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Middle name problem Japanese drivers license 2018/8/30 09:29
I have lived in Japan for a year and therefore cannot use my international driver's license anymore. I am currently trying to obtain a Japanese driver's license. However, my passport (and therefore my residence card) has two middle names, for example Sarah Leigh. But my driver's license from the UK could not fit both these middle names on so it is just Sarah.

Therefore, they won't accept it (?!) despite the photo, the signature and the date of birth being the same on both my passport and UK driver's license. They told me to call my embassy who in turn said they don't deal with anything like that and I need to get a lawyer involved (bit dramatic).

Has anyone else had this problem, or any problems with middle names and official documents? If so, how did you resolve it?
by Harrrieto (guest)  

Re: Middle name problem Japanese drivers license 2018/8/30 15:27
I got middle names on my driving licence same as my passport.
I did not had any issue. True it was a challenge to put my name on it
by justmyday rate this post as useful

Re: Middle name problem Japanese drivers license 2018/8/30 17:04
just go to your country get a lisence with fulname as in your passport ...
going to a lawyer is waste of time and money ... is better you spend your money on flight .

as your government ( embassy coudn`t officially clear you ).

by chike20 rate this post as useful

Re: Middle name problem Japanese drivers license 2018/8/30 17:22
the presence of middle names is not a trouble.
your trouble is that you have different names in the two official documents.
it means either one is a fake.
by ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Middle name problem Japanese drivers license 2018/8/30 17:53
Sorry I did not read well I guess.

I think you are applying for a Japanese Driving Licence by conversion and not actual going to the driving school for practice.

I do not know how it is arrange in UK but my believe that you need to have full name

The European 3rd Directive on Driving Licences specifies the information that must be shown on all Member State driving licences, this includes the surname of the holder and the other names(s) of the holder.

Therefore, the DVLA requires the applicant to provide their full name on a driving licence application, so that it mirrors the name held on the supporting identity documents, and also assists in the prevention of fraudulent applications.

Maybe you should contact the UK driving licence centre in order to settle this.
Because almost for sure without complete information obtaining a driving licence in Japan will be difficult.
by justmyday rate this post as useful

Re: Middle name problem Japanese drivers license 2018/8/31 08:19
Just to clarify, in my original DVLA application I wrote both my middle names. However, because of the length of them, they could not fit them on the card for the license. This happens to many people in the UK, It does not falsify your license or make it 'fake'. It is the equivalent of abbreviating middle names to a simple letter, such as 'S. L.' Middle names are not of much significance in the UK. Some people don't have any and others do not include them in any documents. For example, one of my bank cards has neither of my middle names, one has both and another bank card has just one of them.

Thank you for your suggestion justmyday! I have contacted the UK DVLA and hopefully they will be able to provide a document to say they merely couldn't fit my second name on. However it all needs to be done by the postal system which could take up to 3 weeks to my UK address and then needs to be forwarded to Japan. For the meantime I cannot drive to my work in the mountains in rural Japan, sad times.
by Harrrrieto (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Middle name problem Japanese drivers license 2018/9/1 07:27
While not ideal you could look into just doing a new driving license in Japan.
by LikeBike (guest) rate this post as useful

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