DVLA local Office for checking non UK passport?

wessexw

I have an Irish passport and need to apply for a driving licence using a D1 form. The form states that as a non-UK passport holder that I must send away my passport as part of my application and I'm really reluctant to do that as I travel a lot and need my passport.

So I just rang the DVLA central line to find out if there's any alternative and they told me that I could take my application in to the Wimbledon DVLA office (thats my local one) and they could process it. However I know of an Irish person who was told this info about 4 years ago and turned up at the Wimbledon office to be told thst the DVLA info was wrong, Wimbledon couldn't process it and the central DVLA phone line was always giving out wrong info. This person had taken a day off work to do this and mightily peed.

But seeing as that was 4 years ago, I was wondering if things have actually changed and can you get it processed as Wimbledon? Swansea and Glasgow were also mentioned as offices where you can get this done. Does anyone know of any non-UK passport holder who has gotton their application processed at a DVLA office instead of actually sending it away?

Thanks!

spiro

Try reading this page http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_10028503

wessexw

Thanks Spiro, but that only mentions a UK passport, or else a licence issued in another country. Not a passport issued in another country.

spiro

wessexw wrote: »

Thanks Spiro, but that only mentions a UK passport, or else a licence issued in another country. Not a passport issued in another country.

It also mentions that if you dont allow them to check your passport with the IPS then they have to send it off. I would take this to mean that the IPS can not check an Irish passport so it would need to be sent off but that is only my reading of it.

wessexw

You're probably right Spiro, I wish the DVLA helpline would stop giving wrong information!!!

hermante

Hi wessexw

I believe you should be able to turn up at the Wimbledon office, give the staff member your passport and your photo, and pay £54. The clerk will photocopy your passport and give it back to you. You don't need to get the photo signed. Note that the normal fee is £50.

This information comes from someone who was exchanging a Hong Kong licence in June of this year. If you have an Irish licence to exchange (or a licence from the EEA or some other countries), you should have no problem.

However, if you are applying for a new licence rather than exchanging, I am not sure whether they will hand your passport back. It would be really silly if they didn't though. You could argue that the head office wants some physical photo ID (i.e. your passport, or the licence you are exchanging), but the Hong Kong driving licence has no photo.


With regards to your friend who tried this 4 years ago, I know someone else who went to Wimbledon in 2007, and their passport had to be sent to Swansea. However I am not sure why your friend took a day off work, as both the person who went in 2007 and the one who went this June waited less than 10 minutes to be seen.

Also it's best if you email the DVLA - the only government department to consistently reply to emails in 3 days! They apparently check things properly before replying, whereas the phone staff don't necessarily know everything. I have emailed the DVLA many times over the past 4 years, on behalf of quite a few people with complicated driving situations and they have always replied in 3 working days exactly.

Flyboy152

wessexw wrote: »

I have an Irish passport and need to apply for a driving licence using a D1 form. The form states that as a non-UK passport holder that I must send away my passport as part of my application and I'm really reluctant to do that as I travel a lot and need my passport.

So I just rang the DVLA central line to find out if there's any alternative and they told me that I could take my application in to the Wimbledon DVLA office (thats my local one) and they could process it. However I know of an Irish person who was told this info about 4 years ago and turned up at the Wimbledon office to be told thst the DVLA info was wrong, Wimbledon couldn't process it and the central DVLA phone line was always giving out wrong info. This person had taken a day off work to do this and mightily peed.

But seeing as that was 4 years ago, I was wondering if things have actually changed and can you get it processed as Wimbledon? Swansea and Glasgow were also mentioned as offices where you can get this done. Does anyone know of any non-UK passport holder who has gotton their application processed at a DVLA office instead of actually sending it away?

Thanks!

Get there early, as parking is not very good.

Flyboy152

wessexw wrote: »

You're probably right Spiro, I wish the DVLA helpline would stop giving wrong information!!!

What is wrong with your Irish driving license. I though that if you have an EU driving licence, you don't need a UK one (apologies if that is not correct).