International Driving License – How Easy is it to Procure?
We spoke in length about the pros and cons of a Self-Drive vacation in the previous blog. The important factor that you have to keep in mind well before you start your self-drive vacation would be the licence requirements of the country you are going to! There are many countries, which allow you to drive with an Indian Driving licence. Some informative links are given below:
Important Read
- 7 Countries that will let you drive on an Indian Driver’s Licence
- Countries where Indian Driving Licence is Valid
Nevertheless, please do check with your local operator or local car Rental Company about the exact local requirements. If Indian Driving Licences are not valid, you will need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) from your state RTO – to enable you to drive a car in a foreign country.
What is an International Driving Permit?
IDPs entitle the holder to drive in all contracting countries other than his/her country of residence, without further examination, as long as they hold a valid domestic driving license. Contracting countries are those countries that have subscribed one or more of the UN International Conventions on Road Traffic. (India is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic).
While a certain country’s government may not require an IDP, car rental companies located in that country, may require an IDP to rent a car. Furthermore, though the rules allow for the validity of an Indian driving licence, the local police / Car Rental office may not be aware and still insist on an International Driving Permit (IDP). To be safe, we recommend that you get an IDP in all cases to avoid any type of inconvenience.
Functions of an IDP
Translate
IDPs ensure that your domestic driving license is understandable by local authorities and officials in the foreign country where you are driving. Certain countries require this – e.g. Spain.
Certify
The issuer of your IDP certifies that you have a valid driving license in your country of residence, i.e. that you are authorized to drive motor vehicles.
Type of vehicle
The issuer of your IDP also indicates and certifies what category or categories of motor vehicles you are authorized to drive.
Improve Road Safety
The fact that IDPs are often required to drive abroad helps ensure that every driver is an authorized driver and helps improve road safety worldwide.
Find out more on here.
How do we get an International Driving Permit in India?
The Indian Government has done a commendable job of digitization of driving licences and providing an online application portal for all RTO services. Though the process has been simplified and made transparent by making an online application, you may still have to make a visit to your Doctor and a couple of visits to your RTO to acquire the IDP!
Note
This transparency means that you no longer have to rely on the local RTO broker – who more often then not, would charge high fees in the name of ‘economic rent’. Please do try and avoid going through a broker – the process is quite simple and extremely fast. I got the IDP within 2 days of my visit to the RTO (with an SMS sent on approval!)
Pre-Application Process
Documents to procure before you apply online:
1. Visa Approval
For the country to be visited immediately. Though the IDP is valid for 1 year to drive throughout the world (and not restricted to a country), the Visa document is a necessary evil!
2. Form 1
Self Declaration answering questions on your medical fitness to drive a vehicle. https://vahan.nic.in/nrservices/forms/form1.pdf
3. Form 1A
is the medical certificate to be signed by a Registered Medical officer / practitioner (his/her Registration number will have to be mentioned). Will need a visit to the hospital!
https://vahan.nic.in/nrservices/forms/form1a.pdf
4. Document scans to be kept ready prior to application:
(ensure the file size is lesser than 300k to upload – you will have to tinker with the resolutions)
- Photo
- Passport
- Any other identification e.g. Voter’s ID
- Visa of the country you are proposing to visit
- Form 1 – Self declaration
- Form 1A – medical certificate
Online Application Process
Portal of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
- Go to the section: Online Services.
- Within this section: select “Driving License related services”. This will lead to the page to select your state.
- Once you select your state – go to the section of ‘Apply Online’ and there select ‘Services on Driving Licenses’. The portal is self-explanatory from here onwards.
- All instructions (Detailed with screenshots!) on the FAQs section: Relating to International Driving Permits:
While the online application process is NOT perfect and can be frustrating at times; it is a step in the right direction easing the process considerably.
Visit to the RTO for the final Round
After the online application, take a print of the final application document and visit the RTO for the ‘biometrics’ – meaning a photo click for our IDP.
Ensure you take all prints and originals (Passport, VoterID etc) of the documents submitted along with your online application. In addition ensure you take the following documents
- Flight tickets for your forthcoming visit
- Acknowledgment of online fee payment (Rs. 1,000 as of now)
Validity:
The Validity of the IDP is one year from the date of issue. Though you will be required to submit the visa approval of the country you are visiting immediately, the IDP once given is valid worldwide and can be used within its validity period in most of the countries worldwide.
For assistance on exciting self-drive vacations and itineraries, reach out to us at contact@beyonder.travel or call us on +91 99024 44496. Visit www.beyonder.travel to know more about us.
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