Stolen UK licence

Information and questions about driving in Andalucia, buying or importing cars and motorbikes plus legal issues surrounding taxes and licenses.
Helenm
Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:48 pm

Stolen UK licence

Postby Helenm » Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:19 pm

I find myself in something of a dilemma.....We left the UK in 1993 and moved to Dubai, where we lived for nearly 13 years. We were able to swap our UK licences for UAE licences, so there was no problem there at all.

We moved to Spain five years ago. My UAE licence (which we understood to be valid here in Spain) expired about a year later. I was not able to change my old-style, non-photo licence to a new style one, because I was not living in the UK. My husband has, clearly, not been able to do so either (although his UAE licence is still in date). As it happens, I think I'd only driven a couple of times since we moved here as my OH is a dreadful passenger!

In the summer of 2008 our house was burgled and my UK licence was stolen. The DVLA were extremely helpful when I called them, confirming that there were no circumstances under which I could get a new UK licence, short of moving back to the UK. They were, however, prepared to issue a letter confirming that I was eligible to hold a UK licence, and the lady I spoke to believed that this could be 'swapped' for a Spanish licence.

However, we have never taken out formal residencia here and 'the bloke down the pub' told us that these letters from the DVLA (which expire after three months) could only be used to obtain a Spanish licence if one has residencia.

Is this in fact the case? Have things changed in the past couple of years such that I now could pbtain a Spanish licence with one of these letters but without residencia? (or indeed, was 'the bloke' wrong in the first place?). Any clarification would be much appreciated.

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby El Cid » Sun Dec 05, 2010 6:05 pm

Even if you not been burgled, you cannot change a Dubai licence for a Spanish licence even if it was originally changed from a UK licence.

Your only alternative is to obtain a new UK licence but as you have found, as you have told them that you are no longer UK resident' they will not do that.

You can get a certificate of entitlement from them to get a Spanish licence but only if you are resident.

If you have been here for five years and not declared yourself to be resident then you have potentially been living in Spain illegally for that time and probably also evading Spanish taxes.

It's the price you pay for not conforming to the rules on residency.

Sid

Helenm
Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:48 pm

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby Helenm » Sun Dec 05, 2010 6:37 pm

Thanks, Sid, for responding so quickly.

I personally have virtually no income and what I do have is taxed at sourced We pay all the property taxes annually. I'm sorry that you appear to think I'm some kind of tax dodger.

From reading through posts on the subject, it does appear that things have changed whilst we've been here and that now 'residence' is most unclear. However, it looks as through if go along to either the police station or local foreigners office and declare myself to be resident, and get the appropriate form from them, I might be able to get a Spanish licence. That certainly seem to be the way forward, despite the fact that from a linked site, it appears that there have been government representatives suggesting that anyone demanding to see residencia shoud be reported

Anyway, thanks for your post.

Helen

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby El Cid » Sun Dec 05, 2010 6:58 pm

Helenm wrote:I personally have virtually no income and what I do have is taxed at sourced We pay all the property taxes annually. I'm sorry that you appear to think I'm some kind of tax dodger.
Just because it is taxed at source in the UK doesn't mean that you don't have to declare it in Spain (unless it is a UK government pension).

Anyone who can afford to live in Spain will almost certainly have an income greater than the minimum required for a tax declaration which can be as low as €1600/pa.

There are thousands of people in Spain who are "tax dodgers" and completely unaware of it - usually from bad advice given by so called "Financial Advisors".

This link gives a very good guide to tax declaration requirements.

http://www.advoco.es/home/22-latest/39- ... eturn.html

Sid

User avatar
dxf
Resident
Posts: 573
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2004 5:51 pm
Location: Chiclana Cadiz
Contact:

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby dxf » Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:53 pm

Hi

Who cares if you are a "tax dodger"? Does the right hand talk to the left hand? The best course of action is to get the necessary paperwork - go forth and try. They can only say No (but might say yes).

So get a "Member of the EU" (Certificado de registro de ciudadano de La Union) from the police station after you get a certificate of Empadron from your Ayuntamiento which says where you live. Get photocopies (including your passport etc) and go try - you never know Bureaucracy is sometimes a wondrous beast

Davexf

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby El Cid » Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:40 pm

dxf wrote:Who cares if you are a "tax dodger"?

Yes, I care, as if people do not pay the taxes that the rest of us pay, we will pay more tax to make up for the the tax not paid by the "Tax Dodgers".

Sid

User avatar
dxf
Resident
Posts: 573
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2004 5:51 pm
Location: Chiclana Cadiz
Contact:

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby dxf » Mon Dec 06, 2010 7:02 am

Helenm wrote:Thanks, Sid, for responding so quickly.

I personally have virtually no income and what I do have is taxed at sourced We pay all the property taxes annually. I'm sorry that you appear to think I'm some kind of tax dodger.


Helen
Hi Sid,

As the OP said - all their income is taxed at source; it is you that have taken the thread off topic. Please start another thread if you feel so inclined. As for me - I have written several articles on the topic "One day I may be legal". I just keep plugging away; but that is what I want to do. I do not have the right to tell others what to do.

Davexf

julian
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 5976
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 8:38 pm
Location: marbella

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby julian » Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:00 am

this forum is full of examples where in the future the person who is not doing things as they should be done here will be complainting that the spanish lawyers, tax consultants and gestorias are at fault for the problems they will later have for not doing things as they should be done in the first place..we´ll hear the usual story of , "I was given bad advice, and spain, the spanish and the spanish system was at fault", when it really is down to the individual to make the decision to do things legally...how can the lawyers and gestoria´s here be expected to help the british and do things correctly when the information they are given is a pack of lies.

it´s unbelievable how often the expats moan about the system when they are the first to try to trick the system,
if the live in spain they should take the test here and get a licence here
comments like who cares if you are a tax dodger, and advice to trick the system doesn´t help people to have all their papers in order

User avatar
fincalospinos
Resident
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:17 am
Location: Caleta de Velez

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby fincalospinos » Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:11 pm

The other alternative is to go through the system as if you were applying for a first licence here in Spain.
Apply for a provisional and take the test.
Hardworking resident !!

gus-lopez
Resident
Posts: 1572
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2010 8:55 am
Location: Lorca, Murcia ,Spain

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby gus-lopez » Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:18 pm

El Cid wrote:
Helenm wrote:I personally have virtually no income and what I do have is taxed at sourced We pay all the property taxes annually. I'm sorry that you appear to think I'm some kind of tax dodger.


Anyone who can afford to live in Spain will almost certainly have an income greater than the minimum required for a tax declaration which can be as low as €1600/pa.



http://www.advoco.es/home/22-latest/39- ... eturn.html

Sid
Not exactly true. I live in Spain, am an official permanent resident ,& have a spanish driving licence. We have no income either earned or from a pension, most of our money is here in spain & we have no obligation to pay tax as we receive no interest on the money , just spend capital. The 1600€ limit is interest on investment income , per family, & if you don't have any you're not liable to make a declaration. Before anyone comments I did it the same way in the Uk , & still do. I don't agree with any form of ' unearned income', be it interest , renting houses ,etc.
I know that we should register as zero tax payers , to avoid cgt when we sell , but as the cgt is likely to be on 95% of the profit anyway there doesn't seem much point ! & if I die I won't be worried anyway ! :thumbup:
Todos somos Lorca.

User avatar
janda_grant2
Resident
Posts: 1060
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:21 pm
Location: Kirton, Lincs

Re: Stolen UK licence

Postby janda_grant2 » Mon Dec 06, 2010 2:33 pm

Gus, we were in a similar situation to you before H got his pension, but we did pay a little bit of tax on the interest our capital earned in ING direct, and by filling in a tax returen we have been able to claim it back. So do check it out of that applies to you. Even now we manage not to pay tax as we are taxed as a couple and reclaim the tax paid on interest. It may only be about 50€ or so, but it's your money so why not?
I can spell but I can't type


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot] and 21 guests