My brother in law who is currently staying with me turns 70 in November and will need to renew his UK driving licence.
As he normally lives abroad and very rarely returns to UK he wants to try and renew the licence before returning to his sailing boat in a couple of weeks and sailing off into the sunset.
The DVLA site says they send out the forms automatically three months in advance.
Before attemting to ring them , do any of our older backroomers know or have experience of whether renewal can be brought forward and if so how long it takes ?
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He should renew in whatever country he spends most of his time.
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Well that reply made my head spin I don't know about yours
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I think I'd better phone the DVLA then....
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Well, I live in Spain and knowing I would reach 70 towards the end of December I applied for a renewal of my UK issued, but Spanish registered licence in early September.
Spain is only just implememting the credit card sized licence with picture and they are all produced (by one man and a dog, I think!) in Madrid.
Just before my 70th and maybe wanting to rent a car in UK over our Xmas visit, I chased the Gestor (a sort of semi- official but private fee charging administrator)and was given an official piece of paper, duly issued by trafico in Madrid, authorising me to dive (Spain only) until 22nd Feb 2006. I'm still waiting for the real licence!
I just wonder why, if it took nearly three months to issue a temporary piece of paper, why in that time they could not have issued the proper thing instead
If I were you I'd use DVLA if possible , they are a model of efficiency compared with many other country's issuing agencies!
--
Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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Roger:
Interesting to note your Spanish registered licence authorising you to dive (only in Spain, until Feb 2006). I guess such an activity would be pretty chilly elsewhere anyway at that time of year.
I fear the Philippines has one more of thousands of hangovers from its one-time Spanish masters. Renewing our licences takes not only a morning or more standing in line, but results only in a piece of paper also. This has to be stamped every month (more standing in line) and it can be a year or more before you get the genuine thing, which is only valid for 3 years anyway. This process usually also involves the sudden discovery of "uncleared" traffic tickets going way back, which are invariably fake but nonetheless require "clearing" before licence renewal can be considered.
If you live in Manila you can get it in a week though and if you need it quicker talk to me and my police chief friend will get it in a morning for 300 quid for you. This process is worthy of a Letter from the Colonies and indeed I have had a draft on the stocks for some time recounting my last effort.
Friends I know just put up with being stopped for "misdemeanours" 3 times a week just because they are foreigners (for which read must be rich) and buy their way out of not having a licence. They reckon it's cheaper in terms of time and effort!
Really I don't think you chaps in UK have as much to whinge about as you think......
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