CAA turnaround time for licence verification?

[lajeharo]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any recent experience with sending in the Application for Verification of a Licence Issued by the UK CAA. They sure were quick to take my money out when I sent in for my PPL! Now it's nearing two weeks and the payment hasn't been taken for this.

I've tried e-mailing them to see if they got the forms OK, but haven't heard anything back yet. I know they have put messages up about being busy, but just wanted to see if anyone has any recent experience with this.

Many thanks!

[redsnail]

I have sent them two emails. One about 2 weeks ago, no reply. I ended up phoning them with my question in September.

I am waiting for my EASA conversion....

So it's taking a while.

[lajeharo]

Thanks for the info. I'll be starting at a flight school in the US in exactly one month and hope that my licence verification gets taken care of by then. For a complete change, I'll be happy when the CAA takes more of my money!

[Bornfreee]

Hi,

I did mine a couple of Months ago before the implimentation of EASA and it took about 4 weeks for the process to take place.

Due to EASA implimentation from 17th Sept, paperwork may be taking longer! but that is just an assumption.

[MIKECR]

4 weeks is about right for 'normal' service for new licences. Due to EASA changeover I believe its taking much longer. They also prioritise 'professional' licences before other's.

[redsnail]

On their website they are saying 25 days.
I certainly hope mine's done before the 23rd Oct!

[lajeharo]

Do you remember if they took your money right away? When I applied for the PPL, they took the money right away and then I got the licence in the post a couple of weeks later, but at least I knew they had received all the paperwork.

Kind of wished I sent the form recorded delivery now, but nevermind.

[MIKECR]

They always take your money straight away, it's the first thing they do. Your application then sit's in the 'to do' pile until someone from PLD can process it. If it says on the website it's taking 25 days then it means it stay's in the 'to do' pile for 24 days and will be looked at on day 25! No point in phoning to ask either as all they'll say is that your application is received and will be processed in the time stated.

[4Screwaircrew]

Counter service is the way to go, certainly for an EASA conversion I did mine on Wednesday.

[redsnail]

If they had taken the money then I would relax a smidge, however, the money has not gone out of my account.
No replies to emails is a tad annoying too.
I have told Crew Records (at work) that if I don't have it on the estimated due date (25 days) I'll be heading to Gatwick to see if proceedings can be sped up or get an extension on my licence.

[Jugs08]

For mine today and it took 1 month sent it on 15th September

[All-The-Nines]

They take your money upon receipt of the application because if it went in the 'to do' pile, and then they tried taking your money 3 weeks later and there is a error with the payment, the whole thing is delayed even longer. Normally, scanning the applications and taking payment is done by someone at a lower admin level and then someone trained in the license verification process will process it at a later date knowing that all of the formalities in terms of payment are already taken care of.

Thus, if you sent it some time ago and have not seen the money leave your account I would give them a call. The e-mail inbox is very low priority and quite often takes 4-6 weeks for a reply because they deem that all info is on the website or otherwise you'd give them a call. The phone system is a nightmare and designed to make you give up and/or check the website, but if you hold on then you will get through to someone!

I'm basing this on my knowledge from a few months ago before the official EASA transition so I might not be 100% correct, but I believe that procedures would still be roughly the same.

[Bearcat F8F]

Took 4 weeks for me.

You must remember that the main purpose of the FAA, for you as a pilot, is to make your life miserable.

So phone them up and keep phoning if it doesn't arrive in 4-5 weeks. But I suspect it will be 4 weeks as this topic has been done a million times over IIRC

[lajeharo]

This thread has gone on a bit of a tangent, but in case it is helpful to anyone who is waiting for licence verification...

I have spoken to someone at the CAA. They did have my form and in regard to verifications, they actually wait until the authority contacts them (in my instance, the FAA) before they take the £44 administration charge.