Driving in UK as a Non Uk National

Jimbo333_2

I'm after some help/advice from any MSE'ers that may have experience with this:

My wife is a non UK national, with a foreign (non-eu, non commonwealth etc) driving license.

We want her to drive here, so we checked DVLA leaflets and website. They seem to have 2 catagories of people in their "Other Countries" section: Visitors and Residents . From their website: http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drvingb.htm#5.%20All%20other%20countries

5. All other countries
Visitors

You may drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to 8 passenger seats, provided your full licence or driving permit remains valid for up to 12 months from the date of entering the United Kingdom. However, you may only drive large vehicles which have been registered outside GB and which you have driven into the country.

Residents

Ordinary licence holders

Provided your full licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional GB licence must have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12 month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions e.g. displaying `L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways.

However, if you do not pass a test within the 12 month concessionary period you will not be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and provisional licence conditions will apply.

If you do not apply for a provisional licence within the first 12 months you must stop driving and obtain a British provisional licence with a view to passing a driving test. Provisional licence conditions will then apply.

Clearly my Wife is not a visitor, we live here together. However, she is not (yet) a resident. We wish she was, but the Home Office say we need to wait a couple of years longer first!

She has left the country at least once a year since she's been here, so if she is a visitor, she keeps re-starting that 12 month cycle of being licensed to drive here. If she is a resident (which the Home Office say she isn't) then when did she become one? When she first came here as a student, or when we got married this summer? (If from this summer she has 10 months left to drive here on her foreign license - perfect).

So can she drive here without taking a test or not?? We know she will have to eventually, but she needs to drive ASAP for her job.

The DVLA seem unable to give a straight answer on the phone (different story every time we ring) and the Home Office do try to help, but eventually fall back on "It's a DVLA issue". The DVLA say "Take advice from the Home Office".

Anyone here got any advice???!!

If you've read this far, thanks. If you can help, MANY thanks to you.:T :A :T

J

Wig

Have you tried (or asked DVLA) if you can apply for an exchange licence? Saying that she has been here less than 12 months, and for arguements sake (if they ask) that she *is* a resident?

She has an adress in UK, do they ask for anything which proves she is a resident? if so what could possibly prove that?

I know someone from France (ok Europe and Europeans are free to come and go but you still have to be resident to get a licence exchanged) who was here more than a year. They asked dvla about exchange, the less than 1 yr rule was made clear, to which this person told the dvla that they had been here more than a year already, the dvla guy replied, "so? who's to know?" the person applied for an exchange andd found the form was able to be interpreted in such a way as that they didn't have to lie on the form, just tell the dvla all they needed to know and no more, thus giving the impression they had been in uk for less than a year. This was many years ago around 1989. "Residency" was just the address of residence, no more than that.

Why not get the form from DVLA for exchange licence, look at it see what documents they require or not as the case may be, fill in the form in her favour, send it off and see what comes back..... what's the worst that can happen? They send the licence back with a note requesting proof of residency or a note saying the persons status has to clarified in some other way.

lavandergirl_2

hi! me and ur wife is at the same situation.
If she holds a non EU international driver's license (IDL), she will not be able to exchange it but could use her IDL for a year. But still it depends on what country but usually non-EU DL is not exchanged.

I do have an international driver's license though these are only valid for a year from the date of entry. Car insurance will cost from £700-1000 depending which company. My friend was quoted £900+ and my other friend paid £800+

I called up an insurance company (Lloyds) and they seem reluctant to insure non EU driver's license. Anyway, I hear stories where non EU people try to keep on using their IDL and just keep on just getting a "new" IDL every year. Some people even use a provisional license just for insurance purposes. But you'll be asking trouble for these. Coz if she gets on an accident, then the insurance companies might not pay her. Plus, there might be criminal implications.

Im doing the safe route- learning to drive with an approved driving instructor. It might take time but it's safer. I reckon, instead of paying £700 for an insurance then why not use it for driving lessons?

There are sure have a lot of roundabouts here in the UK.

Jimbo333_2

Wig, thanks for your reply. I'm pretty sure that my wife isn't able to get an exchange license, as she's not in the list of "designated countries". Maybe worth checking though.

Lavandergirl, you seem to be having the same thoughts as us: we want my wife to be driving NOW, and we know that she could be, but we don't want to break the law. Why is it all so unclear?!

You're right about the safe route. I'm hoping the insurance won't be as much as £800, as my full no claims discount (60% off) will be applied to our insurance (my wife a named driver on my car insurance for the first 6-12 months, then 2 cars/2 insurance policies).

Wig

Jimbo333 wrote:

my full no claims discount (60% off) will be applied to our insurance (my wife a named driver on my car insurance for the first 6-12 months, then 2 cars/2 insurance policies).

Direct line will give the named driver a years no claims bonus.

Jimbo333_2

Now that's worth knowing. Thanks (tried the thanks button but never seems to work for me).