Getting your Driving and Motorbike License in Vietnam

colinoscapee wrote:

On a side note,there was an article in the VN papers last week about the government letting international licenses being used in Viet Nam.

I doubt it was this article, here, in this article there is nothing about allowing international licenses but same topic...

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/23932/num … es-sharply

The number of foreigners who visited local authorities in Ho Chi Minh City to change their driver’s licenses so far this year has risen to about 5,000, while the number for the whole year of 2013 was just over 2,500, according to the head of a local state agency responsible for the job.

As driving licenses granted by foreign countries are not accepted in Vietnam, foreigners wishing to drive here have to contact appropriate Vietnamese authorities to change their licenses.

Meanwhile, about 800 foreigners have applied for the test to obtain the driving licenses in Vietnam, also doubling the 2013’s figure, said Vo Trong Nghia, head of driving testing and licensing unit under the HCMC Department of Transport.

Almost all of those who are changing their driver’s licenses or are preparing to take the test are from Asian countries. They are now living in HCMC, and want to drive by themselves, Nghia said.

The department has dispatched a specialized unit at 252 Ly Chinh Thang Street, District 3 to streamline administrative procedures for those foreigners so that they can obtain their licenses as quickly as possible, he added.

Not that article,it was an article in a Vietnamese language paper.

This article also appeared in the English papers, note the first two lines of the story

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/fo … 33730.html

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/23993/vie … early-2015

This might have been posted already, but just in case.

Now Im not sure which thread carried the first NEW story about coming changes starting Dec 1 but it appears to have been seriously misquoted, according to this story:

http://autonet.com.vn/en/news/201410/ke … -nghi-huu/

1) according to this article, licences do NOT end on retirement age. VN is adopting a similar system to USA in which people (foreigners and viet kieu) may have to TEST for new licences starting at retirement age.
2) Article says you **CAN** use your International Licence, no need to get a VN licence. But it must be the real kind like AAA from USA, the licence system adopted via the Vienna Convention of 1968. Furthermore, if there are differences in VN and IL traffic law, IL will prevail. (Of course IL will say its your responsibility to follow local traffic rules so the point is moot).

Ive maintained my AAA-IL all along as its accepted in Malaysia so im set to go in VN.  But i'll give a stern warning to people, do NOT buy a licence off the net, they are NOT legal. To my knowledge there are only two organizations in the world qualified to give the Vienna Convention licence, one is in Europe and the other is AAA in USA.

If anyone has better information than Autonet, please post!

But i'll give a stern warning to people, do NOT buy a licence off the net, they are NOT legal.

To me and many others this would be a no-brainer,it's like getting a university degree from the Internet.

colinoscapee wrote:

But i'll give a stern warning to people, do NOT buy a licence off the net, they are NOT legal.

To me and many others this would be a no-brainer,it's like getting a university degree from the Internet.

Its the same thing, yes. If you google you will see International Licences offered for some price, and worse yet, they also *guarantee!* that it can be used as a replacement licence anywhere in USA or Canada, so that if you lost your licence to drunk driving or killing someone or too many tickets, NO PROBLEM, just buy this licence and the police in your state will accept it and back off. And they say that even though right on its face a real IL says its ONLY valid outside your country and cannot be used as a normal licence. Yet there they are in business, raking in millions.....

Well you can still buy all types of crappy useless products from the shopping channel,like a solid gold watch made in Switzerland for only 50 usd. It's the same the world over,buyer beware.

Well, i mentioned it because its just a matter of time, assuming the rule changes are true, that people will show up in Vietnam with store-bought phony licences, or even printed on their own PCs and some sht is going to start.

Well if you buy it from the Internet you have to expect it's not legitimate as only governments and government authorised places issue them.But humans being what they are will still do it and think they will get away with it, let's not forget the fake university certificates years ago in Thailand,it's pretty well done and dusted now as the Thai government has woken up to it. As with all things it takes time.

Oh its rampant.

USA --fake degrees and church degrees. They are often caught though it takes time. They get around this by faking degrees from known but now-defunct organizations so that there is nobody to contact to verify the certificate.

Malaysia --fake degrees, especially among doctors, dentists and veterinarians. One enterprising doctor performed his work for 13 years before anyone even asked about his cert. When caught red-handed he ran to the airport and poof, gone. Another one caught after years, he came to so believe in his fakery that all the way to jail he said it was real. Another one caught after years, his defense was that he helped people and therefore shouldnt be prosecuted.

The world is becoming one big humongous fake job.

You sound like your typical expat 'know it all'

Hello!

I have read a lot of pages in the internet, and one thing is not clear for me. Where is in HCM I can get driving licence without exchange old driving license. So, I need apply papers for theoretical and practice exam. I know, that test on the vietnamese, I think I can handle it.

Anybody know exactly address for this organization and how much time will take from apply papers to get real test.

Thanks for your help!

Nihisil wrote:

Hello!

I have read a lot of pages in the internet, and one thing is not clear for me. Where is in HCM I can get driving licence without exchange old driving license. So, I need apply papers for theoretical and practice exam. I know, that test on the vietnamese, I think I can handle it.

Anybody know exactly address for this organization and how much time will take from apply papers to get real test.

Thanks for your help!

http://www.vietnamonline.com/transport/ … cense.html

This what I read about A2 licenses is great news, I plan to apply that A2 after I get my passport from immigration as I had to renew my passport and same time get new VEC,

I have get past in Vietnam 2 years with my european license.. only one time police said I would need to get it translated

But this translation of license? I just got it translated word by word.. and my license doesn't have words "motorcycle" only pictures and letters and Exp times..  would you think they would understand from those pictures what they are? ??

So after today I am dissapointed about Hanoi department of transportation, went there 7am to exchange my license, hoping to get A2.. and response was.. Foreign people can't drive big bikes.. !!!! WTF?!?!  so you can own one but not drive it?? personally I know this was bs answer as my friend has one, and if I will get IDL I can use that to drive big bike anyway.. if only there would be some vietnamese page what could print what would explain to her that it can be done..

I'm pretty sure that's always been the way. No foreigners have got their big bike license by simply  converting their current full license. There's some steps to getting a big bike license like monthly club membership.

Big-Tex wrote:

Dejavu.dot wrote:

ancientpathos wrote:

Is this for the A1 or A2 license? Next question anyone know of place in Da Nang? Address of place in HCMC?

He is not stable. He has relationship with a guy in the testing school. This guy looks like a motorbike repairing man who is small in that school. I asked him to help A2 theory but at that time there is a strict supervisor and that guy refused! Luckily I found another guy to do that.. Actually every employees do this job there. It is better for you to ask someone to help from the beginning so you will not pay much for the licence and not be headache to run around like I did.

You don't have to pay anything to anyone.....

Go get your DL license translated then take it to the DMV and pay your 135vnd..

Done....B2 and A2

But did have to run to the translation office twice as they didn't translate correctly the term "motor scooters and motorcycles" from my Hawaii license, they translated both terms to mean the same thing and the lady at the DMV office said it had to be translated better so she wouldn't get in trouble for issuing an A2.

In HCM it seems to be possible, and there is no more that requirement that you have to be in the Club, that got removed already last year.

You have to actually do the A2 test for a big bike license. Westerners have been riding big bikes for years and have the license to prove it, but we are dealing with a government that doesn't recognise a hell of a lot of things from overseas.

Well, They do recognise now International Diving Licenses, so that is a win.
and sure I knew that you would have to take a test (both tests actually) but for some reason people in HCM have got their A2 from department of transportation straight.

Laws in Viet Nam are not implemented the same as we do in the west. The law is at the discretion of the government employee who you are dealing with. Things are much easier in the south, that is unless you get an employee who is from the north and wants to make things difficult.

colinoscapee wrote:

Laws in Viet Nam are not implemented the same as we do in the west. The law is at the discretion of the government employee who you are dealing with. Things are much easier in the south, that is unless you get an employee who is from the north and wants to make things difficult.

I agree, and also it feels like government employees don't really care about if laws change. or at least no one informs them Maybe I need to ship my bike to HCM in April and drive back to Hanoi.

Hanoians are known for being difficult to deal with. They are rude,stubborn and ignorant when working for the government.

Thanks everyone for the advice which all aids with the saying:

You don't stop riding when you get old.   You get old when you stop riding!!!!!

Thanks again.
Eriki

colinoscapee wrote:

You have to actually do the A2 test for a big bike license. Westerners have been riding big bikes for years and have the license to prove it, but we are dealing with a government that doesn't recognise a hell of a lot of things from overseas.

So I guess the advice I provided a few pages back is pure crap! I never received a Vnese A2 license (WITHOUT DOING ANY TEST) from a translation of my US license and neither did other posters that followed my instructions on how to do it.

Thank you so much for speaking out your ass Mr Culo.

Big-Tex wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

You have to actually do the A2 test for a big bike license. Westerners have been riding big bikes for years and have the license to prove it, but we are dealing with a government that doesn't recognise a hell of a lot of things from overseas.

So I guess the advice I provided a few pages back is pure crap! I never received a Vnese A2 license (WITHOUT DOING ANY TEST) from a translation of my US license and neither did other posters that followed my instructions on how to do it.

Thank you so much for speaking out your ass Mr Culo.

So what's that all about,you quoting me then saying talking out my ass.

Apparently we are not familiar with the term sarcasm......

What you wrote is false.....

You do NOT have to take any tests of you have a M/C DL from abroad.....

Tex, what you don't seem to understand is that what you got in Saigon is not the norm. Head down to Tien Giang or Ben Tre and see if they will do the same thing.I guarantee it won't happen.Its Viet Nam, each government office makes up its own rules.Happy that you got it, but try it in say Tan Binh and see what they say.

By reading your comment, who could tell if it was sarcasm or anger,maybe some punctuation or a emoticon would of helped.

You are completely right that different offices have different laws....

But if you can quote the statutes, there is no arguing about it.

Big-Tex wrote:

You are completely right that different offices have different laws....

But if you can quote the statutes, there is no arguing about it.

I would love to know those so I could show them next week when I go get my license..
And it will only have A1 and B1? when it also should have A2&B2 if not will fly to HCM and do it there.. again.......

So Big-Tex was right! I got my A2/B2 license today, I did use "a service" to help me smooth the visit over as I did not want to risk it been too late or missing something.

It was all worth to fly to HCM and get jerked off by Vietjet, they cancelled my flight.
Instead of been in Hanoi 21.30 I ended arriving Hanoi 3.30am!.. and they had some customers going crazy and asking their money back on SGN - Da Nang flight.. I filmed it and send it to VTC1 and they gave me 70.000vnd for it.. haha.

I'm from a right-hand side driving country. I have a valid driving license for car & motorbike. Can I drive one here in vietnam or do I need to have local driving license since I usually drive on the other side of the road. I know it's a silly question, just needed to know

You need a local license or valid international license, you can fill some papers and transfer your license to local one. (valid as long as your visa is)

Hi
it's not a silly question at all.
Yes you do need a Vietnam license. There was a new law that said Vietmam recognises International Drivers Permits along side your country's drivers license. But as yet ee don't seem to have any feedback.

yes, and only remark even from UN treaty collection did not inform a lot.. well that they have joined 20th of August 2014, but no signature.. not sure if they need to be.. ?

https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetai … mp;lang=en

Hi, everyone! 

i want to get  license in HCM for motorbike. I have only B category, so i think i need to finish a drive school.
somebody knows any schools or maybe how i can take a license???

mshandak wrote:

Hi, everyone! 

i want to get  license in HCM for motorbike. I have only B category, so i think i need to finish a drive school.
somebody knows any schools or maybe how i can take a license???

Yes, now you will need to go to driving school to get A1 even if you have car license.

Before it was easy as they just gave it to you if you had car license.

I have a "friend" sent a private mail with his email, he can help you get A1 without going to driving school.