answered about 16 months ago by KandA
There seems to be an unwritten law that we don't ask questions about motor bike riding in Hanoi - bad karma etc etc. Just take it easy and pray to the great cycle god, it's working so far for me. PS Vietnam does not recognize the Australian International Driver's License so I imagine this is the same for bike licenses. No license seems to be required at all for expats, correct me someone if I'm wrong. You will be glad to know, in a perverse sort of way, that 97% of road fatalities occur in rural areas so your chances of survival are looking up.
answered about 16 months ago by de2facon
Ditto.
There is a great deal of opinion on the best way to proceed with license matters.
Near to Hoi An, showed the proprietor of a Moto rental place an Intl. Driver's License. All he said was " Vay thi khom sau" ( It's OK, no sweat) and off we went. But we were never quite sure if he meant the Intl. wasn't needed, not recognized, not wanted...or whatever.
Licenses are a bit of a gray area to say the least.
answered about 16 months ago by Peter
On 2003 APR 03 an announcement Foreigners and Viet Khieu (overseas Vietnamese) with valid foreign driver’s licenses are now able to apply for local licences without having to sit additional tests.
Under a regulation issued by the Ha Noi Transport and Public Works Department, authorities have scrapped the need for Foreigners with valid licences to either sit a licence test in VietNam or have their licence translated into Vietnamese as a temporary measure.
Similar provisions exist throughout the country.
Licences are issued to match the validity of your visa - so apply for any visa extensions BEFORE applying for your drivers licence.
The VietNam News Agency reported it as follows:
Authorities amend rules for foreign motorbike licences
Foreigners and Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) with valid foreign driver’s licences are now able to apply for local licences without having to sit additional tests.
Under a regulation issued by the Ha Noi Transport and Public Works Department, the Vietnamese authorities have scrapped the need for foreigners with valid licences at home to either sit a licence test in VietNam or have their licence translated into Vietnamese as a temporary measure.
Vietnamese citizens who return home with valid foreign licences, however, will have that licence snipped at the edges in exchange for a local licence.
If they can prove they have legitimate reasons to reuse their foreign licence abroad, in writing, they will be able to keep that licence.
Both foreigners and overseas Vietnamese who want to apply for domestic driver’s licences need to complete their application forms at the Transport and Public Works Department.
These application forms must be officially stamped by the diplomatic representative of the country where the licence was issued, or the applicant’s place of business.
The Vehicle Management Offices in the province or city where the applicant resides are responsible for handling these applications and issuing the licences.
Vietnamese people who have either lived abroad for a short time, are still Vietnamese citizens or have renounced their citizenship must also submit health certificates when they apply for their licences.
The new drivers’ licences issued to foreigners or Viet kieu under the new regulation will only be valid for the period of their foreign licence, and the length of their stay in VietNam.
If foreigners hold both automobile and motorcycle licences, the Vietnamese licence will also be valid for both classes of vehicle. However, the licence will not allow foreigners to drive motorbikes above 175cc as these vehicles are prohibited in VietNam.
The regulation states that foreigners will receive their Vietnamese driver’s licences within 10 days of submitting their application, while Vietnamese applicants will have to wait one day longer.
VietNam does not participate in the International Driver’s Licence scheme, so all people with foreign driver’s licences who want to drive motorcycles larger than 70cc must apply for Vietnamese licences.
