Driving/Getting the Learner's Permit from DVLA

Hey, so as a US expat I need to get a Learner's Permit from the DVLA and supposedly you do it by mail and send the passport in.

My husband is a Swedish citizen and he said he did it in person in Croydon and he doesn't think that I should do it by mail and doesn't trust having my passport with my residency stamp in it sent in and possibly getting lost. But I think his situation is different than mine, and I just don't have the time to take time off to get that done.

So those of you that are American, what did you do? Did you have to do this by mail as well?

Oh jeeze, I posted in the wrong forum, I tried to delete this but couldn't. I'm really sorry, I was feeling distracted and anxious when I posted this.

Basically my question specifically has to do with the reliability of getting your permit by mail.





Please move it if you like. I suck.  

There are different rules for people with EU/EEA driving licences and those with licences from outside the EU (such as the US).

As your husband is Swedish (and presumably had an EU driving licence), he was allowed to go in person to the Croydon office and exchange his Swedish licence for a full UK licence. He would not have been required to get a provisional licence or take any of the UK driving tests... he could just exchange his EU licence for a UK one.

However, as a US citizen (presumably with a US driving licence?) you cannot exchange your licence. You need to apply by post for a UK provisional licence (you keep your US licence if you have one) and then you have to go through the entire process of taking the UK theory and practical driving tests. I don't believe you can apply in person because you are not a UK or EU citizen and unfortunately I believe you have no choice but to send your passport.

If you have been in the UK for more than 12 months (looking at your earlier posts, you've been here since 2008?), you can no longer drive on your US licence if you have one, so you will be treated as a learner driver. This means that you must put 'L' plates on the car, you cannot drive on motorways, and you cannot drive alone and must be accompanied at all times by someone over 21 who has held a UK licence for at least 3 years.

Thank you for answering my question

Any other Americans get their passports back in the mail just fine?

(I'll guess yes... just hoping there aren't horror stories out there. But I guess even then.... stuff happens.)

I did it by post...no problem.

Oh jeeze, I posted in the wrong forum, I tried to delete this but couldn't. I'm really sorry, I was feeling distracted and anxious when I posted this.
Please move it if you like. I suck. 

Will move to travel and transport for you- no worries, we all do it from time to time

It's normal to do it by post and send your passport. Don't worry! 

I went into the DVLA office to turn in my application and gave them an envelope (was it registered or something?) to return my passport in so that it could be tracked.

There are different rules for people with EU/EEA driving licences and those with licences from outside the EU (such as the US).

As your husband is Swedish (and presumably had an EU driving licence), he was allowed to go in person to the Croydon office and exchange his Swedish licence for a full UK licence. He would not have been required to get a provisional licence or take any of the UK driving tests... he could just exchange his EU licence for a UK one.

However, as a US citizen (presumably with a US driving licence?) you cannot exchange your licence. You need to apply by post for a UK provisional licence (you keep your US licence if you have one) and then you have to go through the entire process of taking the UK theory and practical driving tests. I don't believe you can apply in person because you are not a UK or EU citizen and unfortunately I believe you have no choice but to send your passport.

...

Actually, it has nothing to do with you being a US citizen or not. It all depends on where you originally passed your driving test. An American who took the test in Germany, for example, can exchange their German licence for a British one without a problem. However, in my case, I could not exchange my Swiss licence for a British one (even though Switzerland is a designated country for licence exchange) because I passed my original test in America (my Swiss licence was converted from my American). The same applies for EU licences, although it isn't expressly mentioned on the DVLA website.

I sent my Swiss passport with registered postage returned and it was back in my hands within a week  - along with my Swiss licence and explanation that I had to start from the beginning.

Is there a standard time for getting your passport back? I need to get my license, but I use my passport to go to France every Thursday for my son to participate in a clinical trial. There's absolutely no way around that.

--Laurie

I got mine a couple of months ago, by post, and I got everything back in 7 business days.

I got mine a couple of months ago, by post, and I got everything back in 7 business days.

So if I sent mine off on a Thursday afternoon, I wouldn't get it back until Monday week. Can none of this be done in person?

I don't think there's any getting around sending your passport.

I *think* you can take your passport and paperwork to a DVLA office, they'll check the passport and take your other documents - I believe you can walk out with your passport. You might want to call and check, though.

I *think* you can take your passport and paperwork to a DVLA office, they'll check the passport and take your other documents - I believe you can walk out with your passport. You might want to call and check, though.

Looking at the direct.gov.uk website, it seems that US licence/US passport holders can only apply by post and must send their passport to the DVLA (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_10028503).

From that page, it appears that:

- In-person Post Office applications are only allowed for UK passport holders

- In-person applications at a DVLA office are only allowed for EU/EEA licence holders who wish to exchange their EU/EEA licence for a UK one.

Yes, you cannot get around sending your passport.