Exchange foreign drivers' licence

ScarletBea

Hi, I'm 2,5 months away from finishing my first year in the UK, and because my drivers' licence is swiss I need to exchange it for an english one.

I've got all the forms and stuff, my question is with the documents the DVLA requests.
I'll have to send them my passport, and from my side it'll be ok, I'll use a Recorded Signed For delivery. However, I want them to also return my passport in a secure way, and the information I got is "please include a prepaid self-addressed envelope in your application". They don't mention anything about Recorded Signed For, but has anyone had to do the same? Can I buy a RSF for the return when I'm sending it, and will they use it?

Conor_3

I'm sure you can go in person to your nearest local DVLA office with the documents and they'll inspect them, stamp the necessary bits of the form and send it off for you.

dzug

You can send them a recorded signed for self addressed envelope to use - just put the appropriate stamps on it along with the recorded sticker for them to post it back.

Or you can buy a prepaid special delivery envelope rather more expensively.

Whether they will use them - no idea.

ScarletBea

Conor wrote: »

I'm sure you can go in person to your nearest local DVLA office with the documents and they'll inspect them, stamp the necessary bits of the form and send it off for you.

Yes, that would be the logical thing to do, wouldn't it? But apparently the "normal" DVLA office employees have a limited brain and don't recognise a foreign passport when they see one, meaning they're only allowed to handle british applications.
If you have a foreign drivers' licence and need to present your EU passport, you can only have the inspection at the DVLA offices of Wimbledon, Notthingham, Glasgow and Swansea :rolleyes:
As much as I'd like to not relinquish my passport, I don't want to take a day off work to drive down to Nottingham (my nearest) and back...

Dzug, thanks, I suppose I'll try the recorded signed for...

ScarletBea

Hi, just wanted to give an update, maybe someone will find this information useful in the future.

I posted all the forms, my foreign drivers licence and my passport to them, through special delivery, on monday. I also included an envelope for them to return my passport, where I paid special delivery as well (had the full stamps and the "special delivery" details).
My letter arrived on tuesday (verified through the track and trace), and my passport got back to me on friday
They were very quick in verifying identity and they did use my envelope.

So if anyone's in the same situation, I'd advise to use this, it was £9.20 (£4.60 x 2) very well spent.

Now I'm just waiting for my brit licence, but they do say it takes about 2 weeks...