DVLA has lost my EU driving licence, my ID card, and I'm a key NHS worker

jmmo20

Hi

So the DVLA has made a big mess with my documents. My EU driving licence expired in December and since I was unable to travel to my country of origin due to me being a key NHS worker, I asked DVLA for advice and they said I should exchange my expired licence for a GB one.

I submitted the paper form, and enclosed my EU driving licence, and my ID card document. Fast forward to 10 weeks later, neither licence, nor ID card are nowhere to be found, and the DVLA is "investigating" the whereabouts of my application after I filed a formal complaint.

I can't travel to my country as the NHS won't approve my leave (my country is in the amber list) and the consulate won't deal with driving licences. 
What is your advice here? any way to reach out to anyone competent at the DVLA? I have proof of delivery, with the name of the person who signed it in and the location. It's beyond me why this has happened.

Cheers!

AdrianC

It's entirely predictable why it's happened...

DVLA were closed for a very good chunk of last year for obvious reasons, and will have a MOUNTAIN of post to fight their way through. Add in strikes (over Covid working conditions), and it's no surprise at all that postal applications are astray.

There's not really a lot can be done to chase it, unfortunately.

[Deleted User]

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jmmo20

the issue here is that they lost documents issued by another country. They can't re-issue a Spanish driving licence or ID card and I won't be able to travel back to Spain to get them re-issued for the foreseeable future.

knightstyle

Get your MP involved, a letter from them should help resolve this.  Do not give up keep pestering DVLA and your MP.

Penelopa.Pitstop

You will have to wait for DVLA to find them. They are probably in the big pile of post. You already raised complaint, so there's not a lot more you can do.

DB1904

knightstyle said:

Get your MP involved, a letter from them should help resolve this.  Do not give up keep pestering DVLA and your MP.

A letter from a MP won't resolve this any quicker. The documents are in a mountain of other letters, until they are found how do you think a MP can assist? There is no proof that the OP is entitled to drive. 

VFR

They can check with Traffico that you were entitled to drive and a copy of that can be had between them, that done (but Brexit may have changed that ?) a GB licence could then be issued ?

jmmo20

They admitted yesterday that it's 90% sure they've lost it but can't guarantee it. It's a bit of a catch 22. The Consulate won't do anything unless the DVLA completely admits responsability and it looks like the DVLA doesn't want to do it (compensation?).

They even suggested I go through the process of getting a British driving licence from scratch (i.e. doing the theory and practical test). What an insult..

There isn't an easy solution and it seems like even if they admit fault, it will take anywhere between 3-6 months to get a replacement licence. 

AdrianC

jmmo20 said:

They admitted yesterday that it's 90% sure they've lost it but can't guarantee it. It's a bit of a catch 22. The Consulate won't do anything unless the DVLA completely admits responsability and it looks like the DVLA doesn't want to do it (compensation?).

No, simple practical reality.

They still have a massive backlog of postal applications for all sorts of things. Your application is just as likely to be in there as it is to be "lost", if not more so.