Drivers license when waiting for PR and being on implied status

[daijoeboo]

My wife's NJ licence was taken when she swapped the licence for Ontario. I asked them why she has to give them up. The reply was "they are New Jersey's property, thus need to be returned".

Interesting, there must be some international agreement there.
The MOT here in Ontario did not confiscate my wife's Japanese license, whether by mistake or intentionally.
Maybe if its outside North America they don't want the burden of returning it.

 

[bbcj]

Interesting thread!

I've been meaning to ask,when you apply for a bc license,do you get to keep your home country license or do they take it?

In BC, they kept my home country licence. It will be returned to me if I return my BC licence.

 

[KarlR]

In BC, they kept my home country licence. It will be returned to me if I return my BC licence.

Ah I see...do you know what would happen if you applied for a new licnse while back in your home country?would they refuse you as they knew you had a canadian one?or just give you a replacement?

 

[bbcj]

Ah I see...do you know what would happen if you applied for a new licnse while back in your home country?would they refuse you as they knew you had a canadian one?or just give you a replacement?

Hi KarlR,

The rules for driving licence varies in different countries. E.g. UK doesn't have a rule that you can't have other driving licences. However, it appears BC has a rule that they do not want you to have other licences if you hold a BC one. When I submitted my UK licence, I was asked if I had any other licences.

 

[screech339]

Hi KarlR,

The rules for driving licence varies in different countries. E.g. UK doesn't have a rule that you can't have other driving licences. However, it appears BC has a rule that they do not want you to have other licences if you hold a BC one. When I submitted my UK licence, I was asked if I had any other licences.

I can understand BC keeping the licence used to swap licence for. But BC has no business asking if you have any other licence. If I had a third driver licence I would have said no. It is none of their business how many other licence I have besides the one I used to swap BC licence.

 

[CdnandTrini]

Interesting thread!

I've been meaning to ask,when you apply for a bc license,do you get to keep your home country license or do they take it?

In Ontario, my husband got to keep his (country of origin) regular license and his taxi license. Good thing too as he had to fly back to his home country for an emergency and needed to be able to drive. Probably different responses across Canada and often depends on the person you are dealing with.

 

[KarlR]

Hi KarlR,

The rules for driving licence varies in different countries. E.g. UK doesn't have a rule that you can't have other driving licences. However, it appears BC has a rule that they do not want you to have other licences if you hold a BC one. When I submitted my UK licence, I was asked if I had any other licences.

I see...
I have both an Irish and and australian license...guess I will have to choose which one to surrender...
Can you claim your home country's license back if you travel back to your home country?

 

[CdnandTrini]

I see...
I have both an Irish and and australian license...guess I will have to choose which one to surrender...
Can you claim your home country's license back if you travel back to your home country?

I might just keep the home country license, if that is where you may have to travel back to in case of an emergency. Just my opinion, not based on any factual knowledge.

Supplementary question on this thought to the other members - what is/are the penalties if KarlR does keep one or both of these licenses?

 

[bbcj]

I don't know what the implications are if they find out. I'd like to keep my home country licence too though I don't want anything that may affect my immigration

BC has rule that you are only allowed to keep one licence. It's on their website and was what I've been told on 2 different calls and 2 visits in person:
http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/Pages/Moving-from-another-country.aspx

So if you want to go home and use your home licence, I assume you just go surrender your BC licence to get your home licence. Then when you are back, surrender your home licence again to get your BC licence. Why that is I don't know. Perhaps to prevent some fraud with ID... that's only me assuming.

 

[chipolopolo]

I don't know what the implications are if they find out. I'd like to keep my home country licence too though I don't want anything that may affect my immigration

BC has rule that you are only allowed to keep one licence. It's on their website and was what I've been told on 2 different calls and 2 visits in person:
http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/Pages/Moving-from-another-country.aspx

So if you want to go home and use your home licence, I assume you just go surrender your BC licence to get your home licence. Then when you are back, surrender your home licence again to get your BC licence. Why that is I don't know. Perhaps to prevent some fraud with ID... that's only me assuming.

when your licence is swapped, it is sent back to the issuing body of that particular country so you can not get it back. In order to you will have to go and switch it back by surrendering your BC licence in your country, and in turn they will send it back to BC. Licences like all other government cards are property of issuing authorities and thus can not be held on to. Works the same in ontario too. My american licence was mailed back to PA DMV.
You will still be able to drive when you visit your home country with a Canadian issued licence(only italy and austria require an international permit which cost about $20). No need to make a big deal unless you plan to move back home permanently soon.

 

[CdnandTrini]

when your licence is swapped, it is sent back to the issuing body of that particular country so you can not get it back. In order to you will have to go and switch it back by surrendering your BC licence in your country, and in turn they will send it back to BC. Licences like all other government cards are property of issuing authorities and thus can not be held on to. Works the same in ontario too. My american licence was mailed back to PA DMV. You will still be able to drive when you visit your home country with a Canadian issued licence(only italy and austria require an international permit which cost about $20). No need to make a big deal unless you plan to move back home permanently soon.

Ummm....not sure if all of the info. above is 100% accurate.........An International Driver's License/Permit (IDL or IDP) is valid in over 150 countries and (unless you were referring to Europe/EU specifically and if they have different rules) many countries want to see them in conjunction with the driver's license from your country of origin.

"The IDP is valid in all countries that have signed the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic and is recognized in many countries that are not signatories to the Convention. You may be required to have a valid IDP to drive in some countries and some foreign car rental agencies may require you to have one to rent a car."

They generally cost between $15-$20 US/CDN and may be valid for up to one year. It's recommended that anyone wanting to drive in another country, check out the rules and regs. via the High Commission, Embassy, Consulate (or whatever the term used) in the respective country.

Here are some helpful links: http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/international-driving-permit

https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetailsV.aspx?&src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI%7EB%7E1&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg5&lang=en

As far as things working the same in Ontario as BC, our experience in Ontario was that no one at the Drivers Centre asked my husband to hand in his licenses and they obviously knew he was licensed from another country as we had to provide a notarized letter from the licensing authority in his home country so that he could get credit for his many years of experience and do the G1 and G2 within a week of each other.

We didn't think to ask about handing back his licenses because we both thought he would need them when he travels back and forth (due to some family obligations). On the day my husband and I went to do his road test over 85% of the people in the office that day doing their tests were also folks landed from other countries (I know because I did ask the registration clerk). I would think that the Driver Centers here in Ontario have experience with this unless they were simply too busy and forgot. That's always possible too!

 

[PTJ]

I am from UK and when I exchanged my DL for G, they indeed took my UK DL from me...I am talking about Toronto, Ontario

 

[truesmile]

I might just keep the home country license, if that is where you may have to travel back to in case of an emergency. Just my opinion, not based on any factual knowledge.

Supplementary question on this thought to the other members - what is/are the penalties if KarlR does keep one or both of these licenses?

How would KarlR ever get caught, without a search warrant being executed on him??

 

[bbcj]

As far as things working the same in Ontario as BC, our experience in Ontario was that no one at the Drivers Centre asked my husband to hand in his licenses and they obviously knew he was licensed from another country as we had to provide a notarized letter from the licensing authority in his home country so that he could get credit for his many years of experience and do the G1 and G2 within a week of each other.

We didn't think to ask about handing back his licenses because we both thought he would need them when he travels back and forth (due to some family obligations). On the day my husband and I went to do his road test over 85% of the people in the office that day doing their tests were also folks landed from other countries (I know because I did ask the registration clerk). I would think that the Driver Centers here in Ontario have experience with this unless they were simply too busy and forgot. That's always possible too!

It appears that each province has its own set of rules. When I first enquired, I asked for a 'Canadian Licence' and was quickly corrected that there is no such thing. They are provincial.

What I noticed was that the licensing centre here in BC was very sure that my UK licence had 2 parts (1 photo ID plus 1 paper counterpart). When I went the first time, I barely passed the eye test (I hadn't had an eye exam in 2 years and didn't realize they got worse!) and the agent didn't let me pass but gave me a eye test form to take to an opticians. When I returned with the form signed by optician (after an eye-exam), another agent had to go get my application signed by her supervisor. So at least in my experience in BC, I know this can only be approved by someone more senior or supervisor.

 

[chipolopolo]

Ummm....not sure if all of the info. above is 100% accurate.........An International Driver's License/Permit (IDL or IDP) is valid in over 150 countries and (unless you were referring to Europe/EU specifically and if they have different rules) many countries want to see them in conjunction with the driver's license from your country of origin.

"The IDP is valid in all countries that have signed the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic and is recognized in many countries that are not signatories to the Convention. You may be required to have a valid IDP to drive in some countries and some foreign car rental agencies may require you to have one to rent a car."

They generally cost between $15-$20 US/CDN and may be valid for up to one year. It's recommended that anyone wanting to drive in another country, check out the rules and regs. via the High Commission, Embassy, Consulate (or whatever the term used) in the respective country.

Here are some helpful links: http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/international-driving-permit

https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetailsV.aspx?&src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI%7EB%7E1&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg5&lang=en

As far as things working the same in Ontario as BC, our experience in Ontario was that no one at the Drivers Centre asked my husband to hand in his licenses and they obviously knew he was licensed from another country as we had to provide a notarized letter from the licensing authority in his home country so that he could get credit for his many years of experience and do the G1 and G2 within a week of each other.

We didn't think to ask about handing back his licenses because we both thought he would need them when he travels back and forth (due to some family obligations). On the day my husband and I went to do his road test over 85% of the people in the office that day doing their tests were also folks landed from other countries (I know because I did ask the registration clerk). I would think that the Driver Centers here in Ontario have experience with this unless they were simply too busy and forgot. That's always possible too!

i did a direct swap for a full G licence. Maybe thats why they took mine and sent it back to the usa. I did ask for it back, but the lady after checking with her boss confirmed it has to be mailed back. Licences are property of the state that issued it or country. I didnt have to do any road test. Just an eye exam and got my licence instantly(temporary of course, original came two weeks later in mail)