GDL Exemption Declined(Alberta) – ICBC Kept My Original Indian License – What Should I Do Now?

[sai77]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in Alberta and recently applied for the GDL exemption using my Indian driver’s license. I submitted an official duplicate license (not a photocopy) and a stamped driver abstract from the Indian RTO.

However, my application was declined with the reason that I didn’t submit the original license. The issue is: I surrendered my original Indian license to ICBC in British Columbia when I lived there earlier — which is part of their standard procedure. They kept the original and forwarded it to India.

I contacted ICBC, but they said they cannot provide any letter confirming that the original was surrendered, and they don’t share records with other provinces.

I’ve emailed SIU North twice and Driver Fitness, but haven’t received any replies. The alert on my Alberta Motor Vehicle file now says:

> “The license submitted is not genuine. If you still have the original, surrender it at a registry and SIU North will resume the review.”



This is confusing because what I submitted is the only official version available to me.

Questions:

Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

Can I go to a registry and submit an explanation and the RTO-stamped abstract again?

Would involving a lawyer help move this forward?


Any guidance or shared experience would really help. I’m trying my best to cooperate, but stuck in a loop.

Thanks!
Sai

 

[Buletruck]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in Alberta and recently applied for the GDL exemption using my Indian driver’s license. I submitted an official duplicate license (not a photocopy) and a stamped driver abstract from the Indian RTO.

However, my application was declined with the reason that I didn’t submit the original license. The issue is: I surrendered my original Indian license to ICBC in British Columbia when I lived there earlier — which is part of their standard procedure. They kept the original and forwarded it to India.

I contacted ICBC, but they said they cannot provide any letter confirming that the original was surrendered, and they don’t share records with other provinces.

I’ve emailed SIU North twice and Driver Fitness, but haven’t received any replies. The alert on my Alberta Motor Vehicle file now says:

> “The license submitted is not genuine. If you still have the original, surrender it at a registry and SIU North will resume the review.”



This is confusing because what I submitted is the only official version available to me.

Questions:

Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

Can I go to a registry and submit an explanation and the RTO-stamped abstract again?

Would involving a lawyer help move this forward?


Any guidance or shared experience would really help. I’m trying my best to cooperate, but stuck in a loop.

Thanks!
Sai

So when you submitted your licence to ICBC, did you receive a full BC license? If you did, just use that to get an Alberta license. If ICBC gave you a GDL, and you're now trying a work around to get a full Alberta license, that's why they won't accept a duplicate license. You can higher a lawyer to help, but given the potential fraud that occurs with some licenses and lack of compulsory training standards in some countries, I doubt you'll find a court that finds the requirement unreasonable.

 

[sai77]

So when you submitted your licence to ICBC, did you receive a full BC license? If you did, just use that to get an Alberta license. If ICBC gave you a GDL, and you're now trying a work around to get a full Alberta license, that's why they won't accept a duplicate license. You can higher a lawyer to help, but given the potential fraud that occurs with some licenses and lack of compulsory training standards in some countries, I doubt you'll find a court that finds the requirement unreasonable.

Thanks for the reply.

I didn’t get a full BC license because I had to move to Alberta quickly for work, so I couldn’t complete the process with ICBC. That’s why I’m not able to just exchange a BC license here.

I get that Alberta is strict because of fraud issues, but I did submit a proper duplicate license from India and an official stamped abstract from the RTO.

Now the alert says the license isn’t genuine, which is confusing since this is the only version I have after giving the original to ICBC. Just trying to figure out the right next step.

Appreciate your thoughts.