Drivers Licence

[lowrider]

Hey guys.

Can anyone out there help please!

Im in S.L on holiday and staying longer than expected. I didnt bring my licence and wanted to get one here, as i am a srilankan. Having been out most of my life, i do not have a S.L national ID, just applied for it, they say bout 3 months. I went for the written test and passed it and was given a date for the trial. When i went for the trial, they say i need the i.d even though i had applied with my passport! I bought a bike here and cant use it! Amy suggestions? Isnt there anything like a temporary licence ?

[Ripper]

Hey guys.

Can anyone out there help please!

Im in S.L on holiday and staying longer than expected. I didnt bring my licence and wanted to get one here, as i am a srilankan. Having been out most of my life, i do not have a S.L national ID, just applied for it, they say bout 3 months. I went for the written test and passed it and was given a date for the trial. When i went for the trial, they say i need the i.d even though i had applied with my passport! I bought a bike here and cant use it! Amy suggestions? Isnt there anything like a temporary licence ?

mate i think there's one day service option available at a small additional fee for your ID card... with DL of course the tricky thing is getting a trial date... unless of course you know a bigshot within RMV...

I knew a girl, non sri lankan, who got her DL delivered to office within a day her dad was a bigshot and knew other bigshots

There must be a temp license thing but i'm assuming that too would need you to show you DL from the country of your residence...

I knew a brit who droive in SL for a few months with his UK DL

[maliths]

mate i think there's one day service option available at a small additional fee for your ID card... with DL of course the tricky thing is getting a trial date... unless of course you know a bigshot within RMV...

I knew a girl, non sri lankan, who got her DL delivered to office within a day her dad was a bigshot and knew other bigshots

There must be a temp license thing but i'm assuming that too would need you to show you DL from the country of your residence...

I knew a brit who droive in SL for a few months with his UK DL

Hi

I know for a fact that the UK license is not valid in Sri Lanka. Im not sure why but it isnt. The thing you can do is if you have a foreign license you can go to the AA and maybe get a international license. I think its just a piece of paper but that might make your foreign license valid in Sri Lanka.

I cant imagine why they would refuse to let you go for the practical with your passport I mean the passport should be the same as the ID or even better.

[Arc Angel]

if you have your licence from whatever country you were in, then you should be able to use it to obtain an International licence from the AA.

edit: didn't see your last post before I posted this.

Edited August 21, 2008 by Arc Angel

[jaga]

If you have the sri lankan passport, it is more recognised than the NID.

Better you go and see the asst. commisioner (Tecnical) at RMV ) with your SRI LANKAN passport and he is a very nice person to halp you.

[milindu]

Hey guys.

Can anyone out there help please!

Im in S.L on holiday and staying longer than expected. I didnt bring my licence and wanted to get one here, as i am a srilankan. Having been out most of my life, i do not have a S.L national ID, just applied for it, they say bout 3 months. I went for the written test and passed it and was given a date for the trial. When i went for the trial, they say i need the i.d even though i had applied with my passport! I bought a bike here and cant use it! Amy suggestions? Isnt there anything like a temporary licence ?

You can take the the license from the country (english translation) you are from along with your passport and the photos, you can obtain the D/L from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (RMV) at Werahera just past Pepiliyana.

[lowrider]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

As i wasnt planning on stayong so long, i didnt bring my licence along but in any case, apparently, as a srilankan, i cant use a foreign licence here! As for the one day service, they tell me its only for people under 21 yrs of age! Any older and you have to wait 3 months! Yes you would think the PP is even better ID but not in S.L! The annoying thing is that i applied for the test with the passport and they acceped it. Then when i went for the written exam, i was told it can only be done with the NIC by the examiner and was taken to the Dep Commisioner.All this was at Werahera. He looked at my application and my PP and said its ok, it can be done as it is a Srilankan PP so i was allowed to do the test and passed and was given a date for the trial. I went for the trial and was told it cant be done without the NIC! Infact the same guy who allowed it the first time said the opposite this time! I went to the DMV in narahenpita and its just been a pillar to post thing from there! Since coming to SL, iv found that im being given a much harder time when i show that i am a Srilankan!Its a shame really!

[The Don]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

As i wasnt planning on stayong so long, i didnt bring my licence along but in any case, apparently, as a srilankan, i cant use a foreign licence here! As for the one day service, they tell me its only for people under 21 yrs of age! Any older and you have to wait 3 months! Yes you would think the PP is even better ID but not in S.L! The annoying thing is that i applied for the test with the passport and they acceped it. Then when i went for the written exam, i was told it can only be done with the NIC by the examiner and was taken to the Dep Commisioner.All this was at Werahera. He looked at my application and my PP and said its ok, it can be done as it is a Srilankan PP so i was allowed to do the test and passed and was given a date for the trial. I went for the trial and was told it cant be done without the NIC! Infact the same guy who allowed it the first time said the opposite this time! I went to the DMV in narahenpita and its just been a pillar to post thing from there! Since coming to SL, iv found that im being given a much harder time when i show that i am a Srilankan!Its a shame really!

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. Its a pity our buffoons our country men treat our own in this way !

I once had a similar experience at the air port, when SL Airlines lost my bags, and was told they had been located, but I would have to come and collect them from the air port since I held a Sri Lankan passport. If I held a British passport they would have delivered it to my house !

I suggest you go to a police station near your home, file a police report that you have lost your NIC. Get a copy of that, and take that along with your passport which should have the NIC number on it.

I have a feeling that these chaps at the RMV are just looking for bribes and are dragging procedure in to it. Meet somebody in the capacity of the Deputy Comissioner and make a complaint. It is possible this time around you might be successful. Persistence pays off in Sri Lanka on these type of incidents !

[jaga]

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. Its a pity our buffoons our country men treat our own in this way !

I once had a similar experience at the air port, when SL Airlines lost my bags, and was told they had been located, but I would have to come and collect them from the air port since I held a Sri Lankan passport. If I held a British passport they would have delivered it to my house !

I suggest you go to a police station near your home, file a police report that you have lost your NIC. Get a copy of that, and take that along with your passport which should have the NIC number on it.

I have a feeling that these chaps at the RMV are just looking for bribes and are dragging procedure in to it. Meet somebody in the capacity of the Deputy Comissioner and make a complaint. It is possible this time around you might be successful. Persistence pays off in Sri Lanka on these type of incidents !

Exactly don the same thing happened to one of my very good friends at the air port that air line guys had asked my freind that missed bagages will be dilivered to home since he has got American passport. Acutually he was really got upset and ask why srilankan passport holders are not offered that facility. Then they have stated that in some occasions sri lankans have complained that things are missing in tha baggage like therefore management has taken this dicision it seems.

[The Don]

Exactly don the same thing happened to one of my very good friends at the air port that air line guys had asked my freind that missed bagages will be dilivered to home since he has got American passport. Acutually he was really got upset and ask why srilankan passport holders are not offered that facility. Then they have stated that in some occasions sri lankans have complained that things are missing in tha baggage like therefore management has taken this dicision it seems.

I can understand the logic of it, especially knowing the type of attitude some of our brethren have (trying to make a buck out of every given opportunity, without shame or pride) but the point is it is discrimination and discrimination at its very worst !

Once I was at Dine Mor and I went with a dutch friend of mine and I must honestly tell you I've never received as good service ! Got a table straight away and it was a very busy Saturday evening and the service after was very quick. I actually felt a bit sad about being a Sri Lankan ........ and a proud Sri Lankan I am ..

I am all for projecting a positive image of our country to foreigners but I do not agree on doing so at the expense of our own people !

I wish there was someway to help lowrider. When my father used to work in the finance and leasing industry, he had good relations with the RMV and managed to sort out a number of similar problems for friends, but he has been retired for about 8 years now and I've been away from SL for too long to do anything to alleviate the problem. Experience tells me this type of ridiculous bureaucracy is linked to officials wanting to make a buck more than anything else. I feel the Sri Lankan passport on any given day a more acceptable means of identification than an ID card as its much harder to forge !

[lowrider]

Thanks Don!

Please dont remind me of the lost baggage thing, that was my warm welcome to Srilanka! On arrival, one of the officers at the airport saw me holding a S.L passport while standing in the que and came out of his way to pull me aside and tell me that he could get me thru quicker in exchange for 'something'! Was'nt a long que so i opted to wait then they tell me the luggage story.I had to wait 6 days before they called me to tell me that i have to come collect it myself! To add to all that, as i have been travelling the island, i always try to call ahead to book lodging.To my utter dissappointment, 2 lodges told me straight that they dont accomodate Srilankan's! Then it's been the licence thing! I spoke to the dep comm as he was the one who approved my passport in the first place and this time around, he says it cant be done with a PP! Dont get me wrong, it's a beautiful place with good people but as long as its help your looking for, it's a mission! Why should we have to pay someone to do his job!

So i guess for the rest of my hols, im going to hiring a driver as for the bike, well, i just take it out up n down the road and park it.

Thanks guys.