It is still very easy to have your US-PPL
issued on the basis of your foreign certificate
. However it now involves some paperwork to be
completed in a timely manner
before you come to
the US.
Before the changes took place, you could walk up to an FAA office and present a foreign pilot certificate and have your restricted US-PPL issued right away. Now the FAA validates the certificate with your local CAA first before they issue the US-Certificate.
In our experience this process takes about 2-3 weeks, but you factor in more time since the FAA has allowed themselves up to 90 days to complete the process. You will receive a notification from the FAA by email, fax or letter (You can actually specify how you want to be notified) and gives you 6 months to contact the FSDO (Flight Standard District Office) you requested. The FSDO will provide you with a list of FAA Examiner depending where you are located in US. The Examiner can be contacted for an appointment to issue the US restricted PPL.
If you don't contact the FSDO or Examiner within 6 months, your validation becomes void and the process must be repeated. If you want to go to another FSDO Office, your validation can be transferred, but there have been cases where the paperwork got lost and the Airmen Cert. Branch had to re-issue the validation. This takes time, so better stick with your choice of FSDO...
Recently the FAA changed the way you could add a Category or Class Rating (i.e. Multi Engine or IFR) to your restricted License. Now you have to re-validate your Certificate before you can take the Checkride with the Examiner.
Before the changes took place, you could walk up to an FAA office and present a foreign pilot certificate and have your restricted US-PPL issued right away. Now the FAA validates the certificate with your local CAA first before they issue the US-Certificate.
In our experience this process takes about 2-3 weeks, but you factor in more time since the FAA has allowed themselves up to 90 days to complete the process. You will receive a notification from the FAA by email, fax or letter (You can actually specify how you want to be notified) and gives you 6 months to contact the FSDO (Flight Standard District Office) you requested. The FSDO will provide you with a list of FAA Examiner depending where you are located in US. The Examiner can be contacted for an appointment to issue the US restricted PPL.
If you don't contact the FSDO or Examiner within 6 months, your validation becomes void and the process must be repeated. If you want to go to another FSDO Office, your validation can be transferred, but there have been cases where the paperwork got lost and the Airmen Cert. Branch had to re-issue the validation. This takes time, so better stick with your choice of FSDO...
Recently the FAA changed the way you could add a Category or Class Rating (i.e. Multi Engine or IFR) to your restricted License. Now you have to re-validate your Certificate before you can take the Checkride with the Examiner.
First you have to download and print the form
"Verification of Authenticity of
Foreign License, Rating, and Medical
Certification". This form needs to be
filled out and sent to the FAA with the
following documentation:
On the form you have to specify at which FSDO you wish to pick up your US-PPL. For us here in Naples, this would be the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale FSDO
S. Florida (Miramar)
2895 SW 145 AVE , Suite 120
Miramar, Florida 33027
Phone: (954) 641-6000 Fax: (954) 641-6040
All this you can either mail or Fax to the:
Federal Aviation Administration
Airmen Certification Branch
AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082
USA
Fax: +1 405 954 4105
After your local CAA has verified your license, you will receive a notification and are ready to pick up your US-certificate. Best of all: This whole procedure is free of charge!
Some links to more information:
- A legible photocopy of all Pages of your Pilot Certificate
- If your Certificate isn't issued in English you have to accompany an English translation
- A legible photocopy of your Medical
- A legible photocopy of your Drivers License or Passport
On the form you have to specify at which FSDO you wish to pick up your US-PPL. For us here in Naples, this would be the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale FSDO
S. Florida (Miramar)
2895 SW 145 AVE , Suite 120
Miramar, Florida 33027
Phone: (954) 641-6000 Fax: (954) 641-6040
All this you can either mail or Fax to the:
Federal Aviation Administration
Airmen Certification Branch
AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082
USA
Fax: +1 405 954 4105
After your local CAA has verified your license, you will receive a notification and are ready to pick up your US-certificate. Best of all: This whole procedure is free of charge!
Some links to more information:
In addition to the procedures stated under
Verification of Authenticity of Foreign
license, Rating and Medical Certification
above, airmen from the United Kingdom should
note the following additional steps that are
required by the United Kingdom CAA to complete
this verification process. Please visit the UK
CAA website. The additional forms are required
prior to the UK CAA providing any requested
information to the Airmen Certification Branch.
Note:
Of course, if you need any assistance with this whole procedure, just drop us an email:
info@skystead.com
We'll be happy to help!
Note:
- You must send the Verification of Authenticity of Foreign license, Rating and Medical Certification form directly to FAA’s Airmen Certification Branch, not to the UK CAA.
- You must send the information required by the UK CAA directly to the UK CAA and not to FAA’s Airmen Certification Branch
Of course, if you need any assistance with this whole procedure, just drop us an email:
info@skystead.com
We'll be happy to help!