 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just got my 1968 International Driving Permit from a Post Office today (for France, Switzerland etc in the event of a "No Deal" Brexit).
My advice would be - give it a week or two so staff are more familiar with them! Took them ages to work out how to issue the thing. Also they only had a form for the 1949 type - but they said it was OK to fill that out and they gave me a 1968 one.
Now just need to persuade my insurance company to cough up a Green Card. Their website is saying don't ask for one yet in case there's a deal. But I can't really wait until March 29th if we're travelling shortly after that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Might be a good time to buy some Euros on case things go bonkers in the next three weeks....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
I’ll be renting a car from Swiss side Geneva on April 6th. Being Switzerland, will I likely need a IDP for that?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Pejoli wrote: |
| I’ll be renting a car from Swiss side Geneva on April 6th. Being Switzerland, will I likely need a IDP for that? |
No, you won't. You only need this bit of paper if your licence is not written in English, German, French or Italian.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
So we fly out to Austria on the 23rd March. Come back 30th.
We are going with a TO which I also hope gives us a bit more peace of mind in case everything goes to pot.
I assume EHIC will become invalid in the case of a no-deal?
Anyone got any thoughts on travel insurance? I assume that shouldn't be affected in either circumstance in regards to medical bits....
Interestingly, I read an article somewhere that any flight delay/cancellation issues due to Brexit will only be covered if the insurance is taken out before those issues become a "known event".
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyone heading to the Channel ports for Eurotunnel of Dover ferries should be aware that Operation Brock will come in to force on Monday. The coast-bound side of the M20 in Kent between Junctions 8 and 9, a 14-mile stretch, will be reserved solely for lorries heading for the Port of Dover. All other traffic — whether London-bound or coastbound — will be restricted to a contraflow system on the opposite side of the motorway. Delays possible, perhaps likely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Just sorted out the insurance Green Card for driving to the SFa B - apparently you need 14 days to do this so pleased I managed to waste some of today's work time doing this else I'd have been too late tomorrow!
Now to find a working photo booth for the IDP of which we'll need 2 (we often drive in Spain) so that's more admin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| always29 wrote: |
Just sorted out the insurance Green Card for driving to the SFa B - apparently you need 14 days to do this so pleased I managed to waste some of today's work time doing this else I'd have been too late tomorrow!
Now to find a working photo booth for the IDP of which we'll need 2 (we often drive in Spain) so that's more admin. |
Probably worth checking if the post office you are going to to get the IDP has a photo booth. Ours did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
has anyone tried going down the m2 and then B2068 which gets you on at junction 10 of the m20?
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
@ajc2260626, Over the years I've done most variations off the A2 and over the downs to the tunnel, including the B2068.
They're a good option if the M20 is rammed and the M2 is clear but otherwise probably not worth it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
i am coming from Yorkshire so i always dive down m2 and then across to the m20 as its quicker, but depending on what's going on i might go an a it further and down that B road
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Ok, yes. There's not usually much in it as the M25/M20 is only a couple minutes from the M25/A2. M2/A229 can be a faff sometimes. I often toss a coin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
very true.... we are actually supposed to be crossing on the 12th..... could be a mare
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@always29, you'll need 2 different IDPs for France & Spain - 1968 for France and 1949 for Spain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@jd_evans, actually you won't need any IDPs at all because as expected Spain and France have passed legislation covering UK licences in the event of no deal. And even if they hadn't you still wouldn't need them, it really winds me up this IDP thing. It's not a legal issue, it's a bloody translation document for licences written in strange alphabets.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
@Bodeswell, I'm just going by the info on the gov.uk and the Post Office sites. The whole farce winds me up as well but the thread's meant to be non-political
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
haha, yes, sorry agreed. They haven't got a clue either though do they? Nobody does...I feel like I'm living in a Monty Python sketch just now!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Bodeswell wrote: |
| actually you won't need any IDPs at all because as expected Spain and France have passed legislation covering UK licences in the event of no deal. |
Have you got a source for this?
I haven’t got an IDP yet, and while the cost is trivial, organising myself to get to a PO is going to be a challenge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Arrived home yesterday. Came back from my season in Italy a few days early as didn’t want any post 29/3 hassle!
There were miles of lorries queuing to get on the tunnel, also there was some sort of queuing operation for lorries about 15 miles short of Calais.
There was around an hours delay getting through customers checks, mainly French, as they were actually checking people.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
were there any queues for cars or was it just lorries ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@jamescollings, re Spain was an article in the Guardian. Re France was another thread here on Snowheads, can't remember which one, I've lost track!
As I've said before though, everyone should do what they're comfortable with. Personally I refuse to get one. The IDP is piece of paper that translates your licence. You don't forget how to drive because of Brexit. Your licence isn't invalid. Just because the post office gives you an extra bit of paper doesn't change anything. I've never been asked for one of these things abroad anywhere, ever.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
i bought an IDP from post office, £7.... seems a no brainer as cant hurt to have more....i would imagine very unlikely you will need anything different to normal straight afterwards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@ajc2260626, There were also delays for cars of around an hour at the passport/customs on the french side. Some sort of brexit related time industrial dispute I understand. Basically it now takes as long at the french barrier as the uk one as they are no longer just waving you through.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@jbob, cheers mate..... what time did you come through ? i am planning on coming over about midnight..... do you reckon it might be worth upgrading to flexiplus to get straight through?
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
@ajc2260626, we had a 19.50 tunnel. Got there at 17.15. 18.15 in the terminal got on the 18.50 so not too bad. The vip lane would help a bit but they had closed the two dedicated border posts so they were filtering back into the main queue, might save half an hour. Looked a nightmare for the lorries.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| jbob wrote: |
Arrived home yesterday. Came back from my season in Italy a few days early as didn’t want any post 29/3 hassle!
There were miles of lorries queuing to get on the tunnel, also there was some sort of queuing operation for lorries about 15 miles short of Calais.
There was around an hours delay getting through customers checks, mainly French, as they were actually checking people. |
I came back this week too from Austria a little bit early not so much to do with Brexit but because I had stuff to get on with at home.
I didn't do the Eurotunnel on the way back as it was more expensive than the DFDS Dunkirk to Dover ferry and the 2 hour crossing fitted in nicely with having a relaxed meal and proper break from driving. I even had a mini sleep! Dunkirk was closer for me anyway as I'd come up through Germany and Belgium.
I missed the check in for my 10am crossing by about 20 minutes mostly because I'd hit a little bit of rush hour traffic around Brussels (clearly didn't leave quite early enough from Liege) and because when getting close to Dunkirk the Police were taking everyone off the motorway onto 2 roundabouts about 200m apart and then back on the motorway again. There were lorries and cars queuing to do this bit you had to do to get going again to port.
I'm not sure whether this is normal as I've never done a crossing from Dunkirk before and I'm not sure what they were actually doing either. It seemed mostly about making everyone go slowly so they could look at you as you went past 
Anyway it was enough to make me miss my ferry as I thought I was going to get there just in time despite not leaving quite early enough!
There were another couple of lane closures further on too where again the lane closures forced everyone onto one lane so you had to go slow while they looked at you.
Didn't see any cars being manually checked anywhere.
Again I don't know if they usually do this or whether it's a 'work to rule' thing at the moment!
At Dunkirk port that was easy and I was moved onto the 12.00 crossing at no extra cost- I didn't even have to ask. Not many people about which was nice compared to the Calais ferries I've been on.
There were huge queues of lorries stacked up on the way to Dunkirk but I didn't have any problems in a car apart from the weird French police stuff I mentioned.
They did have a cursory glance in my car at Dunkirk but also the chap in front of me had the same. It was literally a peak in the boot no removal of any stuff which was crammed in to the max!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I received an email from the UK embassy in Vienna yesterday. It said that in the event of No Deal, expats need to apply for their new residence permits BEFORE leaving the country. I'm due to fly to the UK on 2nd May, doesn't give me much time.
The risk is that without proof of application for a residence permit, when re-entering Schengen my passport is stamped with a 90-day tourist permit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| queenie pretty please wrote: |
I received an email from the UK embassy in Vienna yesterday. It said that in the event of No Deal, expats need to apply for their new residence permits BEFORE leaving the country. I'm due to fly to the UK on 2nd May, doesn't give me much time.
The risk is that without proof of application for a residence permit, when re-entering Schengen my passport is stamped with a 90-day tourist permit. |
They've been saying that for a while, or at least it was said at the Brexit talk in Innsbruck back in Feb. I'm due to head back to the UK some time in May, holding off on booking until I have a better idea as to what the chuff is going on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@queenie pretty please,  Is that just if leaving Schengen? We're driving to the EoSB on 19th April, so that gives us 4 days... I wouldn't expect to be stopped though, on Tyrol plates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
So if it comes to pass that we leave on the 12th as per current timescales, is it at 00:01 on the 12th, or 23:59?
Ie. are we "in" on the 12th itself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
23.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@Gazzza, isn't it 11.00pm?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@Scarlet, assuming you don't have to pass through any passport controls, you should be OK.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@queenie pretty please, I think the Swiss are normally just checking for vignettes, but I think they do spot checks sometimes  We'll probably go and get the paperwork anyway, assuming someone in the office has been briefed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Scarlet, you should get proof of application there and then, but I think the actual RWR+ takes a little longer. Proof of application is enough to convince a passport officer that you are resident and not a tourist. At least that's what I have been told.
Looking at dates, I can't even go to the BH until 26th April (first non-work day that the BH is actually open) and I fly to UK on 2nd May.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks @Dave of the Marmottes, & @holidayloverxx.
In which case I'm getting more drawn towards booking to travel via the tunnel on the evening of the 12th rather than flying on the day of the 13th - less likely to be prone to long delays with unknown border faffage. Once you're in you're in ! :=D
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
@queenie pretty please, I have learnt that it is best to attend on the earliest possible day. That way, when you get sent on a goose chase around town to obtain all the other bits of paperwork they neglected to mention or didn't have the correct rubber stamp, you have time to do it! So I will probably be there at 8am on the Monday morning! Or perhaps 9am 
Are you not registered under an Irish passport to avoid all this nonsense?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Scarlet, I am trying to locate proof that I am entitled to an Irish passport but it's not proving easy given that I'm estranged from my blood relatives. So unless I get some good news from the Irish Department for Foreign Affairs (I've sent everything I've got to them) I'm in the same boat as the rest of the Brits here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
