Provisional Driving Licence

剛剛在上一篇"銀行開戶"的文章中, 我們提到"Provisional Driving Licence". What is it? When to apply for a photocard provisional driving licence?

You cannot start to drive a car until your provisional driving licence has been accepted and in your possession. You can apply for your provisional driving licence 2 months before your 17th Birthday. 叮!!! 時間到! Time's up! 猜到了嗎? 就是"學習駕照"啦!

銀行行員要你去辦的是provisional driving license (學習駕照), 因為學習駕照上會列示你的姓名、照片、英國現居地址. 2009年3月去申辦學習駕照要£50.00. 各位要辦各類駕照, 可以到各Post Office(郵局)去要申請表格(Your first move should get a DVLA “Provisional Driving Licence”application form from any Post Office in the UK). Please note that you need to find a suitable person who can sign your photo and Section 6 in the application form. 我找誰幫我簽? 當然是我那任勞任怨又苦命的博士班指導教授囉!

Section 6 – Signing a photo to verify identity (if necessary)
You must get someone reliable to sign the back of your photo if you are providing identity documents other than an up-to-date passport or UK travel document, UK Identity Card for Foreign Nationals/Residence Permit, or an EC or EEA identity card (with the exception of Sweden), as proof of your identity. If you are providing one of the above, you do not need to have your photo signed by anyone.

Suitable people who can sign your photo include:
1) local business people or shopkeepers;
2) librarians;
3) professionally qualified people (for example, lawyers, teachers or engineers);
4) police officers;
5) bank or building society staff;
6) civil servants;
7) ministers of religion;
8) magistrates;
9) local councilors, Members of Parliament, Assembly Members, Members of the Scottish Parliament or Members of the European Parliament.

We will make checks on people who sign photocard driving licence applications.
If you have come to live in the United Kingdom within the last two years and you cannot have your photo signed by someone who has known you for at least two years within the UK, you should take all the documents to your nearest DVLA local office. They will sign your photo and fill in section 6 of the application form. The DVLA local office will send your application and original identity documents to us at DVLA, Swansea.

辦駕照所需資料及相關手續, 請參考 UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA): http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drvingb.htm (How to fill in your Application for a driving licence (D1)For more information go to www.direct.gov.uk/driving)

雖說辨學習駕照有點貴, 但它的有效期限是10年, 用會計折舊的觀念來看, 一年費用5英磅, OK啦! 可以拿來當身分証用嘛! Positive Thining la! 不要太難過了!

p.s. 拿觀光簽証來的只能用國際駕照開12個月(自入境起算).