Vietnam to begin issuing International Driving Permits to foreigners in October

Locals and those foreigners who have permanent residence permits can apply for the IDPs, so long as they have a driver’s license issued in Vietnam, Nguyen Van Quyen, deputy head of the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam (DRV), told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday.

The IDP will be valid for three years at most and it is recognized in 84 other countries that signed the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic in 1968, Quyen said.

The International Driving Permit is a multi-page book with its basic information written in English and Vietnamese.

It also includes a section, printed in Vietnamese, English, Russian, French and Spanish, where the holder declares their personal particulars and the vehicle classes.

Those who want to apply for the IDP can contact the DRV or the transport departments in their localities to get the application form, Quyen said.

The form must be submitted along with a valid driver’s license, passport, and permanent residence card.

The IDP will be issued within five days from application.

The DRV and local transport departments are required to explain to permit seekers the reason why their applications are rejected, according to the DRV official.

The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by establishing standard traffic rules among the contracting parties.

The convention was agreed upon at the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Conference on Road Traffic and concluded in Vienna on November 8, 1968, before coming into force on May 21, 1977.

Among the 85 countries that ratify the treaty are Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and Vietnam, according to the United Nations Treaty Collection.