DVLA about to hold my passport hostage!

If you are near one of the local offices around the country, you could try taking it in yourself to get it verified on the spot:

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/local/lo_map.htm

If you have a US passport, they'll verify it for you, but they'll still send it to Swansea.

If you have a US passport, they'll verify it for you, but they'll still send it to Swansea.

Yep, trust me, I searched high and low to find a means of doing it without parting with my passport. To no avail. The good news is that dh just phoned to say that he got home and found a note saying the postman tried to deliver a package that needed to be signed for. That's the only thing it could have been! Yay!

Do they send the license to you when they return your passport or does that come later?

If you have a US passport, they'll verify it for you, but they'll still send it to Swansea.

Typical DVLA!        

Do they send the license to you when they return your passport or does that come later?

In general, you'll find that they send back any documents first and the license will come in a separate envelope later (sometimes much later  ).

In general, you'll find that they send back any documents first and the license will come in a separate envelope later (sometimes much later  ).

Oh lord, don't tell me that. The website says to allow 15 working days before you ring them and it's been 8 so far. The car dealer is going to lose patience with me soon! 

You actually won't be without driving privileges entirely. I'm well past the one year thing and all it means is that I've lost the right to drive like a fully licensed driver - so technically now I'm supposed to use L plates, not drive on the motorway without a licensed driver, etc. If you get your license within a year of being here though you can skip all that. At least that's how I understand it....

Huh? I thought you couldn't drive at all without a UK license driver of 3 years and weren't allowed on the motorway at all. Have I got this completely wrong?

Huh? I thought you couldn't drive at all without a UK license driver of 3 years and weren't allowed on the motorway at all. Have I got this completely wrong?

You might be right, I'm at work and was just going off of what I remember. I could very well be wrong.

You might be right, I'm at work and was just going off of what I remember. I could very well be wrong.

Sorry, sweetie, you are wrong.   No driving for you! ... unless it's with Jamie if he's had his license for 3 years.

Sorry, sweetie, you are wrong. No driving for you! ... unless it's with Jamie if he's had his license for 3 years.

LOL! Oh well, I figure the chances of me being brave enough to drive without him for a while are pretty slim anyway! I'm really going to make an effort not to put the test taking off. I've got the CDs sitting on my desk at home ready to go and as soon as we get the car I'm going to book a couple of lessons.

It

If you are near one of the local offices around the country, you could try taking it in yourself to get it verified on the spot:

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/local/lo_map.htm

Nah they won't do it at the local office - I tried.  They still CLAIM they have to send it off.  Maybe if you went to the head office at Swansea it might be different...I just went to the Wimbledon one.  Oh and Paul1966, don't get me started about bureaucracy...did you see my posts about the TV licensing?? 

Yep, trust me, I searched high and low to find a means of doing it without parting with my passport. To no avail. The good news is that dh just phoned to say that he got home and found a note saying the postman tried to deliver a package that needed to be signed for. That's the only thing it could have been! Yay!

Yeah probably so.  But the license comes in a regular old envelope - mine came on the same day as the documents came back, one in the registered mail envelope and one in a regular brown one from the DVLA.

Does anyone else feel like this is one more daunting hoop that you have to jump through? I was going to wait to have my DH get us an automatic before I started to learn to drive. I know, I know it's easy to learn "stick" here; however, even though I have driven "stick" all my driving life in the US, I just can't seem to get my head around using my left hand to change gears. Now, I'm not so sure I even want to drive. Maybe I'm feeling this way because I have to call for my appointment for my ILR tomorrow and I'm feeling very nervous about that, but now I'm wondering if it will even be worth going through all the hassle. I mean, if my DH has to ride with me for three years everywhere I go, then what's the sense of even driving?

Hmmm...

I mean, if my DH has to ride with me for three years everywhere I go, then what's the sense of even driving?

No no! He only has to have had HIS license for three years so that you can drive with him....

It's worth it - it'll make your independence far greater.

I'm going to get an automatic only license too - it's no big deal!

Oh lord, don't tell me that. The website says to allow 15 working days before you ring them and it's been 8 so far. The car dealer is going to lose patience with me soon! 

Maybe I'm missing something, but why should this have any effect on you buying a car?    You still have a valid U.S. license, right?      

Oh and Paul1966, don't get me started about bureaucracy...did you see my posts about the TV licensing??

 

Recent postings?  I remember some from a few weeks back.  I'll go take a look....

Maybe I'm missing something, but why should this have any effect on you buying a car?    You still have a valid U.S. license, right?    

Oh, sorry, I guess I didn't really tell the whole story on this thread.

I bought a car (my name only - long irrelevant explanation) a couple of weeks ago and the company financing it said that due to new money laundering laws they couldn't give the final approval of the financing until I had at least a provisional license. I gave them EVERYTHING I could think of - California driving license, passport, marriage license, council tax, criminal records bureau check, etc. but they said that they HAD to have a license. So since we were already so far along in the purchasing process, they agreed to hold the car for us if I sent in my application immediately.

No no! He only has to have had HIS license for three years so that you can drive with him....

Well, that's good. I'd only want the car to tootle down to the grocery store and such.

It's worth it - it'll make your independence far greater.

Yeah, I'm getting really tired of walking down to the gym every-other-day.

I'm going to get an automatic only license too - it's no big deal!

Maybe I'll look into it. I think my pre-ILR nerves are starting to kick in, and this is just to call for the appointment, heh.

Thanks AnneR