Sugarcane Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Hi People, We migrated to Oz in Feb. My UK driving licence will run out this month (10 years from last issue). RTA (now RMS) told me I'm not eligible for NSW licence as I have to be continuously in Australia for 6 months. I last went on holidays in May, so can't get NSW licence yet. There is an option of renewing british licence online. But it clearly says one has to be resident of UK at the time of application. Also on last page of online application they say they will check data with few agencies. So I stopped my online application there. Any help/tips/ information on this urgent issue will be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grabri Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I have been reading online and seems that you can't renew...If that's the case just use a family or friend to help you out, say you live at their address and get them to send license over to you. But then change to Oz ASAP as otherwise you could get in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cez Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 What visa are you on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarcane Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 I'm on 457. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furkew Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 It seems a bit confusing, because you must apply for a NSW license after 3 months, but you have to have been in the country for 6 months? "If you do not hold permanent Australian residency, but will be in NSW for more than 3 months, you can be issued with a Temporary Overseas Visitor licence." "If you’re a temporary overseas visitor (ie not an Australian citizen and not a permanent resident of Australia), you can choose to apply for a NSW licence if you wish. See Moving to NSW for the application requirements. The following conditions apply: You’ll only be eligible to apply for a NSW licence after you’ve been in Australia for a continuous period of six months immediately before you apply for the licence, unless you’re applying for a NSW learner licence and you don’t hold an overseas licence" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cez Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 You only have to apply for a licence once you've been pr for three months. You can drive on an overseas licence indefinitely as long as you remain on a temporary visa. Once you become pr you're subject to the three month limit. Hmmm a tricky situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Your licence doesn't expire until you are 70, only the photo card part (without fraudulently saying you live at a friend or relatives address it can't be renewed from overseas). In other threads it has been said that it can still be used to drive on in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarcane Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 Your licence doesn't expire until you are 70, only the photo card part (without fraudulently saying you live at a friend or relatives address it can't be renewed from overseas). In other threads it has been said that it can still be used to drive on in Australia. Thanks for the ray of hope Peach. Can you kindly elaborate? Or a link to previous discussion will be a great favour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraxFM Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Your licence doesn't expire until you are 70, only the photo card part (without fraudulently saying you live at a friend or relatives address it can't be renewed from overseas). In other threads it has been said that it can still be used to drive on in Australia. Yes, if you check the date on the back of the card part in box no 11 it will have the full expiry date on, this should be the same as your paper part. It's only the photocard that expires as they like you to update your photo every 10 years. Unless you have a medical condition that restricts you. My husband is diabetic so he only gets a licence for 3 years at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbclark Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I was in the same situation last year had a trip back to the UK in July and my UK photo card expired end of October. I went to my local rta to ask their advice and they suggested I go back on the day my UK licence was due to expire and they gave me a nsw licence even though I hadn't been in the country for six months continuously. Might be worth a chat with your local office/manager. This was in Castle Hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbclark Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 re the three month six month thing if you are on permanent visa you have to get a nsw licence within three months of moving here. If you are on a temp visa like a 457 you don't have to get one at all but if you choose to or need to for other reasons then you have to have lived here for six months continuously so if you leave for a holiday etc then you start that six months again and also your licence is only valid for 12 months at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarcane Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 I was in the same situation last year had a trip back to the UK in July and my UK photo card expired end of October. I went to my local rta to ask their advice and they suggested I go back on the day my UK licence was due to expire and they gave me a nsw licence even though I hadn't been in the country for six months continuously. Might be worth a chat with your local office/manager. This was in Castle Hill. Did they mention any special clause that they might have used to give you licence? Or was it just some special consideration. What was the loophole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Your UK DL is valid till you are 70 or so. It's only the photo card part needs renewing every 10 years if resident in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbclark Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Did they mention any special clause that they might have used to give you licence? Or was it just some special consideration. What was the loophole? No they didn't mention how come they could give me one I was just thankful at the time that they did Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarcane Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 No they didn't mention how come they could give me one I was just thankful at the time that they did í*½í¸ Good news and relief. RMS in central coast gave me NSW licence a month before I was eligible. They said I was exempt from the 6 month clause as my photo licence would run out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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