I passed my test and subsequently went to the LABO to collect my new License. I got my old License converted to the GDL and I was asked to deposit the old one at LABO long back. Yesterday when I went there, the ladies could not find my old License and asked me to go to the another room. Then a gentleman asked me to give him the Empfangsbestätigung where it says that they have my old License with them. Obviously I did not have this with me at the time as I never expected them to ask for this. I asked him why he needs this paper and is this because they've lost/misplaced my old License? He appeared a bit stunned and said he needs the paper anyway.

So, it appears that they have indeed lost my old License and I'm supposed to go there tomorrow to collect the new one with the Empfangsbestätigung. If they have indeed lost it, what can I do now and how do I handle the situation? And, if I go back to my homeland on holidays etc. then I would need my old License. Is it actually possible for me to retain my old License and the new also?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Joshua.

@deepbluesand

Why do you make it so complicated ? Just declare your non-German license lost in your home country and have them issue you a new one.

You are not planning to exchange the driving licenses each time you travel to your home country, right ?

By the way, did you check whether the German license is valid in your home country ? Most countries accept the foreign licenses of the people who are visiting their country.

Regards,

Lacrima

PS: As far as I know, most of the Führerscheinstelles in Germany dispose the foreign driving licenses which they receive as result of an exchange(Umschreibung). You should have ruled out the option of "Umschreibung" at the first place, if you needed your homeland driving license so desperately.

Hi Lacrima,

Thanks for your quick response. I'm not making it complicated. I meant to say that the non-German license is with them since long. So, I cant declare it lost or anything like that anymore. It just seems that they've lost it now and I was wondering if there's anything I can do about it. I'm not desperate to have the old one back but, given the option it wouldn't be bad to have it.

Regards,

Joshua.

1.Why cant you declare it lost ?
2.Did you check whether GDL is valid in your country ? What prevents you from driving with GDL in your home country ?

You were abroad and lost your driving license there and you declare it lost when you first time travel back to your home country. So the delay is explainable as you werent in the country.. Where is the problem for declaring it lost ?

It is common practice in Germany that the foreign driving licenses get disposed when you exchange them with a German one. The whole idea of the "Umschreibung" is, NOT to give you the option to walk around with two driving licenses.

If having two driving licenses were important to you then you should have made a GDL from scratch(Attend all driving/theory classes etc..) and in that case you could also keep your homeland license.

Opting for an "Umschreibung" and taking advantage of the shortened GDL-Process also means that saying "Goodbye" to your homeland license forever.(As I said this is common practice)
Maybe you should have informed yourself better before starting the whole Umschreibung-process.

Regards,

Lacrima

Bottom-Line: You can not do anything in this situation.

and by the way, you keep saying that they lost their homeland driving license. I know officers of Führerscheinstelles who cut the foreign driving license with scissors in front of you when you exchange it with a German one. They simply say, you don't need this anymore

Regards,

Lacrima

@Lacrima: I guess you confused DBS when you said to say "lost", but not where!

@DBS: Lacrima recommends that you go to your home country, and tell them that you lost your DL and get a duplicate one. I guess you understood that lacrima intented that you say to the German authorities that u lost it. Its not so.

@lacrima: I too did the umschreibung thing, and I had to spend just around 700 euro compared to 1500€ otherwise. And I got back my homeland DL as I had a 2-wheeler(Motorrad) PLUS 4-wheeler(Car) permit on it, but did only Klasse-B in Germany.


its not wrong to save my own hard-earned money, right? ;-)

@Fred
Right Fred, that might be the misunderstanding.

Correction to my last post to avoid more misunderstandings ;)

you keep saying that they lost your homeland driving license.

Regards,

Lacrima

Thanks for the clarification Fred. I kept wondering how I can declare my old license lost when the German authorities already have it since long. Lacrima and I would have gone on like this if not for you

The GDL is not valid in my homeland and I guess if I really need to, then I can always get an IDL. Besides, I wonder if it's really possible to drive back in my homeland after having driven here ;-)

@Fred:
My homeland DL also has a 2-wheeler(Motorrad) + 4-wheeler(Car) permit on it. Does that help in anyway?

Thanks Lacrima and Fred for your time.

Regard,

Joshua.

In my case it helped me avoid to submit my old (Indian) DL. I just told them if I submit, then I cant drive 2-wheelers back home. The lady was kind enough to give it back.

I dont know what to do in ur case, as the German authorities say they lost it.

If you have the number, or a copy of it, its easy to get a duplicate DL, once you are on vacation in your Homecountry.