Driver’s license consultancy for foreigners

A. Test the motorcycle driving license for foreigners

Examining the driver’s license for foreigners in Vietnam is a problem for many people when having friends who are foreigners currently living in Vietnam. Are you a foreigner living and working in Vietnam, or do you have a relative who is a foreigner residing in Vietnam frequently traveling by motorbike? So, how about the exam dossier for a foreign driver’s license in Vietnam?

I. Legal grounds

– Road Traffic Law No. 23/2008/QH12 issued on November 13, 2008;

– Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT regulates training, testing, and issuance of road motor driving licenses.

II. Regulations on driving licenses for foreigners

According to the rules of the Ministry of Transport, foreigners participating in road traffic by motor vehicles need to convert from international driving licenses, from a local driver’s license to a Vietnamese driver’s license. However, administrative procedures are quite time-consuming, cumbersome, and the time to use a driver’s license is limited by the time of visa in Vietnam.

The optimal solution is that foreigners need to register for the motorcycle license test right in Vietnam directly.

Article 7 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT and Clause 1, Article 60 of the Law on Road Traffic stipulates that the subjects allowed to take the driving test in Vietnam have changed. If you are Vietnamese, foreigners are allowed to reside in Vietnam, or foreigners who are working and studying in Vietnam, are at least 18 years old, have good health and the required educational level, will be allowed to register and take the test for the motorcycle driving license in Vietnam.

Article 7 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT regulates conditions for learners to take driving licenses

1. As a Vietnamese citizen, a foreigner is allowed to reside, or a foreigner is working and studying in Vietnam.

2. Being at least 18 years old (up to the date of a driving test), in good health, at the educational level prescribed; for learners to upgrade their driver’s license, they can study in advance but are only allowed to take the test when they reach the age as prescribed by law.

III. Exam documents include

1. Passport or visa with a stay of more than three months (copy).

2. Application for training and testing for a driver’s license.

3. Photo 3 x 4cm as prescribed.

4. Health certificate issued by the competent authority.

B. Changing the foreign driver’s license to the Vietnamese driver’s license

I. Legal grounds

– Road Traffic Law No. 23/2008/QH12 issued on November 13, 2008;

– Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT regulates training, testing, and issuance of road motor driving licenses.

(According to Article 41 of Circular No. 12/2017/TT-BGTVT issued on April 15, 2017, providing for the training and examination for the issuance of road motor driving licenses by the Minister of Transport)

II. Condition

– Foreigners have resided, worked and studied in Vietnam for three months or more;

– The foreign driver’s license has all the necessary elements, such as the expiry date, the type of vehicle permitted to be driven, without any signs of erasing or tearing, without any difference in identification;

– Do not change the temporary foreign driving licenses or international driving licenses.

III. Profile includes

1. An application for changing a driving license using the prescribed form (for foreigners);

2. The translation of the foreign driver’s license into Vietnamese is guaranteed for the translation quality of the Notary Office, Embassy, or Consulate in Vietnam. It is stamped with a copy of the driver’s license. In case of detecting any suspicion, the driver licensing agency shall send a written request to the Embassy or Consulate of the country issuing the driving license in Vietnam for verification;

3. Copy of passport (with passport number, full name and photo of the grantee, expiry date, visa to Vietnam); identity card or citizen identification card; diplomatic identity card or official duties issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam; or a copy of the residence card, temporary residence card, permanent residence card, documents verifying permanent residence in Vietnam for foreigners. In case of detecting any suspicion, the driver licensing agency shall send a written request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security, the Immigration Department of the Police of the Province or City directly under the Central Government verified.

Note

– The driver gathers the papers into a set to send directly to the Department of Transport (place of residence registration, temporary residence, or permanent residence).

– When coming to change the driver’s license, the driver is directly photographed by the Department of Transport and must present the original of the valid passport, residence card, temporary residence card, permanent residence card, papers
verifying permanent residence in Vietnam, and foreign driver’s license for comparison.

IV. Settlement time

Five working days from the date of receipt of all valid documents.