Provisional driving license??

OK, so I am permanent resident within the UK and I have been for over 10years. I have decided through countless nagging from my husband to learn how to drive. I have 1 issue, how do I get my provisional license without sending off my passport???? I have heard countless horror stories of passports getting lost in the post, and if that was to happen I would really be up S**t creek. Has anyone out there got their license through either going to the DVLA office and getting their passport authorised on site or is the only option to send away ones passport.
Many thanks in advance for any help.

Naturalise, get a British Passport and use the Check and Send service at the Post Office!

Pick up the Provisional License application pack from any Post Office. You will find INF1D information booklet in the pack. The INF1D lists the documents you can use to prove your identity (other than a passport). If you possess any one of those listed in there, use it instead of the passport.

regards

alizwa wrote:OK, so I am permanent resident within the UK and I have been for over 10years. I have decided through countless nagging from my husband to learn how to drive. I have 1 issue, how do I get my provisional license without sending off my passport???? I have heard countless horror stories of passports getting lost in the post, and if that was to happen I would really be up S**t creek. Has anyone out there got their license through either going to the DVLA office and getting their passport authorised on site or is the only option to send away ones passport.
Many thanks in advance for any help.

And you should be able to make an appointment at a local DVLA office and have your passport authenticated there with no need to hand your passport over. If you have only been in the UK a short time, this is the only way you can apply for a UK driving licence.

One needs to visit a DVLA office for a provisional license application only for the reason of getting his/her photograph verified in case the applicant cannot get it done on this/her own. When I had called up the DVLA helpline I was told that even if the photograph is verified by DVLA, the identity documents (e.g.- passport) will still need to be forwarded to Swansea along with the application. The INF1D booklet also says the same thing.

The only advantage one might see out of this is that when the photograph is verified by a local DVLA office, the DVLA office will forward the license application to Swansea .. you don't need to post it on your own. But what you save on postage is used in commuting from and to the DVLA office. So what's the point of going to DVLA if you have any of the identity documents which do no require a photograph verification?

regards

Nowty wrote:And you should be able to make an appointment at a local DVLA office and have your passport authenticated there with no need to hand your passport over. If you have only been in the UK a short time, this is the only way you can apply for a UK driving licence.

alizwa wrote:OK, so I am permanent resident within the UK and I have been for over 10years. I have decided through countless nagging from my husband to learn how to drive. I have 1 issue, how do I get my provisional license without sending off my passport???? I have heard countless horror stories of passports getting lost in the post, and if that was to happen I would really be up S**t creek. Has anyone out there got their license through either going to the DVLA office and getting their passport authorised on site or is the only option to send away ones passport.
Many thanks in advance for any help.

Go personally to DVLA office to hand over passports & provincial driving licence application. Submit " Self addressed Special Delivery envelope with the application." A chance of losing passport is minimum. U always have special delivery’s code number to check its status on royal mail web site

That’s the way I submit my application

Thanks all for your responses.
But so far, I have had 3 friends who have lost their passports through sending off there detials for a license, but it looks like its the only option open to myself.

You dont need to get your photograph verified anymore. Its there in the INF 1D booklet and I checked with their customer care too. But then the Passport needs to be sent in any case (unless ofcourse you send other dx which are listed as alternative proof).

regards,

push_hsmp

quote="sushdmehta"]One needs to visit a DVLA office for a provisional license application only for the reason of getting his/her photograph verified in case the applicant cannot get it done on this/her own. When I had called up the DVLA helpline I was told that even if the photograph is verified by DVLA, the identity documents (e.g.- passport) will still need to be forwarded to Swansea along with the application. The INF1D booklet also says the same thing.

The only advantage one might see out of this is that when the photograph is verified by a local DVLA office, the DVLA office will forward the license application to Swansea .. you don't need to post it on your own. But what you save on postage is used in commuting from and to the DVLA office. So what's the point of going to DVLA if you have any of the identity documents which do no require a photograph verification?

regards

Nowty wrote:And you should be able to make an appointment at a local DVLA office and have your passport authenticated there with no need to hand your passport over. If you have only been in the UK a short time, this is the only way you can apply for a UK driving licence.

[/quote]

alizwa wrote: I have had 3 friends who have lost their passports through sending off there detials for a license, but it looks like its the only option open to myself.

Thats scary !!

does anyone know for sure that if a person holds ILR document from the office than are they eligible for a provisional licence or not??

xxnavzxx wrote:does anyone know for sure that if a person holds ILR document from the office than are they eligible for a provisional licence or not??

they have nothing to do with the other.

I have received the provisional licence yesterday on 4th april but have not yet received the passport back ,

Can you tell me if this is a sign of lost passport or should i wait for few more days ,

Please advice,

No please don't worry they send the license separate to the documents.This happened with my husbands but he got his back within a few days.

Thanks a lot Lesley
I got mine too 2 days after ..

THe service is very quick these days and u get it back in a week... or even less than that...

I got it in a week and one of my friend got it in two days...

My instructer told me that you can apply for provisional license even if you are an Asylum seeker and hold ARC card.

Why did i then delay for 8 years? My brother sent his ARC card but they refused.

Any comments?

Hi All,

I am new user, I want to know more about apply for provisional of driving licence.Hopefully I can get some help at here.

I send my application of provisional of driving licence on 14-May-09 at post office and used special delivery (next day 1:00pm delivery). I got the receipt from post office. And I wanted to tracking the status.(checked many times) But, (See belows). I don't know what happen. I phoned to post office, they said they are not sure the below status and I need to use complain form.

Track & Trace
Results
The system is currently unable to confirm the status of your item with reference xxxx. Please try again later.

I want to know that, How many days I can get back my identity documents and licence? This documents are important to me, I can't lost them. I am now worrying .....

Hi,

I will be moving to UK within a week on Tier1 visa and I don't own an Indian Drivers License. (Basically too lazy to drive a vehicle here!). However, I think I would need a license in UK so what are the steps I need to follow to get a british drivers license.

Thanks in advance.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dr ... G_10012514

Applying for a provisional driving licence

Before you can learn to drive a car, moped or motorcycle you must apply for a provisional driving licence. If you already hold a valid full driving licence and want to learn to drive larger vehicles, minibuses or buses you will need to apply for provisional entitlement for these vehicles.

You need to get a provisional one, learn to drive, take the tests and pass the tests.

You cannot drive a car on your own with a provisional driving licence, only accompanied by full licence holders and you must be insured to drive the car.

has anyone successfully fast tracked their license application? I submitted my Australian license to exchange it for a UK one and I need it back within 2 weeks.

We've called the DVLA and offered to come down to Swansea and pick it up and/or pay extra to have it done ASAP but it's in transit at the moment and they can't do anything until Swansea receive it and "put it in the system"

Has anyone managed to get their license back faster than the indicated 3 weeks?