As IO says, go and do the PPL. Anyone doing a 61.75 other than for actually flying in the USA is daft. It just builds a pointless house of cards that is going to come tumbling down in the next few years. The photo ID will be the next one, along with the change of pilot numbers that may occur when EASA take over. The photo expires every ten years which will need the card replacing. Any change of rating on the underlying licence invalidates it.
If you get a full PPL you can do everything on line and there is no involvement of the national CAA or a need to pay a DPE to issue paperwork.
A few days in the USA should see an experienced pilot through the PPL. The exam can be done here or practiced here using the dauntless software and sat on arrival in the USA. All really easy to do.