Driving licence

[Applebun]

Hi I moved from Ireland to England two months ago. I haven't passed my driving test so I got the form to apply for a provisional driving licence.

On the form it says that I must include a photo and this photo must be signed by someone. The photo must be signed by a UK citizen, confirming that the photo is me.

I dont know anyone here in England, i live alone, and I work remotely so I can't ask a colleague to sign it. Who can I get to sign it? Has anyone been in this situation?

In theory it’s supposed to be a U.K. citizen who has known you two years, if you are recently arrived there are exceptions so whoever has known you longest and is on the list of preferred occupations. Write a letter explaining circumstances.

I’d ask around your family though quite often there will be someone whose known you since you were wee who had a U.K passport and is living in the UK.

Some post offices have booths where the person on the counter takes the photo, and I don't think you need to get it signed then.

Two years!

Thats penalising people who move to England.

So people who have moved to England are not allowed to learn to drive?

Its a strange system.

Can i Possibly bring my photo to a solicitor and get it signed by them, does anyone know

https://www.gov.uk/id-for-driving-licence

Quite a lot of stuff here. Anything that helps?

What about a neighbour?

A librarian at a local library? Go and get books out a few times then ask explaining the situation and say you’ve just noticed librarian is on the list of suitable people!

You can note how long they’ve known you as you haven’t lived here for two years.

There are lots of people who count OP. A solicitor would be fine if they’re willing to do it. As would your doctor, dentist etc but only if they’re willing to take the risk. It’s down to the individual.

Are you sure you can't do it with a paper form and use your Irish passport as ID?

Yes I am sure.

I tried to apply online for it. It wouldnt let me apply online as I don't have a U.K passport. I don't know why, seeing as all Irish citizens currently have the right to live in the UK. Surely you should be able to apply online with a UK or Irish passprot.

Anyway, It told me that I couldnt apply online, that I have to send off for the form and then send in requested documents By post

It says on the form they sent me, that they want a copy of my irish passport, and I also have to get a photo of myself signed by a UK citizen

Ive never met any of my neighbours (flat).

I think I will ask if someone in the post office will do it for me. If not they will maybe know someone who will do it.

Can you get an Irish provisional to start with? Did you use a solicitor to buy or have a landlord/agent who could counter sign ? Your employer must have done id checks.

I used to have an Irish provisional. Its expired. I havent lived in ireland for three years. I was living in a different EU country.
I want to get a uk provisional licence as i am living in the UK now.

I work remotely and my boss is far away from me.

I am going to go into the post office to ask

But you said you moved to England from Ireland two months ago! It’s literally the first line of the first post on this thread.

Yes I meant that I am Irish, from Ireland, and I moved to England two months ago.

I lived in Spain in between.

I just shortened my life story. I have lived lots of different places.

What does it matter anyway.?

Maybe I've misunderstood, so apologies if I have.

Isn't there anyone in Ireland, that you have known for more than 2yrs, who could sign the back of your photo if you posted it to them? (assuming they have a UK passport). Someone you knew before you moved to Spain? Old employer, dentist, GP, college/secondary head, nurse, bank manager?

I was also about to suggest just asking someone from Ireland or Spain.

The Irish passport won't work online as its a direct link up with the passport office for cross referencing photos.

Do you know any British people who lived in Spain with you?

The assumption that they have a UK passport is a bit of a stretch in a different country I think.

OP in the link I posted above it clearly says that an Irish passport is a suitable "passport or travel document" and, further down, that if you have one of those you don't also need a signed photo. Check by all means, go back to the post office and try @EBearhug 's earlier suggestion but from a quick non-expert read of the guidance I don't think you need the photo at all. It looks to me that DVLA can take your photo from your Irish passport. I concede it's confusing but that is how I read it.

I lived in the republic of Ireland. How would anyone that I know there have a UK passport?

Thank you for that.

Its strange because the form they sent me asked for a copy of an irish passport and a signed photo.

I will try to get through to their customer service on Wednesday

Maybe I'm just reading it wrong then. Good luck.

Have you asked anyone?

Some people, like myself OP and my DH, are dual nationals and have valid passports from more than one country! Its not that uncommon.

I have UK and another country, DH has UK and Irish Passports. A colleague has 3 passports.

Because, like you, people sometimes live in countries other than the one that issued their passport.

You live in the UK though right? So of course there are a lot more dual nationals here in the UK who have UK citizenship.

It is very different in the republic of Ireland. Especially in the small towns. I grew up in a small town.

Where I lived in Ireland , there were no Enlglish people at all. There was no one with one English parent. I knew all of their parents.

In my secondary school, there was only one person who had one parent that was not irish. Her father was portuguese. Everyone else had Irish parents.

Its a bit more multicultual now. But still when i go back to visit my town in Ireland, there arent many English people living there.

People move around to work. But living somewhere for a couple of years doesnt mean you qualify for a passport from that country

. I lived in Spain for two years.. I wouldn't be able to get a Spanish passport for that.

I don't know anyone in rep.of Ireland that has a U.K. passport.