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Topic: Trying to think of any repercussions  (Read 1396 times)

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Trying to think of any repercussions
« on: August 03, 2019, 12:49:49 PM »
Aloha all.....need your wisdom and guidance.....

Before I move to Scotland February 11 I will be visiting B.C Canada for 11 days.   I will be landing in Vancouver and the first thing I do is go to U.S consulate and turn in my green card.  Am trying to think of any repercussions of switching back to my B.C drivers license.   Have had Hawaiian one for 17 years since 2002.... but my first drivers license was issued in Quebec in 1988-1995 and then had a B.C drivers license from 1995-2002.  Have looked and to switch back to B.C license, all I need to show is my birth certificate and Canadian passport...they don’t have a residency requirement. 

The plus to doing this is a Canadian license in reciprocal with the u,k one and after 6 months I just trade one in for the other....with the u.s license, I’d have to do the theory and driving test. 

Am trying to think of any repercussions I’m missing by doing this.    I really don’t need my IDs to be a Canadian passport, a u.k passport and a u.s drivers license....

Any advise Pro or con would be appreciated....

The whole I’d only get a license to drive a automatic car doesn’t hold water because I’ve made it this far in life without ever learning to drive a stick so I’m good.🤪 and am planning on getting a 2018 Prius prime plug in electric if I can buy a house with a private drive. 


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Re: Trying to think of any repercussions
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2019, 12:58:17 PM »
If you're sure Canada will let you switch to their license without any sort of residency requirement, I can't see a downside.  Most of us didn't have this option, so we had to do the whole theory test, practical, etc.  If you can get around that, do it!  :)
9/1/2013 - "fiancée" (marriage) visa issued
4/6/2013 - married (certificate issued same-day)
5/6/2013 - FLR(M)#1 in person -- approved!
8/1/2016 - FLR(M)#2 by post -- approved!
8/5/2018 - ILR in person -- approved!
22/11/2018 - Citizenship (online, with NDRS+JCAP) -- approved!
14/12/2018 - I became a British citizen.  :)


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Re: Trying to think of any repercussions
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2019, 01:40:26 PM »
If you're sure Canada will let you switch to their license without any sort of residency requirement, I can't see a downside.  Most of us didn't have this option, so we had to do the whole theory test, practical, etc.  If you can get around that, do it!  :)

From everything I can tell....they say nothing about proof of residency.   Other provinces have it listed as something you must prove...but B.C doesn’t.

 I just checked their website and they’ve added something new saying started September 1, all new residents must provide a driving abstract to prove driving history ........but it also says at the end that if you’ve previously held a B.C license, you will not be considered a new resident,....I held a B.C license from 1995-2002.....think this is mostly for insurance purposes since newer drivers to the area have more accidents than people who are familiar with the area and its to adjust your insurance discount.

Was planning on getting a driving abstract anyway to have to show in scotland when I apply for insurance to show have never had a ticket...am also going to get letter from insurance showing I’m 17 years accident free.

That’s the only thing I’m worried about is when applying for car insurance in scotland that having a Canadian license could mess me up with all my proof of driving being from Hawaii.....but I guess theoretically, at that point, I would have already switched over to a U.K license to get a car and license to have to insure 🤔


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Re: Trying to think of any repercussions
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2019, 02:22:12 PM »
I would think long and hard about getting US citizenship before moving.  Just as a backup plan in case life in Scotland isn’t exactly what you hoped.  It would be a shame to not have the option to return.  Just be 100% sure you are ready to close that door.


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Re: Trying to think of any repercussions
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2019, 02:36:03 PM »
I would think long and hard about getting US citizenship before moving.  Just as a backup plan in case life in Scotland isn’t exactly what you hoped.  It would be a shame to not have the option to return.  Just be 100% sure you are ready to close that door.

Yeah, have no desire to get U.S citizenship......the only place I’d ever want to live in the u.s is hawaii and I’m over it here...not at all the same place it used to be....and sorry, can’t stand living in a country that was stupid enough to make trump president ......


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Re: Trying to think of any repercussions
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2019, 04:37:00 PM »
Yeah, have no desire to get U.S citizenship......the only place I’d ever want to live in the u.s is hawaii and I’m over it here...not at all the same place it used to be....and sorry, can’t stand living in a country that was stupid enough to make trump president ......

Not being a USC should make life simpler from a tax standpoint as well. We have a 2017 Toyota Prius  and love it. We had one for 7 years in Texas before that.  We did consider the plugin but just couldn’t bring ourselves to pay the extra £3k as we do less than 5k miles per year.

If you can get your Canadian licence renewed then it will definitely save the hassle of learning to pass a UK driving test. Our son went through this last year. He passed first time after driving on his US licence for 6 months and taking  lessons from an instructor in an automatic car but it was a real hassle.
Dual USC/UKC living in the UK since May 2016


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