1. I read somewhere that if you dont have someone to sign your photo you could submit the pic in person at a DVLA office..would they also return my passport back to me if i take make the long journey to Swansea ( i assume thats where i will have to go ) and submit the application in person ?
That is correct. If you haven't known anyone in the UK for two years, you can have someone at the DVLA certify your picture. They'll take your pictures, application, and passport and forward them to Swansea. I haven't heard of applying for your provisional license in person at the Swansea office, so I can't really address that. I wouldn't think you'd have to go all the way to Swansea to apply...there should be a DVLA or two near London.
2. Another thing is my International license expires in August but i arrived in the UK in June..so would my one year anniversary be in June or August ?
Your year starts when you establish residency in the UK, so June is your expiration.
3. Would i be better served by going to Swansea in person to save time ? I had been waiting to get my residence permit from the Home Office which took for ever so it has forced me to apply for UK license quite late . Also, i heard that i would have needed to take the theory and practical test WITHIN that my International license is valid...if i wanted to drive without " L " plates ...can someone please explain this ? Will i have time to take all the tests before my Int. Lic. expires ?
Again, dunno about applying in person. If you want to drive without L plates, you'll need to get your full UK license before your 1 year grace period (June) is over. Otherwise, you'll need L plates while you're driving around on your provisional license and will need to be accompanied by someone with a full UK license. You can, of course, drive around without L plates now...and can continue to do so until your June expiration date, then you'll either need a full UK license or will be driving (accompanied) on your provisional license with the L plates.
4. So keeping in mind that i need to travel in June to the States..what would you suggest is the best course of action ? What is the turn-around time with the DVLA in terms of getting your passport back ?
Most people seem to have their passports returned in a week or two.
5. BTW i have a full CA drivers license and a full International drivers license. ( CA license does not expire for another 4 years )
Neither really comes into play here -- you can drive on either until June...after which you will need to have a full UK license to drive alone or a provisional UK license and drive with someone with a full UK license.
