185 day wait until I can test?

Just got the DVLA provisional sheet to send back to them. There is mention of a 185 day wait period living in the UK before you can do anything. I did a search and came up with one topic of this from 2010 with one answer. The one page paperwork leaves their wording vague.... saying things like "usually a person".... Probably not an issue though since my wife just added days up and I'm at about 115 days at this time.

Guess the form is making me twitch a little (D801  A ). Other than to write in my US passport type+number......and sign+date it.....there's nothing else to do? There is a spot for a photo, but it appears that that is only if you are having someone else verify your identity. The form already has my name and address in the top left corner.

So all I need to do is fill in my passport type+number and send it back to them with the passport? Or do they need that photo?

F4 Mandolin,

You HAVE to include your photo to be used by the DVLA on your provisional license and it must be verified by a "person of standing" or whatever the term actually is on the form. They tell you what must be written on the back of your photo by that person. They also need to fill out the right portion of the form. That person must be willing to be contacted by the DVLA by phone. If you don't do this you won't get your provisional license.

If I am remembering right, the top bit where they are asking for the passport number is only if you have a UK passport and didn't want to enter it online or something. You fill out the second section where you enter in what documents you are sending to them. You will need to either send them your passport or your BRP card in order to prove your identity. I sent my BRP card and marriage license as I wanted my provisional license in my married name.

I just got mine last week. I think it took a little over a week for me to get it back in the mail.

edited to add a bit of info.

Thanks lyonaria,

I just must not have read it right. I ran it past my wife and said "of course you need a photo with it". I don't know that many people yet, but I know a lady who is a teacher at one of the Harrogate schools so I can have her fill that part of the form out.

I didn't have to get a BRP, I only have my passport with the visa in it.

Is the 185 day residence requirement also set in stone?

Hiya!

You are very welcome! Sorry I can't remember it all exactly, it was about a month ago I filled in the form.

The 185 day thing I don't really know...
If I'm remembering right, you've moved to the UK within the last few months, right? If you have, than you can actually drive on your US license for 1 full year. That year starts on the day that they stamped your visa for entry at the Airport. Which is great, cause you can get all sorts of practice in on that. You don't even need to have an "adult" in the car with you. haha.

You do need to have your provisional license to take any of the driving tests. So it's a good thing for you to have so you won't worry when you are ready to take the tests.

What a lot of people on here suggest doing is to take some driving lessons specifically to learn how to pass the UK driving test. You already know how to drive just not all the niceties of driving in the UK. It's what I'll be doing, but I waited too long and now I have to have an adult with a license with me and the red "L" on my car... YAY! I'm so excited!

Make sure she also writes what's needed on the back of the photo, again without that you won't get your license. That's where she proves it's a photo of you. My husband had his boss, our mutual friend, do mine for me.

Then passport it is for you! I had the BRP card cause I'm on FLR(M).

The 185 day thing doesn't apply to you, as you are here on a 'settlement route' visa.  Apply away!

You do need to have your provisional license to take any of the driving tests. So it's a good thing for you to have so you won't worry when you are ready to take the tests.

What a lot of people on here suggest doing is to take some driving lessons specifically to learn how to pass the UK driving test. You already know how to drive just not all the niceties of driving in the UK.

Make sure she also writes what's needed on the back of the photo, again without that you won't get your license. That's where she proves it's a photo of you. My husband had his boss, our mutual friend, do mine for me.

I'll be taking at least the one lesson with an instructor. I think I'm pretty good on most of the little changes to my driving that I will need to change for the test. Every once in a while a drive for a little while doing all the hand sliding bit.....putting the hand brake on when stopped(without clicking.....which is a little silly to me) etc etc etc. But after one lesson if it looks like I need more, then so be it.

On the photo it looks like all she has to do is sign it. The other info she just puts on the application. I just need to go to ASDA tomorrow and get the photo taken.

I just applied for and received my provisional license too, and don't remember anything about a need for someone to sign my photo to prove it was me.  I sent in my BRP and the photo we had taken to go with the FLR-M application.  Since the BRP card has the photo taken during my biometrics, there were two different pictures of me in the application, which would be the only proof the photo was of me and not someone else.

Hmmmm, sorry to confuse the issue... I'm usually better at reading instructions than that, but it all worked out in the end.... so far anyway. 

I think I'll just chalk this up to form fatigue and application apoplexy and leave it at that. 

Providing the passport number is for people with UK passports. Apparently it is possible for the DVLA to access the stored passport photo and use that for the licence. The exception is when the passport was issued overseas which was disappointing to me - my passport photo is reasonable but my DL photo makes me look about 80 years old!

I just applied for and received my provisional license too, and don't remember anything about a need for someone to sign my photo to prove it was me.  I sent in my BRP and the photo we had taken to go with the FLR-M application.  Since the BRP card has the photo taken during my biometrics, there were two different pictures of me in the application, which would be the only proof the photo was of me and not someone else.

Hmmmm, sorry to confuse the issue... I'm usually better at reading instructions than that, but it all worked out in the end.... so far anyway. 

I think I'll just chalk this up to form fatigue and application apoplexy and leave it at that. 

Becca, did you apply online? Cause it's a bit different if you send in the entire form by post or if you did your application online.

I picked up the one where you apply entirely by post and didn't want to deal with it so I checked out the online application, it IS available to non UK citizens. Not to mention will save you 5 or 6 quid. I got a shortened form by post within a week where you have 28 days to return it to them.  All they ask you for is your identification document/s (depending on what you have) and a photo that has been signed by "a person of" some word I can't remember. Pretty darn easy. And if you don't get it back to them in time they refund your fee by check.

Becca, did you apply online? Cause it's a bit different if you send in the entire form by post or if you did your application online.

I picked up the one where you apply entirely by post and didn't want to deal with it so I checked out the online application, it IS available to non UK citizens. Not to mention will save you 5 or 6 quid. I got a shortened form by post within a week where you have 28 days to return it to them.  All they ask you for is your identification document/s (depending on what you have) and a photo that has been signed by "a person of" some word I can't remember. Pretty darn easy. And if you don't get it back to them in time they refund your fee by check.

Sounds like the one I have. Forgot to stop at ASDA when we were out today (went to Morrisons).....try to get the photo tomorrow.

Sounds like the one I have. Forgot to stop at ASDA when we were out today (went to Morrisons).....try to get the photo tomorrow.

I recognized it by what you were saying about it. Haha. Much simpler than the full on application by post. 

I think it's awesome that they have the photo booths in grocery stores. They actually take pretty nice photos and you aren't stuck with the first photo it takes either!

Becca, did you apply online? Cause it's a bit different if you send in the entire form by post or if you did your application online.

I picked up the one where you apply entirely by post and didn't want to deal with it so I checked out the online application, it IS available to non UK citizens. Not to mention will save you 5 or 6 quid. I got a shortened form by post within a week where you have 28 days to return it to them.  All they ask you for is your identification document/s (depending on what you have) and a photo that has been signed by "a person of" some word I can't remember. Pretty darn easy. And if you don't get it back to them in time they refund your fee by check.

That's exactly how I did it too.  Applied online, received instructions from DVLA in the mail, then sent in the required identification and picture.  I completely missed any instructions about having the photo signed though.  Like you said, it was pretty darn easy...

...particularly when you ignore one of the instructions.

That's exactly how I did it too.  Applied online, received instructions from DVLA in the mail, then sent in the required identification and picture.  I completely missed any instructions about having the photo signed though.  Like you said, it was pretty darn easy.

*grins* If it worked for you, it's probably not too important. My British half was really anal about me filling it out EXACTLY how the form said it needed to be done. I was going to just send it in with my BRP card, marriage certificate (for name change) and photo. But he insisted I was going to screw it up that way.

Just checking something.  I have a new employee at work and she's applying for her provisional license and the "resident for 185 days" in the application is throwing her for a loop.  I'm pretty sure she can apply even though she hasn't been here 6 months yet, just that she needs to be an ordinary resident of the UK (which is proven by her Tier 2 visa).  Is this correct?  You guys received your provisional licenses in your first 6 months of being in the UK?

Just not sure if the rules changed on this since I received my license.

I was already here over 6 months when I applied, but I don't remember seeing that part...

...since I also didn't see the "sign the back of your picture" part, I'm not sure my memory is worth all that much. 

I'm going to just sneak this in here cause I'm looking for all the posivibes anyone wants to send.  I lucked onto a driving test cancellation for tomorrow!  So instead of having to wait until Dec. 18th and take my test at 8:20am (choke, cough!), it's tomorrow at 1:03pm!!!  Squeeeee!   

Now, if I can just calm down and concentrate - I know I can do this!  (chewing on fingernails here.... )