Spouse Visa - do I need to get a QLD drivers license at the moment?

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Feb 8th 2009, 11:51 am

Gussy

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Spouse Visa - do I need to get a QLD drivers license at the moment?

I've heard so many different opinions on here it hard to know what to believe.

I'm on a Spouse Visa here in Australia with a full Irish drivers license. Can anyone confirm if I need to swap my Irish license for a QLD one since I've been living here for more than 3 months? From my understanding it only when I get permanent residency that I have to get one.

I also have a clean license, don't speed etc. but what happens to any demerit points that one would accumulate in Australia when you go to get your QLD license? I've always wondered this in case I ever get any!

Thanks guys

Feb 8th 2009, 12:01 pm

moneypenny20

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Re: Spouse Visa - do I need to get a QLD drivers license at the moment?

If you're on a temp visa you don't need to change over, you can stay on your current one until you have been PR for three months. However an Aussie licence the best form of ID you can have. Many places won't accept a 'foreign' one and you presumably have to take loads of different IDs to prove who you are at the moment.

Feb 8th 2009, 12:05 pm

looky

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Re: Spouse Visa - do I need to get a QLD drivers license at the moment?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gussy

Why not go for it if your Irish licence is on the recognised list for a straight swap? Its a very convenient form of ID besides medicare card.

Feb 8th 2009, 10:31 pm

ABCDiamond

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Re: Spouse Visa - do I need to get a QLD drivers license at the moment?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gussy

I've heard so many different opinions on here it hard to know what to believe.

I also have a clean license, don't speed etc. but what happens to any demerit points that one would accumulate in Australia when you go to get your QLD license? I've always wondered this in case I ever get any!

Thanks guys

The official information from QLD transport:

Quote:

Q: When would my authority to drive in Queensland on my foreign driver licence be suspended?

A: Your authority to drive in Queensland on your foreign driver licence will be suspended if you have:

not paid any fines imposed on you by a court
accumulated an excess number of demerit points on your traffic history
been convicted of driving at more than 40 kilometres per hour over the speed limit

If you work on the basis that any points you get in QLD will be transferred to a QLD licence, then it won't be worse than that.

I have heard of that happening, but I have also heard of where people do not get them transferred. It may just be pot luck.