PR Visa, driving licence
 

Can anyone help ease my mind on this one?

If I have to make a trip over to Oz to activate my visa prior to initial entry date and come back to UK to tie up loose ends, do I have to return within 3 months to do a straight drivers licence transfer or will I have 3 months from starting to live there? :confused:

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

you can't get an aussie driving license until you have a permanent address in the state for which you are applying for the license. so it will only be once you are living in whichever state you choose that you need to get a license within three months.

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

Hello,

The three months starts from when you arrive to stay permanently, so a validation trip does not count. Also, the 3 months is the time for which your UK licence is valid. The transfer procedure is the same regardless of whether you do it within the 3 months or not. Note that this is the rule in Victoria and I think it is the same in other states.

Regards
Alistair

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

For a variety of reasons, it is *not* a good idea to go over the 3 months limit.


Jeremy

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

what if you are living with relatives for the first few months! does that count as a permanant address?

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

If you've moved to the state and intend to stay there, yes it does.
As to how you can prove your residence, check the website of the relevant authority for their requirements.

Jeremy

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

If you do not have proof of address (e.g. bank statement or utility bill) then a WA licence holder can go to the licencing centre with you and complete a stat dec. This is what I was told at the West Perth centre anyway.

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

Agreed Jeremy, but I was highlighting the point that the 3 months does not apply to what you have to do to change your licence - it only applies to the validity of your UK licence. A lot of people seem to get the impression that if they do not transfer within 3 months then they will have to do the full test. This is not true; you do the same conversion at 4 months as you would do at 2 months, the only difference is that you would not be allowed to drive for a month because you do not have a valid licence after month 3.

Regards
Alistair :)

Re: PR Visa, driving licence
 

Thanks for all the help, I was worried that I would have to do the full test after 3 months, not worried about the test but having to display P plates with 20 years driving experience! :eek: