Uk driving licence

[Isan Farang]

I now wish to apply for a new uk driving licence. On receiving all the required forms from DVLA, It is stated they cannot issue a driving licence unless you are normally resident in the UK. I have a thai driving licence can this be used outside thailand if translated in english and certified ?. I am very seldom in the UK, most of my driving outside thailand is in the Middle East and Singapore.

Regards

Isan Farang

[jayrockwell]

I had the same problem, apparently no foreign addresses allowed, I ended up using my parents UK address. Not sure about the validity of the Thai D/L, but it certainly does lack the credibility of the UK License, get it if you can.

J

[Roger13]

Just use a Relative's or Friend's Address

[Axel]

Found for Singapore below remark at:

http://www.asiatour.com/thailand/content1.htm

"A Thai Driving Licence is valid in the following countries:

Singapore Malaysia Laos."

I would call the SIN-embassy for confirmation.

If you have a Thai licence (must have had for more than 1 year), you can apply for an international driving permit, which is valid in most countries. Ask the traffic office that issued your Thai licence.

You might get away to use a relative's address to get a UK-

licence, however, information is correct, you can legally obtain your licence only at the place where you are resident.

[tutsiwarrior]

Are there new UK driver's license regs that I don't know about? I thought that the document issued to me in 1988 was valid until I reached 70 years age.

Isan farang you should be aware that if you work in the UAE and become a resident your passport and driver's license have to be from the same country to get reciprocity...you can't drive legally in the UAE without a local license if you are resident...ie., Thai license and UK passport won't work if you go to Dubai or Abu Dhabi on long term assignment. The alternative is to sit a local driving test with Arab cops that can't speak English...don't even want to talk about the queues, shouting and shoving when applying.

Regards

[the scouser]

Hi Tutsi,

Your UK driving licence will still be valid until you are 70. No new regs, but what they have done is replace the crappy old paper ones with credit card-sized plastic ones with your mug shot on. You don't have to change over unless you need your licence renewing for another reason but can do so if you wish.

Regards,

Scouse.

[percy2]

I have an email from the DVLC that states that as I am not resident in the UK I may use my Thai licencse in Uk so long as I don't stay there longer than 1 year.

Here's their email.

Thank you for your e-mail.

As you are no longer a permanent UK resident we are unable to change the

address on your UK driving licence.

As you are no longer a permanent UK resident it is permissible for you to

drive in the UK on the strength of a UK licence that bears an address.

As a visitor to the UK it is also permissible for you to drive in the UK on

the strength of a valid Thai licence for a period of 12 months.

I trust the above reply is of assistance to you.

Regards

Miss L Bevan

Drivers Customer Enquiries

C1

Tel no: 0870 240 0009

[email protected]

[Roger13]

DVLA Quote:

As you are no longer a permanent UK resident it is permissible for you to drive in the UK on the strength of a UK licence that bears an address.

So Isan,

- just use any Friend's or Relative's

address in the UK ...

[tutsiwarrior]

If there is no legal requirement to exchange the paper document for the photo card then just hang on to what you have unless there is a requirement to report a new address.

The UK driver's license simply verifies that you have passed the driver's test and is not used by the police for other identification purposes...so I understand. They have other ways of extracting that information.

Dumbest driver's test in the world as I remember from 1988...requirement to do a 3 point turn on a street 10 feet wide but nothing regarding parallel parking.

Sheesh