Easy question for you, Francois.

I've got a character from Switzerland visiting Canada. He shows a woman his driver's license. Do Swiss licenses have a photograph? What other information is on the front? What language? Is it paper or plastic?

Thanks,

Jayne

I know I'm not François, just popping up to say hello How's it going?

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Nuts. Trying to finish a novel for which I've already submitted the opening and synopsis. Why I'm still up at 6 a.m. local time.

How's life with you?

Just finished mine - I think the ending falls a bit flat, but ho hum, nobody's perfect.

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Hi Jayne:

I am not sure that I can give you a simple answer. My driver's license is blue, paper, and it is of size A5, i.e., half of A4, thus half of a regular sheet of paper (A4 is the European equivalent to 8.5x11, although the format is slightly taller and a bit less wide). It is folded once, i.e., the driver's license consists of 4 pages altogether. There is a photograph on page 2, at the bottom on the left inside page. All of the text on the driver's license is given in three languages: German, French, and Italian.

I got this particular driver's license in 2001, i.e., that was the type of driver's license that was issued in 2001. However, I don't know whether new driver's licenses in 2010 still look the same. It could well be that the new driver's licenses look differently.

The driver's license doesn't have an expiration date per se, i.e., I can use it for as long as I can drive. However, there are regulations that, after the age of 70, driver's need to get an eye exam, and some time later, maybe at age 75 (I don't know exactly), they have to undergo a new driving exam. As people get old enough, they have to pass a new driving exam every two years.

Thanks for clearing that point up, Francois.

Four pages (folded) will not work for the scenario. She needs to see at a glance that his face matches an understandable piece of official-looking identification.

Here, larger companies issue clip-on plastic photo cards as their employees' security passes; is it likely the same in large European cities? Anybody?

Like your photo, Zichao.

Have you shoved your novel out the door for someone else's opinion, or are you leaving it in a (cyber?) trunk under the bed for a while to see how it matures?

I know that a lot of the ministries here in Paris do. Most company badges that I've seen don't have photos, but a few do - I've run into a few defense companies that do it, and I presume they aren't the only ones.

I doubt whether a French driver's licence would be of any use either, being a flimsy piece of pink cardboard just big enough to make getting it in your wallet a pain in the arse (they plan these things).

I'm sitting on my book until I can beg, borrow or steal a copy of the Writer's Yearbook for the list of agents'/publishers' addresses.

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I suppose I could feed her paranoia by having him just show a business card and letting her stew over whether that's really him or one of the deadly duo being deceitful.


You don't need to wait for the paper copy. Many agents nowadays are online. Of course, you have to know if they're reputable or not, so check them out at:

Preditors & Editors

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The new french ID card are pretty much what you described: Laminated rectangular plastic card, with a photo.

They look nice and official too...

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