Obtaining Provisional Driver's Licence on EEA Family Permit
Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2016 5:52 pm
Hello!
My wife is a Thai national. She joined me in the UK Mid November 2015 on an EEA Family Permit (valid from End October 2015 until End April 2016). She holds a full Thai driver's licence and the accompanying International licence.
It may be important to note that I am an Irish national, living in the United Kingdom since April 2015 and working since May 2015 (exercising treaty rights) and that our relocation to the country is permanent, i.e. we came here to settle. We will soon be applying for my wife's Residence Card.
Beginning of February my wife applied for a GB Provisional Driver's Licence. Mid February her application was returned. She was informed, via an accompanying letter, that the DVLA were unable to consider her application. Here is what the letter read:
Dear Mrs XXX,
DRIVING LICENCE APPLICATION
Thank you for your recent application which is returned to you as:
* UK driving licences are only issued to those who are legally resident .
Your original valid passport shows a visitor's stamp (editor's note: EEA Family Permit) which is valid for less than 185 days from the date of entry into the United Kindgom. This indicates that your stay in the country is only temporary.
We are unable to consider your application for a driving licence until you can confirm your residency status in the UK i.e. you have been granted leave to be in the UK for more than 185 days.
If you hold a full valid driving licence or driving permit from your country of residence, you can drive as a visitor for up to 12 months from your date of entry into the United Kingdom.
Yours sincerely
XXX
I read on this forum that beneficiaries of the 2006 regulations (amongst which figure spouses of EU/EEA nationals exercising treaty rights in the UK) were exempt from the residency criteria outlined in the letter we received from the DVLA.
I also read of holder's of an EEA Family Permit successfully applying for a GB Provisional Driver's Licence.
Would anybody on this forum be able to kindly help me understand if my wife was incorrectly refused her GB Provisional Driver's Licence?
Many thanks for your help.
My wife is a Thai national. She joined me in the UK Mid November 2015 on an EEA Family Permit (valid from End October 2015 until End April 2016). She holds a full Thai driver's licence and the accompanying International licence.
It may be important to note that I am an Irish national, living in the United Kingdom since April 2015 and working since May 2015 (exercising treaty rights) and that our relocation to the country is permanent, i.e. we came here to settle. We will soon be applying for my wife's Residence Card.
Beginning of February my wife applied for a GB Provisional Driver's Licence. Mid February her application was returned. She was informed, via an accompanying letter, that the DVLA were unable to consider her application. Here is what the letter read:
Dear Mrs XXX,
DRIVING LICENCE APPLICATION
Thank you for your recent application which is returned to you as:
* UK driving licences are only issued to those who are legally resident .
Your original valid passport shows a visitor's stamp (editor's note: EEA Family Permit) which is valid for less than 185 days from the date of entry into the United Kindgom. This indicates that your stay in the country is only temporary.
We are unable to consider your application for a driving licence until you can confirm your residency status in the UK i.e. you have been granted leave to be in the UK for more than 185 days.
If you hold a full valid driving licence or driving permit from your country of residence, you can drive as a visitor for up to 12 months from your date of entry into the United Kingdom.
Yours sincerely
XXX
I read on this forum that beneficiaries of the 2006 regulations (amongst which figure spouses of EU/EEA nationals exercising treaty rights in the UK) were exempt from the residency criteria outlined in the letter we received from the DVLA.
I also read of holder's of an EEA Family Permit successfully applying for a GB Provisional Driver's Licence.
Would anybody on this forum be able to kindly help me understand if my wife was incorrectly refused her GB Provisional Driver's Licence?
Many thanks for your help.