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Posted: Wed May 4, 2022 2:15pm
Legendary helpful member
Ian 77 wrote on Wed May 4, 2022 1:33pm:
As I have said if you live in Spain you should have a Spanish licence. .. and. It’s only if you spend time in Spain 3 months I think it is .. then the option I have said works … the licence lasts for 12 months and is renewable ..
It’s not a licence, it’s a permit - basically all it does is serve as a certified translation of your licence. You cannot drive on an IDP alone, it *MUST* be supported by a valid licence
Posted: Wed May 4, 2022 2:18pm
DarioMartin wrote on Wed May 4, 2022 2:13pm:
Mike and Vera, your passport grants you freedom of movement, unfortunately your UK licence means you’ll have to take the test. It is the nationality of the licence that matters, not the nationality of the passport holder
Many thanks. It might be easier to take a test in Ireland.
Vera wrote on Wed May 4, 2022 1:52pm:
I have just got my irish passport(eu).& have uk druving license so same as you. If you are classed as eu citizen&move to spain do you still have to take a test??
Yes, you do.
I took this to a European complaints route and they designated me an Irish contact from the EU. He told me that Spain is doing nothing wrong in legal terms because there is no law any more.
My comments to him were on the fact that I had secured "EU rights" by being resident long before the cut off date, I had dual citizenship British & Irish as well and the Guardia Civil had told me that the rule would not apply to me because of those factors. no response form Europe. They are probably unsympathetic and now have other issues more pressing to worry about.
For me there is also the general principles that law does not go backward in a civilised country (the idea being that the law can change to improve but should not create a detrimental state of affairs), so it should be no worse than the law prevailing before the UK joined the EU. The rider to this is that an EU country can make its own laws as long as they are not contradictory to EU laws....
So, Spain shoots itself in the foot again, trying to look modern but still acting in an irrational manner like ... well name your own country in the space ( ). :)
Posted: Wed May 4, 2022 2:40pm
MikeandLeann wrote on Wed May 4, 2022 2:18pm:
Many thanks. It might be easier to take a test in Ireland.
Just a thought. Does anyone know if it would be possible to swap my uk license for an Irish one ( I have Irish citizenship) then swap my Irish license for a Spanish one? Lol
Vera wrote on Tue May 3, 2022 2:55pm:
It is not but not on here to.argue with abrupt people!!!!! Costs nothing to be nice
Totally agree!!!
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DarioMartin wrote on Wed May 4, 2022 2:13pm:
Mike and Vera, your passport grants you freedom of movement, unfortunately your UK licence means you’ll have to take the test. It is the nationality of the licence that matters, not the nationality of the passport holder
Thank you Dario worth a try🤣🤣
Posted: Wed May 4, 2022 4:48pm
Helpful member
Shay123 wrote on Wed May 4, 2022 2:22pm:
Yes, you do.
I took this to a European complaints route and they designated me an Irish contact from the EU. He told me that Spain is doing nothing wrong in legal terms because there is no law any more.
Read more...
My comments to him were on the fact that I had secured "EU rights" by being resident long before the cut off date, I had dual citizenship British & Irish as well and the Guardia Civil had told me that the rule would not apply to me because of those factors. no response form Europe. They are probably unsympathetic and now have other issues more pressing to worry about.
For me there is also the general principles that law does not go backward in a civilised country (the idea being that the law can change to improve but should not create a detrimental state of affairs), so it should be no worse than the law prevailing before the UK joined the EU. The rider to this is that an EU country can make its own laws as long as they are not contradictory to EU laws....
So, Spain shoots itself in the foot again, trying to look modern but still acting in an irrational manner like ... well name your own country in the space ( ). :)
It is not just a game. Why is a driving licence necessary for everyone's protection?
To prove that the driver knows the specific rules of the road of the country normally driven in, is physically able, and has the skills to to drive safely. Different countries have different standards and rules, in Britain, new permanent residents with a foreign licence must take a test and get a British licence, not drive on a Burmese or Turkish licence (random choice of countries, no disrespect!). I doubt that they can take a test in Turkish or Burmese.
If laws on parking / driving /theft are broken, the police force of a country need to check the licence rapidly, maybe endorse it, not write to another country to request the name of the driver.
Posted: Wed May 4, 2022 5:12pm
Legendary helpful member
MikeandLeann wrote on Wed May 4, 2022 2:40pm:
Just a thought. Does anyone know if it would be possible to swap my uk license for an Irish one ( I have Irish citizenship) then swap my Irish license for a Spanish one? Lol
Depends where you are domiciled. I would imagine that the Irish licence, like the UK one, will require a declaration that you are domiciled in Ireland and spend at least ‘n’ days there per year (normally 183, but may be more)
Posted: Wed May 4, 2022 7:59pm
Helpful member
Alicia 11 wrote on Sun May 1, 2022 9:59am:
the day has arrived where if you have failed to exchange your driving licence for a Spanish one if you live here then you can no longer drive using your UK licence. The fact that it is difficult to get a test or driving lessons in english is not factored into it and the talks may go o...
Read more...
...n but if the men in green stop you you're in trouble.
So many warnings.... so much time to sort it out! We exchanged ours (with a simple test) as soon as we got our residencia....What was people's problems with doing this? There are as many Spanish people living in the UK as Brits in Spain.... but they have not been moaning and expecting to get a ''get out of jail card''!
Posted: Wed May 4, 2022 8:00pm
Helpful member
John99andrew wrote on Sun May 1, 2022 10:48pm:
Don’t hold your breath, some said it would never happen, the Spanish cannot survive without the English how wrong they where, not everything revolves around the English you live in Spain get used to it.
Exactly....
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