Uk driving license | ExpatWoman.com
 

Uk driving license

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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 27 December 2014 - 01:53

My British driving license is about to expire. How do I go about extending it, can I arrange it from here?

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 18:27
Just read some info about scrapping the paper counterpart. Typical UK!!! Why is that a problem? Its silly having a card and a paper counterpart.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 17:44
all this would give you a headache!!
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 17:41
I don't get that, unless some people are still driving on their old original paper license and have never converted them.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 17:35
Don't throw your paper licence away just yet. If it was issued prior to 1998 they will still be valid. It's only paper licences issued after 1998 that are being done away with. Well, that's what I read anyway - as is usual it's all clear as mud ?
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 16:56
Exactly, that's my question, how do they class residency? How does anyone define where they 'live' if they live in multiple locations around the world (including UK) all year round.. &lt;going round in circles&gt; Also, on the driving in different countries thing, you can get an International Driving License from DNATA which costs 150 AED and you can use this when driving in certain countries, i.e. if you are driving a relative's car and not hiring one. (Subject to their insurance covering you!) <em>edited by CouchPotato on 27/04/2015</em>
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 12:40
That's not what I was saying. Someone asked how you're considered resident/non-resident and was it if you has residence in one country you couldn't be considered resident in another.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:51
Just to add, you can be resident of two places at once. I've had residence visas for two different countries, and up until last week, so did DH. Not that it is of any help to you CP.... I always use my UAE licence to hire cars and have never had a problem, mainly because it's in English I guess. yep you can be resident in many countries at same time... doesnt change the fact that your uk licence is not valid and shouldnt be used if you do not live in uk. and yes its not a problem with uae one as its in english, if not in english you would need to get a int driving licence. <em>edited by busybee2 on 27/04/2015</em>
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:51
Just read some info about scrapping the paper counterpart. Typical UK!!! yep thats what i mean 8th june
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:41
Just to add, you can be resident of two places at once. I've had residence visas for two different countries, and up until last week, so did DH. Not that it is of any help to you CP.... I always use my UAE licence to hire cars and have never had a problem, mainly because it's in English I guess.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:41
Just to add, you can be resident of two places at once. I've had residence visas for two different countries, and up until last week, so did DH. Not that it is of any help to you CP.... I always use my UAE licence to hire cars and have never had a problem, mainly because it's in English I guess.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:40
Just read some info about scrapping the paper counterpart. Typical UK!!!
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:38
So I presume that we are still able to use our UAE licenses for car hire anywhere else at the moment? Stupid thing is, we never go back to the UK for holidays and aren't even planning on retiring there. edited by Geordie expat on 27/04/2015 yeh used it in many places around the world over the time spent here.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:32
So I presume that we are still able to use our UAE licenses for car hire anywhere else at the moment? Stupid thing is, we never go back to the UK for holidays and aren't even planning on retiring there. <em>edited by Geordie expat on 27/04/2015</em>
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:29
I haven't a clue what he paid!!! As I said he was just being a right pain and I let him get on with it. Personally I think he was just trying to prove a point after what I told him had been said on here. Never heard about the new hiring in the EU rules. Interesting yeh.. he would have had to pay the 20 to renew it. as i have said i have known people who panic and think they will have to do the test again, so renew it as they have a uk address... but if you are a long term expat and then have to pay 20 quid each time to renew for something that you dont use whats the point!? the issue is that if you renew it you allow them to check your details online and so they can find you out.... maybe more now as they are checking people in and out of the country with the new border rules etc... yeh exactly came across by chance.... obviously if you are using your uae licence when you visit uk you surely arent having any issues.. but when you "settle" back in the uk and start using your uk licence after they have changed the rules 8th june you will not hear any more on the subject and so could easily go to the eu and find you are stuck. apparently you can download a pdf of your "driving licence file" to take with you, but at hte mo they dont know if car hire companies will accept that as they need to ascertain your risk with your points etc which are usually on the paper version (not that they ever look at it!!) <em>edited by busybee2 on 27/04/2015</em>
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:23
I haven't a clue what he paid!!! As I said he was just being a right pain and I let him get on with it. Personally I think he was just trying to prove a point after what I told him had been said on here. Never heard about the new hiring in the EU rules. Interesting
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:19
Just as an aside on this DH being a pain decidee that when his photocard ran out at the end of last year, he was going to renew it no matter what. We used our home address in the UK and it arrived within a couple of weeks!! And before anyone starts on me he was just doing it for the sake of trying, it's never used. did they charge you the twenty quid to renew it.... because if you are not actually resident then why pay them for it to sit there again for another 10 years. i have known people to do it, and get away with it.. but i have also known people who have been caught and had big issues with it to. another side note: do people know that when they get rid of the paper counterpart of the uk licence at beg of june, you may have issues hiring in the eu, apparently you need to get a special code to give to the car hire company. they have said that they have been advertising this chance but do people know about that one?
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 April 2015 - 09:11
Just as an aside on this DH being a pain decided that when his photocard ran out at the end of last year, he was going to renew it no matter what. We used our home address in the UK and it arrived within a couple of weeks!! And before anyone starts on me he was just doing it for the sake of trying, it's never used. <em>edited by Geordie expat on 27/04/2015</em>
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 21:49
Having an address in the UK is not the only criteria though, you need to be resident in the UK to appy for a licence there. Non residents are not actually permitted to apply or renew a licence even if they have a UK address. The application cannot be done from abroad anyway neither online or by post, the only way you could apply would be to have someone get a form for you, send it to you to sign and they post it from their address for you, that's technically illegal and I would not risk it. However, one can now be regarded as "resident" in UK for tax purposes if one spends 45 days a year there and even fewer day I understand. I guess if you have to pay tax there they can give you a driving licence.. Yes I believe tax rules re residency have changed since the time of my posting that comment which was about non residents who do not live in the UK and have residency solely abroad. The DVLA residency rule maybe different from the Tax Office rules, just as NHS and Benefits rules both differ. They dont seem to publish any exact clear statement on the DVLA website how they define residency. I would have thought too that someone who spends much of their time in the country and pays tax would be counted by any government dept as resident, there are so many variant definitions of residency in the different depts, makes it all very confusing.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 21:21
Having an address in the UK is not the only criteria though, you need to be resident in the UK to appy for a licence there. Non residents are not actually permitted to apply or renew a licence even if they have a UK address. The application cannot be done from abroad anyway neither online or by post, the only way you could apply would be to have someone get a form for you, send it to you to sign and they post it from their address for you, that's technically illegal and I would not risk it. However, one can now be regarded as "resident" in UK for tax purposes if one spends 45 days a year there and even fewer day I understand. I guess if you have to pay tax there they can give you a driving licence..
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:58
Yes thank you - I know all of this (and agree with it as the way it should be), and as my original post said, I am looking for where this is written on the official DVLA website - not just with one line as to being UK resident when you apply for a new or renewed driving license. not sure that its ever been written down on the dvla website.. you would need to call them and ask them to send written confirmation to you personally.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:58
would be happy to call DVLA for you and try to find out about what constitutes a resident. Thank you dear Chezmoi! :rainbow: Not needed at the mo but thanks x
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:57
did you read thru all the comments about this? Did you mean to be so rude? My question relates specifically to people who hold multiple residence visas for countries around the world, not necessarily the UAE. It also relates to people who are paid in the UK in to UK accounts in GBP, pay tax and national insurance, and have property in the UK, spending much of the year there. Therefore my question is specifically how do the DVLA class residence, as when a person has multiple residence visas they may not be classed as specifically resident of another country. And while the tax/NI/payment may not be relevant to most of us here, it may be relevant to some proving they are not resident in another country.. If you have any legislation/written confirmation regarding the above specifically on[i'> how residency of another country is classed by the DVLA when a person holds multiple residence visas,[/i'> please do share it. Otherwise, I will contact the DVLA and ask them as previous correspondence on here does not clarify that. Sorry I dont know how the DVLA judge residency, but also just to let you know that they are scrapping the paper counterpart of the licence in June too. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licence-changes I am in the UK and would be happy to call DVLA for you and try to find out about what constitutes a resident. its a bit of a grey area.... but each time this question has come up and people have called dvla the answer is that you are not living in the country and so you cannot use your uk licence anymore... there will be no fine or retest required when you move back, you just fill in a new form to say that you need to renew it and no problems. and yes the paper copy is going... but the issue with people who are abroad... is the photocard because its only valid for 10 years... ours ran out years ago... and we will need to renew it once we step back on uk soil "to settle". a lot of residency rules are 3 months etc.. ie for benefits you need to be back for 3 months i believe... with nhs as long as you are there "to settle" then you can access nhs from day 1. but you may need to have a residency test to ascertain facts before any benefits etc are given out, they the rules changed last year.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:56
Yes thank you - I know all of this (and agree with it as the way it should be), and as my original post said, I am looking for where this is written on the official DVLA website - not just with one line as to being UK resident when you apply for a new or renewed driving license.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:52
did you read thru all the comments about this? Did you mean to be so rude? My question relates specifically to people who hold multiple residence visas for countries around the world, not necessarily the UAE. It also relates to people who are paid in the UK in to UK accounts in GBP, pay tax and national insurance, and have property in the UK, spending much of the year there. Therefore my question is specifically how do the DVLA class residence, as when a person has multiple residence visas they may not be classed as specifically resident of another country. And while the tax/NI/payment may not be relevant to most of us here, it may be relevant to some proving they are not resident in another country.. If you have any legislation/written confirmation regarding the above specifically on[i'> how residency of another country is classed by the DVLA when a person holds multiple residence visas,[/i'> please do share it. Otherwise, I will contact the DVLA and ask them as previous correspondence on here does not clarify that. Sorry I dont know how the DVLA judge residency, but also just to let you know that they are scrapping the paper counterpart of the licence in June too. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licence-changes I am in the UK and would be happy to call DVLA for you and try to find out about what constitutes a resident.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:48
did you read thru all the comments about this? Did you mean to be so rude? My question relates specifically to people who hold multiple residence visas for countries around the world, not necessarily the UAE. It also relates to people who are paid in the UK in to UK accounts in GBP, pay tax and national insurance, and have property in the UK, spending much of the year there. Therefore my question is specifically how do the DVLA class residence, as when a person has multiple residence visas they may not be classed as specifically resident of another country. And while the tax/NI/payment may not be relevant to most of us here, it may be relevant to some proving they are not resident in another country.. If you have any legislation/written confirmation regarding the above specifically on[i'> how residency of another country is classed by the DVLA when a person holds multiple residence visas,[/i'> please do share it. Otherwise, I will contact the DVLA and ask them as previous correspondence on here does not clarify that. rude....just asking a question whether you read all the previous comments thats all... simples. it doesnt matter as its also mentioned by previous posters.. that having uk property or whatever does not have anything to do with retaining your driving licence... if you do not live in the country and have a resident visa from "any" country you cannot use your uk licence anymore, its not valid, you are not insured in case of any accidents... most of the time if you have a uk address, with a uk name etc then you may not come to the notice of the authorities if you were to have an accident.. but now they are checking passports entering/exiting that will come in time. also nothing to do where your money is paid into... there have been many threads on this, where by people have spoken to dvla and have written notification... but thats up to you to get it if you want... you should not use your uk driving licence if you do not live there. if you talk to your insurance company as a non resident there will be different premiums and you can use your foreign licence, as you are allowed to drive on that for up to 12 months then you would need to take a uk test etc. fyi: also house insurance is charged at a different premium if you are not resident, and if you leave your house empty for more than 30 days as a minimum, some are for longer periods.. most people dont even think of that, and just continue to use their normal insurance provider.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:33
did you read thru all the comments about this? Did you mean to be so rude? My question relates specifically to people who hold multiple residence visas for countries around the world, not necessarily the UAE. It also relates to people who are paid in the UK in to UK accounts in GBP, pay tax and national insurance, and have property in the UK, spending much of the year there. Therefore my question is specifically how do the DVLA class residence, as when a person has multiple residence visas they may not be classed as specifically resident of another country. And while the tax/NI/payment may not be relevant to most of us here, it may be relevant to some proving they are not resident in another country.. If you have any legislation/written confirmation regarding the above specifically on[i'> how residency of another country is classed by the DVLA when a person holds multiple residence visas,[/i'> please do share it. Otherwise, I will contact the DVLA and ask them as previous correspondence on here does not clarify that.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 20:04
Sorry to bump an old thread. I am looking for the DVLA documentation which lays out the below, but can't find it. I am sure someone has linked to it before. Specifically the part which talks about your UK DL not being valid if you are resident in another country. Also, how does it define 'residency'? Is it simply having a residence visa in another country, or if you have a residency visa in another country but are still a UK tax and NI payer, would this have any affect on the above? Sorry, complicated. did you read thru all the comments about this? if you are not resident in the uk, ie you dont live there you cannot use your uk licence.. when you get an uae visa in your passport you need to exchange your uk dl to an uae one... the rta here should then take off you your uk licence, they dont, but then you are no longer a tourist in the uae, you are a resident in the uae... when you cancel your uae visa and move back to the uk you can get a new licence issued. this is nothing to do with ni or tax or anything.... as thats a different thing and down to how many days you will spend in the uk over the tax period etc.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 18:59
https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence#before-you-start This might help
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 18:57
Thank you Cymraes. Now I just need to find this in writing on the DVLA site. :) Am sure someone linked to it before?...
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 18:44
No that doesn't happen on the UAE side, but I was looking for the DVLA guidance on it from the UK side and also to clarify whether there's a difference between someone being non resident for tax/NI purposes, or not - and if that is how they class being non resident, or if it's simply having a residence visa in another country, not necessarily the UAE. Might need to just contact DVLA! :nerd: Will update! I spoke to the DVLA Residency means the country you live in - look at your 'residency' visa in your passport - this is the country you live in. Even if you have a property in the UK does not mean you are resident, if you were resident in the UK you would not have a UAE residency visa.... BTW DH pays tax in the UK but is not a 'UK resident' currently. DVLA told me when I return to the UK and after cancelling my UAE visa I can fill in a form to have my UK licence back. ....,same issues relate to using the NHS - except for emergency treatment ....
 
 

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