.

I'm worried over the passport being gone because I need it at the end of May. The lady helped me fill out a special delivery envelope for them to use to return it to me though, so fingers crossed.

Missy - I got mine back in about 9 days.  You have nothing to worry about.