You can go South, but not your Car!

Simhar


Joined: 18/05/2009
Posts: 226

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 20:38

Help!

Tried to cross to the south at Metahan today but needed new car tax and insurance. Both my wife's and my photo part of our UK licence has expired so the lady in the tax office said no tax and no insurance. They will not accept our TRNC licence at all! Trouble is we can't renew our photo cards cos we don't have a UK address (we could use the in-laws address although I am not sure how carefully they check to see if you are living there) but we can't change our address on our licence as we don't have a valid photocard. catch 22.



So are we now banned from taking our car to the south? can we only get to the South by walking? is there a way of renewing our licences that we haven't thought of?



Any advice gladly accepted

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 20:45

Pity that! It is a fact that they don't seem to lkie TRNC licences, especially in the hands of ex pats.



What about getting an International Driving Licence? I amk sure you don';t want to do anything illegal, but using your in laws' address could be an answer. Or why not check with the BRS as to whether they know if the south should accept TRNC licences. There seems to be differing opinions.



Obviously for now, it looks as though you will have to walk over and get a taxi the other side, or hire a car - oops, you can't do that cos you don't have a Driving Licence do you? Or would THEY accept the TRNC one.



But I really do think it best to check with an authority that knows - not just us on the Forum.

Simhar


Joined: 18/05/2009
Posts: 226

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 20:50

Thanks Maz



Had already thought about an International Driving Licence but it appears you can only get one if you have a valid UK licence......hmmmmm here we go again!



I agree that the Forum is not a legal body and I will need to check with the proper authorities, but someone on here might have been in the same position and found a solution. Here's hoping!

harita


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 1343

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 20:56

Try the change of address part of the UK licence form, to your "in laws" address .. It worked for me ..

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 20:58

Not been in the same situation, but terrified I might have been - hence my U.K licence is kept up. Same for my husband, although it is unlikely he will bother to drive in U.K. again.



I know there has been serious discussion as to why ex pats with TRNC licences (especially those for whom N.Cyprus is their only home) cannot go south. I believe it has also been said that they CAN and that they should not be stopped.



M aybe you could go to the border with a Turkish Cypriot friend and talk to the police to get them to talk to their counterparts, or better sitll if you know someone who speaks Greek as well......



Good luck in sorting it out. It is a real headache and leaves a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth if you let it. But one of the challenges here is sorting out things that should not happen, but do.

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 20:59

Harita's advice should help. It will take a while to organise, but worth it!

harita


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 1343

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 21:06

I posted this on a previous thread re licences ..



I have done a licence change twice from here ..



Changed my wifes' paper licence to the plastic photo licence from our old Uk address to a friends (no charge) .. I did this by down loading the form .. Giving all the necessary filled in form, photo etc. to someone returning to the Uk to post to DVLA .. The licence was sent to our friends address & then re-posted to someone who was coming to Cyprus .. Job done



Changed my licence which was aready registered at our friends address .. On-line .. When you reach 70 the licence has to be changed to a 3 year licence .. A form was sent to our friends .. Emailed to me here .. Filled in, emailed to DVLA .. Licence sent to friends & re-posted & hand delivered here ..



In your case the new licence would be sent to your "in laws" address

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 21:08

Do it , its always best to have that licence till the situation changes here x

Simhar


Joined: 18/05/2009
Posts: 226

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 21:09

Thanks guys



Harita we can try that for my wife but I haven't a clue where my paper part of my licence is (yes i know I am useless) Just have to hope that DVLC don't pick up on her photocard is out of date.



Maz, when we went to the border today after we had been refused by the lady in the tax office I asked the greek police if they could move the cones so I could go back home. They asked what the problem was, talked amongst themselves and went and got the most senior officer there (lots of pips), he went and spoke to the tax lady and told her that they were happy with my wife's paper part of her licence. Lady "jobsworth" tax person still said no and told the police that it was not their department! the Police apologised and said nothing more they could do. I was amazed they even tried, but nice to be proved wrong. Anyway the tax lady also said after throwing our TRNC licence across the desk that "they" cannot accept a licence issued in the occupied part of cyprus in the "free" par

gooligan


Joined: 30/01/2007
Posts: 1591

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 21:20

You can renew your license online here,they get your photo and signiture from your passport details,just swapped my paper one and should be arriving at my sister's any day soon,free of charge as well.



http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions/DG_10032915

Simhar


Joined: 18/05/2009
Posts: 226

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 21:37

Sorry Gooligan



you can't renew your photo card on-line. Yes you can, as you have done, swap from a paper licence to a photo card but not renew an existing photo card (they only last 10 years)



Thanks anyway.



I think I will follow harita's advice and try to change my wife's address using the form on the paper part then change mine when I next go back to the UK.



Thanks to everyone

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 21:42

TC's have no problem with their TC license it's just expats who cannot do it.



Is this legal? probably not.



You could ask the High Commission during their two hour two day a week working times but you'll get no help there.

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 22:03

newscoop;

Your TRNC driving licence is only valid in TRNC as a 'visitor'.



As for 'TC's',well we are Cypriots after all,hence the reason I always use my TRNC identity card(kimlik) and license at crossing,just to wind them up.

spangles


Joined: 22/10/2008
Posts: 411

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 22:08

I was recently behind someone who also had this problem.



One thing to note with photo card licences is that although the licence is valid for ten years the photograph is only valid for seven. A lot of people don't seem to know this - but the tax office lady certainly does.

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 23:09

yorguzlu;



my TRNC license is no different to yours, except perhaps the place of birth.



A friend of mine the son of a TC has no UK license, but even though he was born in London as is stated on his license he somehow gets his road tax/MOT.



Why is this given that both licenses are identical in every way word for word?



If a TC license is valid for a TC in an EU country why not for an EU citizen?



Just asking.

Geoff


Joined: 25/06/2008
Posts: 1370

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 23:18

If you need to ask, you just don't understand Cyprus.

Geoff

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
22/02/2011 23:59

It seems ridiculous that a TC can cross with a TRNC licence, but someone with an EU passport and a TRNC licence cannot. I am sure that is just being nit picky, and it is interesting that the police tried to be helpful. I bet it is just a stance by the 'Jobsworth' person. I sitll think it would be good if someone could find out WHY this is the case, especially as I said earlier, for those for whom this is thei ronly address. Or if those people became citizens of here would that then be O.K, even though they are the same people, with the same address and same faces?



As to message 16 may I ask 'Does anyone?'

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 00:01

Geoff;



12 years here and I still don't get it, scary or what?

boerboel


Joined: 02/05/2009
Posts: 290

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 00:28

Harita Msg 7



When you changed yours, how long did you say you had lived at your friends address? We have the same situation, can use our son's address (which we use for bank purposes) but not sure whether to say 3 years plus (the time we have been here) in case they check the electoral role which we are not on or should we just say a couple of months.



Boerboel

cyprusdave



Joined: 18/08/2009
Posts: 83

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 03:23

I USE MY TC LICENCE IN THAILAND AND THEY ACCEPT IT NO PROBLEMS

johndp


Joined: 08/09/2009
Posts: 497

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 04:53

I have used my TC licence to hire a car in the UK as well without any problems but had heard they were tightening up in GC south

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 05:51

They (RoC) accept our TRNC licences,simple because they have to,not because they are valid nor recognised in EU.Use your TRNC licence in EU and (god forbid) have an accident in EU,then you'll find out how valid your(as an EU citizen) TRNC licence is.

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 09:03

I tried to renew our tax last week and my UK photo driving ID is in UK (waiting for my return next week). I took a photocopy of my photo ID licence and paper licence before sending off. I use a UK address for mine. Went to the tax place at Metahan... same as everyone else, he would not do it without the original UK licence. I asked if he could do it on my TRNC licence and he said No, as I was a European Union citizen I HAD to use my UK licence.



My husband went the following day (he has his UK photo licence and paper licence) to do the tax and they did not even ask to see his driving licence!!!!!



I guess it all depends on who you get on the day. Ours is now renewed thank goodness. DVLA will ONLY post your licence to the address shown on it so if you are using your in-laws then that is where it will go. Good luck.

Geoff


Joined: 25/06/2008
Posts: 1370

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 09:03

Re Msg 17: NO!!

We are all members of the mushroom club, kept in the dark and fed on sh*t.

Geoff

stellasstar1



Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 1519

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 12:27

Can't you say that you are on holiday for 2 months and just realised your driving licence has run out, and then ask them to post it here. You could always ring them up first to see if they will do it, before sending our old one off.

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
23/02/2011 13:30

Stellastar1 ...it does not matter where you are. I sent a letter with mine to try and have it delivered to my first port of call in UK. DVLA ignored it and sent it to the address on the licence. I was constantly in touch with my family at the first port of call and wondering why it had not turned up. I rang my rented home in UK and sure enough, it was there.