|
Several years ago, my father sent off his paper driving license to DVLA to upgrade it to a photocard license. However, they refuse to do this, saying he has not identified himself satisfactorily. Now, he has sent all sorts of identification, but DVLA insists on a passport. My parents don't have passports and, as they're too busy having lives to go abroad and passports cost quite a bit, they don't want to get them yet. Dad tried getting back the old license, but DVLA told him it had been destroyed. They refuse to budge an inch and, as there is no legal or constitutional requirement for born British citizens to carry passports, my father refuses to budge either. A stalemate lasting several years has ensued. Has anyone got any advice or help to offer?
Edited by rtj70 on 18/08/2009 at 20:45
|
|
Write to his MP? And/or the Daily Wail.
Edited by Manatee on 09/08/2009 at 17:23
|
|
|
How odd.
According to the DVLA website if you do not have a passport the following docs are acceptable for identification when upgrading a licence.
UK birth and adoption certificates
UK birth and adoption certificates can also be used, however, as they are not absolute proof of identity, they must be accompanied by one of the following:
National Insurance card or a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions containing your National Insurance number
photocopy of the front page of a benefits book or an original benefits claim letter
P45, P60 or pay slip
marriage certificate or divorce papers (decree nisi or absolute)
college or university union card or school record
Did your father submit these and if so on what grounds were they rejected?
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/Need...1
|
Did your father submit these and if so on what grounds were they rejected? www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/Need...1
Yes, he submitted all of these that were applicable (thankfully, his first and only marriage is still entirely healthy after 21 years!), but DVLA refused to accept them without a passport and continue to do so despite repeated proddings over the space of more than five years.
|
but DVLA refused to accept them >>
By "DVLA", do you mean a faceless, nameless servant or do you mean someone named on this page?:
www.dvla.gov.uk/contactus/if_things_go_wrong.aspx
Long before 5 years, it should have gone to step 4 there, i.e.: local MP, and/or Secretary of State, and/or the Ombudsman. Has it gone to step 2 or step 3 even?
|
i think some physical production of national ID cards is being subcontracted to the DVLA
as part of this they will no doubt be engaged in the largely wasteful accademic debates about what is identity and so on
the endless nonsense from the home office and passport office etc will no doubt be causing chaos
so i fully expect such nonsense to increase
|
|
If he has gone 5 years without driving then I do not see the point in bothering to replace the licence.if they state that certain documents are required to accept identity then they are statutely obliged to comply with those regulations I think there is more to this storey than is being divulged.
|
Strange but interesting tale.
Did OP's father take a photocopy of his paper licence before sending it off? He is licenced to drive but without that he can't prove that he is.
DVLA, an "agency", have a reputation for occasionally getting things disastrously wrong and maybe that's happened here. Watchdog took an interest before and might do so again.
|
"If he has gone 5 years without driving then I do not see the point in bothering to replace the licence"
Not sure that was mentioned, though it would be interesting if he was asked to produce...
|
Sounds like typical DVLA lack of common sense.
I recently became aware that my registered address has been changed (presumably an attempted identity fraud).
I contacted DVLA to report it, explained that I suspected my address had been changed without my consent but because I was unable to tell them what address it had been changed to, they couldn't talk to me "for data protection reasons"!!
snip - derogitary term deleted...
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 11/08/2009 at 13:35
|
|
|
|
If he has gone 5 years without driving then I do not see the point in bothering to replace the licence.if they state that certain documents are required to accept identity then they are statutely obliged to comply with those regulations I think there is more to this storey than is being divulged.
My father has still been driving, but the DVLA has been playing silly beggars over the licence. There's nothing being hidden here, I assure you!
|
There's nothing being hidden here, I assure you! >>
Then how about answering the points I raised at Tue 11 Aug 09 07:44 ?
My father has still been driving .. >>
So what will he do if he is stopped and asked by the Police to produce his driving licence? Or if he has an accident and the Insurance Company wish to see proof that his proposal form has been filled in accurately?
Edited by jbif on 14/08/2009 at 09:49
|
Good questions both.
But what does someone do if they've sent off their licence to the "agency" and hear nothing in response?
They are licenced to drive but, as jbif says, can't produce a licence.
I thought there was a way of checking on-line if someone holds a licence?
|
|
if i ever have to send docs to dvla i always get a good quality COLOUR photocopy. i have a friend who had a licence come back with a couple of entitlements MISSING. it took an awfull lot of hassle and paperwork to get them back.
|
|
|
|
|
Regarding your earlier points, I cannot answer them, though I shall attempt to get answers from my father. As for being stopped/having accident, I don't know. Luckily, he hasn't had to make a claim, but this is a worry - that's why I turned to m'learned friends here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've never had a passport. The dvla accepted a birth certificate but I did physically go into the local Post Office for their identity verification thing as I didn't trust the postal service not to lose the birth certificate as DVLA want to see the original.
Why doesn't he try just filling in the lost licence thing. It might just get round their stupidity.
If that doesn't work then Watchdog as they did a feature on DVLA incompetence.
|
Im trying to get taken off as the registered keeper of a car I sold 4 months ago..
Ive notified DVLA 3 times by post, and now Emailed them.... just waiting for a response.
Worse than useless that lot - it took 8 weeks to send out the V5 for my new car!
|
|
Hmm posting on behalf of a relative - Is the OP related to Rattle?
|
Hmm posting on behalf of a relative - Is the OP related to Rattle?
Not that I know of! My father doesn't use this forum...
|
|
Have you tried to go into a local DVLA office to move this on?
|
|
OK-I've got a passport but I've just renewed my driving licence online-couldn't have been quicker or easier!!Outstanding service from the DVLA.
|
|
Further to above-applied Wednesday evening-it arrived in the post this morning!!!
|
Another thumbs-up for the DVLA:
The reg document for the CC3 arrived in a week and then a letter recording the transfer of my old car.
Very useful in the event of stray speeding or parking tickets turning up - which they haven't.
|
|
|
|
|
|
They refuse to budge an inch and .............. my father refuses to budge either.
Sounds like they're both as bad as one another. Tell your father to get D1 form and re-apply with acceptable identification which doesn't include a passport. His application could well be favourably processed by a different employee of DVLA. I don't see the point of him digging in his heels and thereby cutting off his nose to spite his face, which is what he appears to be doing at the moment.
|
Sounds like they're both as bad as one another. Tell your father to get D1 form and re-apply with acceptable identification which doesn't include a passport. His application could well be favourably processed by a different employee of DVLA. I don't see the point of him digging in his heels and thereby cutting off his nose to spite his face which is what he appears to be doing at the moment.
Done, done and done again. No use, every DVLA employee my father has dealt with has insisted on a passport.
|
|
Pop in to your local DVLA office...
|
Has he tried asking them for a letter stating why they are asking for something over and above what they need, they are obviously suspicious about something for some reason, you and he need to get to the bottom of why they are??
Sounds to me that a few words with someone higher up than those he's been dealing with are in order... plus his MP??
Edited by b308 on 18/08/2009 at 11:08
|
hey are obviously suspicious about something for some reason
I agree- they obviously have some doubts about the validiity of the ID that is being presented. Your father needs to asks exactly why it is unacceptable as it is line with that specified on their website - Or perhaps they have already told him?
|
|
|
|
Pop in to your local DVLA office... >>
rtj70 - all I need to say is "told you so":
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=77...0
|
Yes jbif - he's not been back lately either. At least to respond here.
This is an example of where going to the DVLA office would move things forward. When I renewed my photo licence I popped into one (the office was next to ours where I was working) to check my photo was okay etc. They then gave a receipt and posted it on for me internally. The new licence arrived within the week.
|
Yes jbif - he's not been back lately either. >>
He was here this morning: Tue 18 Aug 09 01:49
|
|
So he was ;-) I assumed not because he might have answered some questions.
|
he might have answered some questions. >>
which was the point of my "hidden" post (which was not to the liking of one of the moderators).
The thing that I find surprising here is that the OP says in his subject line "need help/advice". He then names and shames the the DVLA who cannot defend themselves. He then continues to ignore direct questions asked by backroomers who wish to give him "help/advice".
Is the DVLA not subject to the naming/shaming rules (when no supporting facts/evidence has been forthcoming from the OP or his father)?
Edited by jbif on 18/08/2009 at 20:41
|
A stalemate lasting several years has ensued
>>>
>>>>>>> i dont respond to those that dont help themselves
|
|
|
From this thread and others there is plenty of evidence to suggest the DVLA are normally an efficient department. I once had a guided tour of the entire building in Swansea, including sitting with some telephone operatives for a while.
The OP is deliberately not responding to questions in this thread and there has been plenty of advice. Maybe he's a bit stubborn like his dad over the licence thing ;-)
Let's hope his dad does not need to produce a licence before he realises he needs to sort this out.
In the meantime this thread is closed. If the OP emails me or one of the moderators and answer some of the questions then it can be re-opened. But there is no point asking for advice and then simply saying his dad won't budge.
Rob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
