No License Yet

Well, no license yet. So I took my paperwork and my passport photo down to the Brno Magistrát (city hall) in order to get my driver's license. I was so looking forward to having my license and putting this ordeal to rest. Yeah...no such luck.

Typical Czech bureaucracy. I went to the office first thing in the morning. I selected the option for a driver's license (řidičských průkazů) from the 'take a number' machine and waited less than five minutes to be called.

The clerk asked for my paperwork, my photo and my passport. I thought that this would be a good chance to try out my new biometric ID card. Nope. She would only accept my passport because she needed to see the stamp showing that I was registered with the foreign police for a minimum of six months. Never mind that my new ID card shows that I am registered. This defeats the purpose of not having to carry around my passport. Fortunately, I had a feeling that something like this would happen so I had brought my passport along, just in case.

I then signed her forms and she told me to come back in two week and not to forget to bring in 50 Kč (~$3). What!?!? Two weeks? Yes, come back in two weeks. The ČR is not like the USA where the DMV takes your picture and you get your license in a few minutes. Here you bring in your own picture and pick up your license at least two weeks later.

I asked if there was any sort of paper that shows I have a driver's license but I am simply waiting on the permanent card to be issued. She looked at me like I had three heads. I don't have a driver's license because I haven't been issued it yet because it hasn't been two weeks yet. Ugh!!! Sometimes I wonder how things ever get done around here. Oh well, I guess the saga will continue for another couple of weeks.