Yes unfortunately it absolutely matters. ANTS is only the application platform, exchange applications are dealt with by two CERT EPE depts, in you live outside of Paris then these are dealt with by Nantes Prefecture, if you live inside Paris these are dealt with the Paris Prefecture.
For some reason Paris insist on translations for the driving rights documents for UK licence but Nantes don’t, unless Paris have changed this in the last 4 weeks.
Why I have no idea, we have questioned this but just got the gallic shrug.
If you are in Paris and have hit the send, don’t worry they will ask for it if they want it.
My UK driving licence was due for renewal at the end of May this year so I applied for a French licence in Feb. and was told the application could take 8 months to process. I recently received an email from Ants rejecting my application for the following reason
Your signature exceeds the frame, and therefore does not correspond to the standards requested by the Imprimerie Nationale
Your file cannot be modified, it is rejected.
So they have asked me to make a new application but my UK licence is no longer valid so can I still legally drive?
Sadly, no if date at box 11 has passed. You need to make a new applictaion as soon as you can, and once you get your attestation from ANTs you can then drive again,
You might be stuck with hiring a sans permis in the meantime.
My memory is not very good but I believe the signature they are not happy with is the signature on the digital photo. So this means I will need to get another photo and be especially careful with the signature?
I did mine yesterday, almost impossible to get the digital signature right. Either the screen didn’t do anything, or intermittent so left loads of gaps. I’ve got the emailed justificatif de depot, but no attestation and at what stage do I need to send the physical licence?
I just looked at the signature on my license. I obviously got it into the box because they issued the license, but it’s minuscule and illegible on the license itself.
As has been advised, until you receive the request to send in your original licence at that point you will receive a temp licence valid for 4 months, you will not be able to drive if your licence has expired due to age.
However, as for the signature, did you use a ephoto code or post a physical photo.
If ephoto, then you didn’t press hard enough EDIT. I’ve just looked at the video, yes there is a box, ensure you stay within it. Here’s the link. (4) Video | Facebook
If you posted a photo then on the attestation to return with your photo glued to, has a signature box, you must not sign over any of these lines.
Sorry I can’t offer any advice about the signature issue, but I’m grateful to you for sharing your timeline. I submitted mine in April and it’s still “en instruction”, but that sounds like it is to be expected judging by your experience.
My advice is to use one of the officially registered agents dotted around France who deal with cartes grise and permits. You can actually discuss your queries with a real person who will have dealt with similar cases and can chase up delays and print off attestations etc.
Is there a lesson here about the number of months ahead of the expiry of their UK licence a resident here should be applying to swop to a French licence?
It sounds as though 6 months ahead is going to be too late?
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard of cases where ANTS swapped earlier than within 6 months prior to expiry. And where it wasn’t a case of penalty points or lost/stolen/damaged licence or anything like that.
Is there anything to be lost by trying? If not, I would give it a go.
Worst case scenario they reject your application and you have to try again later.