My relocation agent is setting up to get my wife and my drivers license transfer started. The reloc agent says that she has to turn in my USA license to the German government and that i wont get it back. IS this true? I REALLY dont want to give up my US DL for many reasons. Whats the story on this and how can I avoid it?
thanks.
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Turning in a driver's license to get a German one
Do I really have to give up my non-German licence?
We also had our agents tell us the same thing (for South African licenses) but while at the Ampt we just asked them to return the licenses to us because we travelled back home and needed them for that, the lady made a note, and they were both returned to us.
As far as I know you get it back if you turn back in your german dl.. Just give it to them and tell the US office you lost it and have them send you another one.
You have to turn your State driver's license in to have in converted into a German one.
Those are the rules.
Germany likes rules.
Ordnung muss sein.
Theoretically, your license will be sent by the Amt to your state RMV and your state RMV will cancel the driver's license.
But. I had my MA one converted into a German one, the AMT took it away. That afternoon, I called the MA RMV, 15 USD later I had another one issued to me. Telling them that I lost my wallet or some BS like that.
I know that either the Germans never sent it or the RMV never canceled it. Renently I got some mail from the MA RMV asking me if I'd like to renew my license - hence it was never canceled. And I got a speeding ticket in MA back a few years, I handed the cop the renewed licensed mentioned above.
Otherwise, you can get an international drivers license in conjunction with your new German one and that should work in the US.
Those are the rules.
Germany likes rules.
Ordnung muss sein.
Theoretically, your license will be sent by the Amt to your state RMV and your state RMV will cancel the driver's license.
But. I had my MA one converted into a German one, the AMT took it away. That afternoon, I called the MA RMV, 15 USD later I had another one issued to me. Telling them that I lost my wallet or some BS like that.
I know that either the Germans never sent it or the RMV never canceled it. Renently I got some mail from the MA RMV asking me if I'd like to renew my license - hence it was never canceled. And I got a speeding ticket in MA back a few years, I handed the cop the renewed licensed mentioned above.
Otherwise, you can get an international drivers license in conjunction with your new German one and that should work in the US.
>> Just give it to them and tell the US office you lost it and have them send you another one.
That's a $100 USD exchange. No fun.
Does anyone have any info (via website) that says the rules either way?
That's a $100 USD exchange. No fun.
Does anyone have any info (via website) that says the rules either way?
>> the lady made a note, and they were both returned to us.
encouraging to know. thanks.
encouraging to know. thanks.
>> Those are the rules. Germany likes rules. Ordnung muss sein.
Very true!
>> Telling them that I lost my wallet or some BS like that.
Well it looks like this is the best option. Thanks.
Very true!
>> Telling them that I lost my wallet or some BS like that.
Well it looks like this is the best option. Thanks.
QUOTE (cesar @ Jul 21 2008, 2:39 pm) 
That's a $100 USD exchange. No fun.
Seems pricey, what state are you in? But yeah, if you want to drive here for more than 6 months your going to have to suck it up and either have no US license or pay for an extra..
>> Seems pricey, what state are you in?
Oregon. Its actually $55 each. One each for the wife and me.
Oregon. Its actually $55 each. One each for the wife and me.
I don't know if it's different for US licenses, but when I exchanged my Canadian one for German, they just tucked my Canadian one away in a drawer somewhere. Because I don't feel like getting an international DL to drive back home while on vacation this summer, I went into the Führerscheinstelle, asked for my Canadian DL, and they switched them back right on the spot. I filled out some paperwork so they won't toss my German DL, and I can switch them around again for free when I get back to Germany in the fall.
QUOTE (cesar @ Jul 21 2008, 2:39 pm)
>> Just give it to them and tell the US office you lost it and have them send you another one.
That's a $100 USD exchange. No fun.
Does anyone have any info (via website) that says the rules either way?
That's a $100 USD exchange. No fun.
Does anyone have any info (via website) that says the rules either way?
QUOTE (cesar @ Jul 21 2008, 2:45 pm)
>> Seems pricey, what state are you in?
Oregon. Its actually $55 each. One each for the wife and me.
Oregon. Its actually $55 each. One each for the wife and me.
Dude, everything is more expensive here in Europe. This was true even before the USD started to resemble the MX Peso.
Check you the US State Dept website - I know they have info there about the conversion.
100 USD renewal is better than having the bad luck of coming from a US state that doesn't have an agreement with GY. Othewise, you'd be looking at 1000s of EUR - starting from scratch with a german drivers license. Just ask an NZer how much of a pain-in-the ass this is for them!
QUOTE (cesar @ Jul 21 2008, 2:39 pm)
>> the lady made a note, and they were both returned to us.
encouraging to know. thanks.
encouraging to know. thanks.
You'd be really lucky if they did this. I can't imagine that the sachbearbeiter was knowingly allowed to do this.
QUOTE (bluebell16 @ Jul 21 2008, 2:49 pm)
I don't know if it's different for US licenses, but when I exchanged my Canadian one for German, they just tucked my Canadian one away in a drawer somewhere. Because I don't feel like getting an international DL to drive back home while on vacation this summer, I went into the Führerscheinstelle, asked for my Canadian DL, and they switched them back right on the spot. I filled out some paperwork so they won't toss my German DL, and I can switch them around again for free when I get back to Germany in the fall.
Did you have to present the Candians with a translation into English/French of your German driver's license?
>> his was true even before the USD started to resemble the MX Peso.
Couldn't have been said any truer. Bring on the Amero! but that's a whole different thread in itself!
Couldn't have been said any truer. Bring on the Amero! but that's a whole different thread in itself!
QUOTE (Bumpy @ Jul 21 2008, 2:57 pm)
Did you have to present the Candians with a translation into English/French of your German driver's license?
No, I didn't exchange them back in Canada. I did it right here in Stuttgart, as the authorities in Stuttgart kept my Canadian DL the entire time.
However, if I were to go back to Canada with my German DL and try to change them there, I'd probably just say I'd lost my Canadian DL, as I'm not authorised to drive the same sorts of vehicles over here as I am in Alberta. I don't know if that has anything to do with the translation I got.
QUOTE (Bumpy @ Jul 21 2008, 2:38 pm)
Those are the rules.
Yes, but the rules allow for an exception.
QUOTE (Bumpy @ Jul 21 2008, 2:55 pm)
You'd be really lucky if they did this. I can't imagine that the sachbearbeiter was knowingly allowed to do this.
The rules explicitly allow the authorities to make exceptions to the return of the foreign license:
"In begründeten Fällen kann die Fahrerlaubnisbehörde davon absehen, den ausländischen Führerschein in Verwahrung zu nehmen oder ihn an die ausländische Stelle zurückzuschicken."
http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fev/__31.html
Different Führerscheinstellen have different policies/procedures, but it is not a violation of the FeV for them to allow you to keep the foreign license.
About half of US states have full reciprocity ... meaning you can use your US license to get a German license. Note: Only for cars ... motorcycle and other classes are a no-go. I seem to remember you are from Oregon, so as far as I know, you'll still have to take the written test in Germany.
You can make the case (as I did) that one needs to retain one's US license for return business trip rental cars ... have your company crank out an official-looking letter. In my case, the German authorities shrugged and said "fine". Don't forget, this is under a simliar rule of international law as passports and things that foreign governments (unlike state governments) technically have no right to demand be surrendered to them. They generally try do so for the same reason states do ... they want to keep people from piling up infractions on different licenses.
The other way around, there was no way my German wife was going to turn in her German license for a US one when we lived there, so she went and took the road and written test and received her US one. This was an unusual example of where Germany was actually less "letter of the law" than the US would have been.
Just make sure it stays at a valid address or you won't get the renewal notices ... and be prepared to go back for photo er-takes, eye tests etc. every four years. Plus, you'll have to deal with annoying requests for jury duty, etc. that will require letters to get you out of it.
You can make the case (as I did) that one needs to retain one's US license for return business trip rental cars ... have your company crank out an official-looking letter. In my case, the German authorities shrugged and said "fine". Don't forget, this is under a simliar rule of international law as passports and things that foreign governments (unlike state governments) technically have no right to demand be surrendered to them. They generally try do so for the same reason states do ... they want to keep people from piling up infractions on different licenses.
The other way around, there was no way my German wife was going to turn in her German license for a US one when we lived there, so she went and took the road and written test and received her US one. This was an unusual example of where Germany was actually less "letter of the law" than the US would have been.
Just make sure it stays at a valid address or you won't get the renewal notices ... and be prepared to go back for photo er-takes, eye tests etc. every four years. Plus, you'll have to deal with annoying requests for jury duty, etc. that will require letters to get you out of it.
When I exchanged my Arizona license for a German one in Hessen, they gave it back to me, though they had punched a hole in it (didn't seem to bother the cop that pulled me over for speeding in the US). They also made a note in my German driver's license that I had a US license as well. My sister did the same thing in Rostock the same year (1997) and she got to keep her license as well. No hole or note though.
It seems to me it depends on the office you go to. But like others have said, just get a replacement license when you are back in the States, if they do take yours away. Problem solved.
It seems to me it depends on the office you go to. But like others have said, just get a replacement license when you are back in the States, if they do take yours away. Problem solved.
more good news. im totally getting my license back. comments have been very informative. thank you.
and how did u manage to get it back? any information on the process/ documents required, would be helpful...
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