Help - Urgent driving license and passport problem

[Sid74]

We have got 5 and a half weeks til we go for our first trip to WDW, and my DH has got one of the old paper licenses, which is in a bit of a state. I have sorted all the holiday stuff out, all he had to do was get his driving license changed to one of the plastic ones, and sort out a hire car. He still hasn't done it:eek:

Well after lots of nagging from me, he went onto the government website to sort out changing it. Apparently all you have to do, if you have a valid uk passport, is fill in the online form, pay the £10 fee and the dvla will take the photo and authentication details from your passport and print up a photo card. Sounds great, except it told him they can't do that for his and he has to send them his passport and driving license and he should get a new photo card in about 3 weeks, then they will send back his passport!!!:scared1:

I have just rung the passport office 24 hour helpline and they said that it was not a good idea to be sending his passport anywhere this close to needing it, and that they know nothing about this new scheme of the dvla, and I have to ring the dvla and the main passport office first thing, because it could mean that there is a problem with his passport:eek:

I am really really scared now that having come this close everything is now going to be ruined by this, and we won't be able to go:sad1:

Does anyone know anything about this??

[Beep]

Hi, does he definitely need a photo driving license to hire a car? We've both had the new plastic ones for a few years now so I'm not sure but it would be worth checking. If he doesn't need a new one then keep the old one until you return.

If you have a new style license you could hire the car and have him as an additional driver.

[mary94]

Have you considered doing the premium checking service at selected post offices?It costs a few pounds but it means you don't have to send off your passport as they check the photo from the passport and give it to you back.

By the way we hired a car from Dollar in May using just a VERY tatty paper licence with no problem as like your DH mine also never gets round to replacing it.

[buzz182]

My DH has still got the paper one and uses it every year. I would say as long as you can read your DH's details on it then I would probably wait untill you get home to replace it. Ring the DVLA again and ask them if they think it's still ok to use, given the condition it's in. 5 and half weeks is too close tbh to be sending his passport out anywhere. I wouldn't like to risk it.

Karina

[kristieuk]

I agree - I have used a paper licence I have had since 1997 every year we have travelled to Florida. I have never seen anything anywhere about needing a plastic licence.

The worst case scenario and he does need to get a new licence, you can go to the DVLA in Swansea in person, they check your passport there and then and give it straight back to you, and then you can either collect the passport the next day, or for £4.00, they post it to you special delivery the following day.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on :wizard:

[Claire L]

From DVLA -

United Kingdom (UK) digital passport holders
As a digital passport holder (the photograph and signature appear on the same page), DVLA can confirm your identity with the Identity and Passport Service. You don’t have to send your passport to them.

When making an application online you’ll be asked to provide your nine digit passport number allowing DVLA to confirm your identity.

If you apply by post, using the Application for a driving licence (D1), write your nine digit passport number and your signature in the 'confirming your identity' section of the D1 form.

Other means of identification
DVLA also accepts the following original documentation as confirmation of your identity. Unlike the digital passport though, you'll need to send this with your application:

full valid current passport
UK certificate of registry of birth (provided your name is on the certificate)
identity card issued by a member state of the European Community/European Economic Area (EC/EEC)
travel documents issued by the Home Office
UK certificate of naturalisation


Your DH must have the older style passport hence needing to send it. Have you considered the other methodsof ID?

Claire ;)

[Claire L]

Will also need the the photograph.

The type of photograph you need to send -

Your photograph must be:

colour passport type photo (size of image 45mm x 35mm)
taken recently, a true likeness, showing the full face, with no hat, helmet or sunglasses, although you may wear everyday glasses
taken against a plain, and evenly lit background
DVLA is issuing a new driving licence with a number of enhanced security features. One of these is your colour photograph being laser engraved onto your licence resulting in a highly secure black and white photograph.


Having your photograph certified

With the exception of a full valid current UK or EC/EEA passport or a Home Office issued travel document, you’ll need to have your photograph certified. The back of your photograph must be signed and section seven of your D1 form completed by the same person. DVLA will make random checks on people who sign photocard driving licence applications.



Sending the passport just confirms ID, you still need to send a photograph regardless of method of ID.

Claire ;)

[Jakey Rowling]

Probably just repeating others but here goes.

You don't need the new driving licence for a car hire.
In fact you must take the paper part of the new licence with you anyway.

You need a passport with a digital photo for the DVLA to be able to use the picture, otherwise you need to send one in.

If you still want a new licence then pay the £4-ish charge at the Post office who will validate the details and send the form to the DVLA. That way you don't have to trust your passport to Royal Mail.

Remember that your old licence will go in the post with the application.....

[Sid74]

Thanks for the replies.

The reason that he needs to replace the license before we go is that when we hire cars at home they are funny about it, it is sellotaped together, as it has completely fallen apart along the folds and I really don't want to get to Orlando and for the people at the Dollar desk, who by all accounts can be a bit funny anyway, to say that they don't like the look of it and we can't have the car.

DH has rung the dvla from work this morning and asked them about it, apparently, if he writes on the form that he gives them permission to search the information at the passport office, he doesn't have to send his passport, or get the photo signed, he just has to send them a new photo to use. They also told him to send them his current paper license and to write urgent and why he needs it back asap on the form, and they will try and get it back to him sooner than the 3 weeks stated on the website.

I don't know why, but I am a bit dubious of all this "just write on the form giving us permission" bit, I just don't think it will work and it may end up slowing things down, rather than speeding them up.

I hadn't heard of the post office checking service being available for driving licenses, I thought it was just passports. So if he takes the form and his passport to the post office they can check it and then what? Do they sign something to say that it is him, and then send it to the dvla? I think I trust this working more than them saying just give us permission.

Will there be a problem using the checking service if he started this online? He filled in the online form on the website, paid and then got told they couldn't do it, so they gave him a form to fill in and send back with his proof, would this be ok for the checking service to use?

Thanks, I am a bit calmer now, but am still waiting for it all to go pear shaped with his license not turning up in time:scared1: