International Licence--can use now?

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.

ngattt wrote:

@Cvco: maybe this post:

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.

cvco wrote:

Shalan, just use common sense, if you were a cop in your own country what would you do to a person you stopped who didnt have a licence? It wouldnt be good right? Asia is no different and expats need to stop thinking Asia is a free for all party. Definitely its not. If anything cops in Asia would almost prefer to catch an expat to make an example.

Well Viet Nam did create this as a problem, seeing as they didn't recognise international licenses before.

colinoscapee wrote:

Lets hope they don't do what they have done with license transfers,it lasts only as long as your visa. Each time you have to renew your visa,which as of 1st Jan has become so much harder, you also have to renew your drivers license,luckily I got a VN license years ago before the changes came into effect.

Right, understood. I think thats detailed in the same link about the IDP. But remember its the Vienna and Geneva Convention that governs the IDP. They can do whatever they like with their own licence but if people (tourists anyway) have trouble with the IDP they have a higher body to complain to. When I read about the forced renewal of the local licence with visa expirations, i plain gave up. What, 3-4 times a year re-apply for a local licence? Forget it. Imagine how my faced changed when I read about the coming IDP.

colinoscapee wrote:

Next it would be nice if they made it easy for expats to have a vehicle in their own name,save a lot of unecessary paperwork and time.

I truly dont understand that. In Malaysia I have bought several times cars and bikes and you just walk in and walk out with YOUR vehicle and YOUR paperwork. And being a tourist is just fine for ownership too.

WHY do i always compare Malaysia in a Vietnam thread? Because its all ASEAN with largely uniform rules, especially about immigration. So if there is ownership in one country, where is the ownership in the other? Its supposed to be there and I cannot understand the justification for otherwise, even on a bad day. I dont get it.

Im very curious on this issue, has anyone ever approached the Peoples Committee and asked for a rule change? There must be some part of them that thinks expats just dont care one way or the other so they leave things as they are. WIth Vietnam changing everyday, probably this will change too and why not push it?

Maybe its time for an Expat Committee to be formed to discuss all the situations with the government.

Iwonder wrote:

Still can't get issued an IDP from RACV in Australia for Vietnam as they haven't been informed of this change although its clearly stated across numerous websites.

Regardless of what links you supply they won't issue one for that country until they have been officially informed but not sure how that works nor did the customer service rep.

This is making no sense at all. IDPs are not issued for ANY particular countries, they are just issued, period. If they must ask you, say you are going to USA and leave it at that. Im looking at my IDP this moment and there is no country mentioned anywhere on it, like "only valid for Vietnam," etc. Furthermore, even using their own reckoning, the IDP also does not say "valid anywhere except communist countries, including Vietnam." In other words, as long as you meet the guidelines of its issuance, like already having a local AU licence or whatever guideline they use, they must issue the IDP, there is no choice about it.

Whenever I have gotten an IDP, they ask about trips while they are preparing the IDP:
So where ya off to?
Im going to Asia, then India, then finish in Europe, i guess i'll be gone a year or so.
Wow, what a great trip, wish i could do that! Heres your licence, stay safe and i wish you a really great trip!

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

barlings211 wrote:

Peter from Canberra... Yes individual IDLs do sound silly, but my original input a few days back re the subject was that the NRMA - issuing body here- said there is no point having one if you intend to use it in VN only. Sure, get one for tripping about internationally, but the wArning was that authorities in VN will not recognize it.  So, for VN holiday only, no use. And Travel Insurance issued here for use in VN has all kinds of "oh, no ... Not covered without approved Licence..." That means a VN Licence issues there.

OMG its so twisted around i cant hardly believe it.
1) Its NOT up to anyone how and where you use your IDP. YOU decide that, including, amazingly, that you choose to buy one and never go anywhere! Just hang it on your wall!
2) Being a tourist in any IDP country ****IS*** the reason to get one. What kind of crazy clerk says there is no point if you are only going to Vietnam and no where else?!?!? Huh?????
3) Tell them, yeah i accept your bloody warnings now give me the fkng licence you twit!!

cvco wrote:

Pang, I understand you but lets be clear, too. Once having agreed to use the IDP then it IS used. Lets say all bets are off in a communist country, even though Vietnam was a signer to the Vienna Convention 1968 which allowed the IDP. Lets say they ignored that part. But now, having installed it, then it IS used, and ive certainly never heard of any country dismissing the IDP after having installed it. I have NO IDEA what Vietnams problem has been since 1968 but I will suspect a higher body has pressured them to uphold their own signing, not the least would have been the US which has recently made trade agreements with the country.

As for filtering down of information, I have no idea, maybe its wise for IDP holders to print out the government site link info about this and carry it with the licence. And what about renting bikes, would a little rental shop also know the holder doesnt need a local licence? How does news of new rules like this filter out around the country--TV news? Repeated newspaper articles? Internal letters and memos? Osmosis?

I can understand your frustration but it will be wise for us to have social responsibility and not comment on politics in public forums.

If you are already here in Vietnam, you will know the ground rules are clear and the people at large accept the way it is. How is it possible for the expat community to voice over 90 million population?

You can agree to disagree but that is the way it is. From what I see, we just have to accept it and play by their rules but not subject ourselves to be manipulated.

In the meanwhile, let us look at the brighter side of this beautiful country and warm-hearted people.

Dave858 wrote:

I have a bit of info....I don't think everything is correct, but I will pass on what I was told by the Canadian Automobile Association. (CAA).  According to the CAA,, neither Canada nor the US adopted the 1968 Vienna road protocol.  Both use the 1949 protocol.  Vietnam adopted the 1968 Vienna road protocol effective January 1, 2015.  The CAA person went on to say that Vietnam only adopted one side of the 1968 protocol in that they will start issuing IDPs to local Vietnamese who wish to drive abroad, but are not allowing foreigners in Vietnam to use IDPs.  This CAA person said she was responsible for all aspects of the Canadian issuance of IDPs and has been for 20 years.  She seemed very knowledgeable on the subject, but this is the part that I have issue with.  Reciprocal agreements cannot be one sided.

I took my IDP in to the main local police station on Phu Quoc island as they did a crackdown on foreign motorbike drivers after 2 along with a Vietnamese were killed in 2 separate incidents at Tet.  They looked it over thoroughly and said it was not valid in Vietnam, as Vietnam was not in the country list.  They also showed me a US IDP issued by AAA in January.  It has Vietnam in the list and they said it was valid here.  A friend has an older, expired US IDP and Vietnam is not in the country list, so it looks like AAA added Vietnam recently.

As a Canadian this info was very useful to me. How long ago did you get the IDP from CAA? So it seems the American's AAA IDP is valid but not Canada's CAA IDP.