From early morning on Tuesday, the Hanoi Department of Transportation, at 16 Cao Ba Quat Street has been busy with people applying for international driver's permit. The process is quite simple: Fill in the registration form, provide a passport and national driver's licence. Foreigners living in Vietnam will also need to provide their residency card.
"Before I thought the procedures would be difficult and take a long time, but it only took me 10 to 15 minutes for the whole process and I can come back on the 8th of March to receive my international drivers permit", said Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vinh City.
To prepare, the Hanoi Department of Transportation have upgraded their services and claim to be able to serve 250 to 300 people a day.
Now with this international drivers permit, Vietnamese drivers can drive in 73 countries that signed the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. But this permit does not replace a Vietnamese.
To ensure the authenticity of the international driving permit, citizens must attend to have their photograph taken and sign documents.
"The international drivers permit must be used accompanied with a normal driver’s licence, and can’t be used in the country it was issued. Obviously only one permit is allowed per person", said Nguyen Dinh Nghia, Head of Vehicle Management, Hanoi Department of Transportation.
The international driver's permit will be valid for 3 years and should allow people with the permit to more conveniently travel in countries that have signed up to the agreement.
