Still waiting for French driving licence
Dec 21st 2018, 4:30 am
#1
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Still waiting for French driving licence
Anybody tried to exchange their UK licence for a French one since the system was centralised in Nantes?
My husband sent off the paperwork in October 2017 and, roughly a year later, received an attestation de dépôt together with instructions to send his actual UK licence to Nantes. He duly did so and we’ve heard nothing since. I tried calling them and eventually got through to a human who said foreign licenses weren’t her department and that the current waiting time for exchanging foreign licences was one year. I tried to explain that we’d already waited a year just to get the attestation de dépôt but she was supremely uninterested.
Anybody out there in a similar position?
My husband sent off the paperwork in October 2017 and, roughly a year later, received an attestation de dépôt together with instructions to send his actual UK licence to Nantes. He duly did so and we’ve heard nothing since. I tried calling them and eventually got through to a human who said foreign licenses weren’t her department and that the current waiting time for exchanging foreign licences was one year. I tried to explain that we’d already waited a year just to get the attestation de dépôt but she was supremely uninterested.
Anybody out there in a similar position?
Dec 22nd 2018, 11:15 am
#2
Quien no sabe
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,989
Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Anybody tried to exchange their UK licence for a French one since the system was centralised in Nantes?
My husband sent off the paperwork in October 2017 and, roughly a year later, received an attestation de dépôt together with instructions to send his actual UK licence to Nantes. He duly did so and we’ve heard nothing since. I tried calling them and eventually got through to a human who said foreign licenses weren’t her department and that the current waiting time for exchanging foreign licences was one year. I tried to explain that we’d already waited a year just to get the attestation de dépôt but she was supremely uninterested.
Anybody out there in a similar position?
My husband sent off the paperwork in October 2017 and, roughly a year later, received an attestation de dépôt together with instructions to send his actual UK licence to Nantes. He duly did so and we’ve heard nothing since. I tried calling them and eventually got through to a human who said foreign licenses weren’t her department and that the current waiting time for exchanging foreign licences was one year. I tried to explain that we’d already waited a year just to get the attestation de dépôt but she was supremely uninterested.
Anybody out there in a similar position?
Dec 23rd 2018, 6:57 am
#3
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Could be worse. She could be off having a punctuation bypass.
Dec 23rd 2018, 9:36 am
#4
Quien no sabe
Joined: Dec 2012
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Well there is someone you can complain to and they chase up the people in Nantes but I forget who or what dept they are, sorry thats one down sides of having a stroke is I can't even remember what I had for breakfast.
But someone here may know who that person is......
But someone here may know who that person is......
Last edited by Chatter Static; Dec 23rd 2018 at 9:37 am. Reason: Reboot reality.........
Dec 23rd 2018, 2:05 pm
#5
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Thanks Chatter Static.
And sorry to hear about your stroke.
And sorry to hear about your stroke.
Jan 7th 2019, 8:06 pm
#6
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Helen, would you mind to share with us how it all went?
A year to just receive an instruction to send? So what if the actual DL would have expired by then?
A year to just receive an instruction to send? So what if the actual DL would have expired by then?
Jan 11th 2019, 4:16 am
#7
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Hi Andy
Yes, that’s correct, almost a year just to receive the “attestation de dépôt” with the instruction to send in the old licence itself.
That was early November and we’re still waiting.
I have no idea what would happen if your UK licence expired in the meantime. My husband’s licence is one of the ancient UK paper licences that doesn’t expire until the holder reaches the age of 70.
The attestation is valid until mid-June but I suspect it’s only valid in France so we we’re not planning any driving holidays outside France for the foreseeable future. Certainly we couldn’t fly, say, to the US and hire a car, as we often do this time of year.
Yes, that’s correct, almost a year just to receive the “attestation de dépôt” with the instruction to send in the old licence itself.
That was early November and we’re still waiting.
I have no idea what would happen if your UK licence expired in the meantime. My husband’s licence is one of the ancient UK paper licences that doesn’t expire until the holder reaches the age of 70.
The attestation is valid until mid-June but I suspect it’s only valid in France so we we’re not planning any driving holidays outside France for the foreseeable future. Certainly we couldn’t fly, say, to the US and hire a car, as we often do this time of year.
Jan 15th 2019, 3:36 am
#8
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Swap UK driving licence, says government
Brits abroad and holidaymakers warned
[img]cid:[email protected]
Daniel Sandford
Home Affairs Correspondent
[img]cid:[email protected]
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The government is encouraging all British driving licence holders who live in the EU to exchange their licence for a local EU driving licence as soon as possible, in case there is a "no deal" Brexit.
It is also warning people who live in the UK that if they want to drive in Europe after March, they may need an international driving permit (IDP) in some countries.
In the guidance, which was updated today, the government warned UK drivers: "From 29 March 2019, in the event that there is no EU Exit deal, you may need an IDP in addition to your UK driving licence to drive in EU and EEA countries."
It also said that UK driving licence holders living in the EU from 29 March "may have to pass a driving test in the EU country you live in to be able to carry on driving there."
"You should consider exchanging your UK driving licence for an EU driving licence as soon as possible."
Increased demand may lead to longer processing times and delays to exchanging driving licences the closer it is to 29 March 2019," the guidance adds.
Brits abroad and holidaymakers warned
[img]cid:[email protected]
Daniel Sandford
Home Affairs Correspondent
[img]cid:[email protected]
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The government is encouraging all British driving licence holders who live in the EU to exchange their licence for a local EU driving licence as soon as possible, in case there is a "no deal" Brexit.
It is also warning people who live in the UK that if they want to drive in Europe after March, they may need an international driving permit (IDP) in some countries.
In the guidance, which was updated today, the government warned UK drivers: "From 29 March 2019, in the event that there is no EU Exit deal, you may need an IDP in addition to your UK driving licence to drive in EU and EEA countries."
It also said that UK driving licence holders living in the EU from 29 March "may have to pass a driving test in the EU country you live in to be able to carry on driving there."
"You should consider exchanging your UK driving licence for an EU driving licence as soon as possible."
Increased demand may lead to longer processing times and delays to exchanging driving licences the closer it is to 29 March 2019," the guidance adds.
Jan 16th 2019, 8:12 am
#9
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
Jan 16th 2019, 1:46 pm
#10
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Re: Still waiting for French driving licence
We had a similar experience. We both had the old paper UK driving licence's and made numerous trips to the prefecture each time to be met with a demand for more paperwork,some of which did not exist .After 9 months we spoke to our maire,he made a few calls and 10 days later our French driving licences arrived.
I would strongly recommend anyone who doesn't absolutely have to, to delay swapping their UK licence until Nantes has sorted out the current massive backlog.
