Clause 1 Article 11 of Circular No. 29/2015/TT-BGTVT dated 6/7/2015 of the Ministry of Transport stipulates the issuance and use of international driving licenses: Holders of international driving permits issued by countries parties to the Vienna Convention when operating road motor vehicles in the territory of Vietnam must carry an international driving permit and driving license the country granted in accordance with the class of the vehicle; must comply with Vietnam’s road traffic laws.

According to the Clause 10 Article 33 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT stipulates that foreigners or overseas Vietnamese wishing to drive in Vietnam are as follows:

If you have a national driving license, you must carry out the procedure to change to the corresponding Vietnam driving license.

Where an international treaty on driving licenses to which Vietnam is a contracting party provides otherwise, the provisions of such international treaty shall apply.

Therefore, foreigners who want to participate in traffic in Vietnam by means of transport such as 2- wheelers and 4-wheelers need to carry out procedures to change a foreign driver’s license to a Vietnamese driver’s license.

Condition:

All persons specified in Points g, h, i, Clause 5, Article 37 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT as quoted below have the right to convert their international driver’s license to Vietnam one:

g) Foreigners residing, working, or studying in Vietnam, having diplomatic identity cards, official identity cards, temporary residence cards, residence cards, permanent residence cards with a period of 3 months or more, having valid national driving licenses, if there is a need to drive in Vietnam, it is considered to change to the corresponding Vietnam driving license.

h) Foreign tourists bringing a foreign-registered vehicle into Vietnam and having a valid national driving license, if wishing to drive in Vietnam shall be considered for change to the corresponding Vietnam
driving license. i) Vietnamese (Vietnamese nationality) during the period of residence, study, or work abroad are granted a national driving license by a foreign country, with an expiry date, if there is a need to drive in Vietnam shall be considered for a change to the corresponding driving license of Vietnam.

Vietnam Driving License Period after being converted:

Clause 7 Article 37 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT stipulates the period of driving licenses for foreigners as follows:

a) The period of a Vietnam driver’s license in exchange for foreigners is in accordance with the expiration date of the visa or temporary residence card, in accordance with the expiration of the foreign driver’s license but does not exceed the expiry date prescribed by Vietnam driver’s license.

b) The period of Vietnam driver’s license for foreign tourists bringing a foreign-registered vehicle into Vietnam is consistent with the duration of travel in Vietnam (from entry to exit) but does not exceed the period specified by the Vietnam driver’s license.

For foreign tourists bringing a foreign-registered vehicle into Vietnam who are not yet eligible to present their passports and foreign driving licenses, when changing their driving licenses, they can rely on the entry and exit list of the Ministry of Public Security and the translation of the driver’s license (accompanied by a copy of the foreign driver’s license), make available driver’s licenses for the number of registered. Driving licenses are only issued to those who enter Vietnam after collating foreign driver’s licenses and passports.

Contact us immediately if you still have any questions related to changing your foreign driver’s license to Vietnamese license. Or contact us for the service of changing!