Getting your Driving and Motorbike License in Vietnam

Thanks for all this info great job.  b2  I assume is for motorbike also? You said receipt specified what it was for so I also assume this would get you by as a temporary licence ( I'm hoping)?

so all I need is my local car driver license translated and then apply for the Vietnamese car license.

after I have the Vietnamese car license, I can apply for a Vietnamese motor bike license.

Great to find a recent post on the procedure of obtaining a local license...

I am just waiting for my company to complete my work authorization and I will do the same thing!

Does anyone know the CC of bike you are allowed to drive once you have passed your test? I am looking to buy a 300cc motorbike in the next few months...

Nothing over 175cc.
If you want to ride anything bigger it's going to cost you big bickies and you won't be able to go any faster than me on my Honda PCX 125cc which I might add is the perfect bike to ride in HCMC traffic.
sorry for the typo

As stated above 170cc, you will need an A2 license if you want to ride a 300cc bike. Now dont forget,rules are not uniform across Viet Nam, so anything is possible.

And is it a difficult process to get the A2 license for a foreigner?

Perhaps I will stick with a 150 - 175cc bike!

Its a case of not what you know but who you know in high places and how much money needs to change hands for it to happen. It just seems to be a coincidence that all the guys I know with an A2 license are Police.
one who knows me well offered to help me get one 3 yrs ago and I went part way through the process then while on holiday in Phuket I hired a Honda PCX for a week and quickly realised it was the perfect bike for Vietnam. They have come down in price a lot since I bought mine as the new bike market is in a slump so bargains are to be had. I paid 64 million dong 3 yrs ago.

DirtyPierre wrote:

Its a case of not what you know but who you know in high places and how much money needs to change hands for it to happen. It just seems to be a coincidence that all the guys I know with an A2 license are Police.
one who knows me well offered to help me get one 3 yrs ago and I went part way through the process then while on holiday in Phuket I hired a Honda PCX for a week and quickly realised it was the perfect bike for Vietnam. They have come down in price a lot since I bought mine as the new bike market is in a slump so bargains are to be had. I paid 64 million dong 3 yrs ago.

Thanks for the advice.. I know the PCX. I was working in Phuket for two years prior to moving to Saigon in December last year and had the opportunity to ride them a few times... nice bikes but I am really looking for a proper motorbike than a Scooter... something along the lines of a Benelli bn302 or Visitor Bios 175 (depending on the license requirments!) would be my preferred choice

I suggest you borrow a "proper motorbike" for a few days in HCMC peak hour traffic and you may rethink your choice.
I have ridden motorbikes since I was 8 on the farm in NZ. Raced motorbikes professionally in Both NZ  speedway and in Australia at Philip Island and I had my heart set on a proper motorbike when I came to Vietnam, then realised that if you ride here daily you have to ride like a Viet does. when the lights turn green you twist your throttle and go with the pack. I found the Honda Rebel would be out of sync with everyone else. I either stalled it and had everyone ride into the back of me or I revved it too high to prevent stalling and rode up the back of the guy in front.
Thats when I got the PCX. Its really horses for courses.
You have to decide between what you would like to be seen on versus what is actually practical for HCMC traffic.
In Danang the Rebel was ideal but even then I would avoid their small peak traffic time, but it was great for cruising over the Hai Van Pass. Before you commit to buying an expensive bike the other issue is who will service it for you?
Viet mechanics only know the common bikes on the market. anything else and they scratch their heads and they also cant get parts for them.

If you are just going to be driving mostly in the city, get a scooter,geared bikes are a pain in traffic.

I drive from Binh Thanh district to Binh Duong and back everyday for work which is one of the reasons why I am considering a geared motorbike rather than a scooter.. but I will give it some thought before I make any decisions! Thanks all for the advice

You could look at the Honda AT, which is the same as the Honda Wave but its automatic, that way you have the best of both in one bike.

Here is two more you could look at.
http://s5.postimg.org/xmjamn2ef/Visitor_BIOS_175cc.jpghttp://s5.postimg.org/r1suwha3r/Yamaha_FZ_150i.jpg

Both of these are available in HCMC and both within the 175cc ceiling.

Here is a helpful link

immivietnamvisa.com/general-infomation/how-to-convert-foreigners-driving-license-to-vietn

DirtyPierre wrote:

Here is two more you could look at.
http://s5.postimg.org/xmjamn2ef/Visitor_BIOS_175cc.jpghttp://s5.postimg.org/r1suwha3r/Yamaha_FZ_150i.jpg

Both of these are available in HCMC and both within the 175cc ceiling.

Thanks... I have actually been looking at the Visitor Bios 175... I've never heard of the brand though.. does anyone know if it any good?

If it was easy to obtain the A2 then I was looking at a Benelli bn302

I think though for the time being I will stick with the maximum 175cc!

I think Hero build the Boss

skyscraper903 wrote:

One question: Do you know the opening hours of the translation office (in 47 Le Duan Street, District 1) and the transportation office (in 252 Ly Chinh Thang Street, District 3)?
I can't find them online.

skyscraper903

I was there yesterday. Not sure what time they open but they close between 12-13 and then again at around 15 or 16.

EricSchmeric wrote:

skyscraper903 wrote:

One question: Do you know the opening hours of the translation office (in 47 Le Duan Street, District 1) and the transportation office (in 252 Ly Chinh Thang Street, District 3)?
I can't find them online.

skyscraper903

I was there yesterday. Not sure what time they open but they close between 12-13 and then again at around 15 or 16.

Why do you speak in Military time.

5 million for a legal  A2 driving licence.

Hi everybody,

Some mates and I are heading over to Vietnam this August to do the top gear thing.

We want to get our Vietnamese licenses but cant get a straight answer on whether we need a 3 month residency visa or if a 3 month tourist visa will be enough?

We all have our car/motobike licence and international drivers permits.

Also I've read that it can take up to ten days. Can the wait be made shorter if we let our money do the talking?

Any info would  be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.

Topgear has a lot to answer for.
I have ridden motorbikes since the age of 8yrs old on a farm in NZ then progressed to Speedway which is not a sport for the faint of heart. Raced Midget cars and stock cars too. Then in Australia raced on Philip Island and Sandown as well as Winton so no stranger to motorbike risks. I have a VN motorbike license and ride everyday in HCMC and have ridden in several places in Vietnam including the mountains in the north but refuse point blank to ride on HWY1. The odds are no longer stacked in my favour. Living here we read the local papers and see how well maintained the annual death rate on the roads is over 12,000, yes you did read that right, it isn't a typo, 12,000 deaths on the roads annually. Motorbikes are well down in the pecking order of vehicles on the road. But its the drugged out truck drivers who will literally drive over the top of you because they're so high on drugs they don't even see you that you have to worry about. Welcome to the real world of riding in Asia.

leebanger wrote:

Hi everybody,

Some mates and I are heading over to Vietnam this August to do the top gear thing.

We want to get our Vietnamese licenses but cant get a straight answer on whether we need a 3 month residency visa or if a 3 month tourist visa will be enough?

We all have our car/motobike licence and international drivers permits.

Also I've read that it can take up to ten days. Can the wait be made shorter if we let our money do the talking?
 
Any info would  be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.

International licences are worthless in VN.
No such thing as a 3 month Residency Visa, you only need a 30 day Tourist Visa.
10 days?, not planning on seeing much??????
Unless you change your licence to a VN one, ( which all you actually get is a plastic translation of your original licence ), you can take the usual tourist gamble of driving without one. And probably no papers for our bikes as well, most get away with it, but the consequences can be very expensive, ( especially if you are involved in an accident, regardless of fault )..
If there are a few of you the cops will probably ignore you, ( unless you have been drinking ).

DirtyPierre wrote:

Topgear has a lot to answer for.
I have ridden motorbikes since the age of 8yrs old on a farm in NZ then progressed to Speedway which is not a sport for the faint of heart. Raced Midget cars and stock cars too. Then in Australia raced on Philip Island and Sandown as well as Winton so no stranger to motorbike risks. I have a VN motorbike license and ride everyday in HCMC and have ridden in several places in Vietnam including the mountains in the north but refuse point blank to ride on HWY1. The odds are no longer stacked in my favour. Living here we read the local papers and see how well maintained the annual death rate on the roads is over 12,000, yes you did read that right, it isn't a typo, 12,000 deaths on the roads annually. Motorbikes are well down in the pecking order of vehicles on the road. But its the drugged out truck drivers who will literally drive over the top of you because they're so high on drugs they don't even see you that you have to worry about. Welcome to the real world of riding in Asia.

They asked for help, not your driving history, ( again ).There are over 6,000 kids drowned annually in VN, better tell them not to go swimming as well.

Around 6500 actually because learning to swim is irrelevant in most peoples struggle to survive

Blue NZ,
You live here and know what its like to ride in VN. After watching a highly edited but very irresponsible Top Gear program many think it will be a breeze to ride here just like on the program.
The reason I gave my riding history was to bring the point home I wasnt a timid Sunday rider but an experienced rider who still would not ride on HWY1 because of the dangers of trucks coming from behind who will drive over the top of you.

bluenz wrote:

leebanger wrote:

Hi everybody,

Some mates and I are heading over to Vietnam this August to do the top gear thing.

We want to get our Vietnamese licenses but cant get a straight answer on whether we need a 3 month residency visa or if a 3 month tourist visa will be enough?

We all have our car/motobike licence and international drivers permits.

Also I've read that it can take up to ten days. Can the wait be made shorter if we let our money do the talking?

The ten days was the waiting time for them to get a license.
 
Any info would  be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.

International licences are worthless in VN.
No such thing as a 3 month Residency Visa, you only need a 30 day Tourist Visa.
10 days?, not planning on seeing much??????
Unless you change your licence to a VN one, ( which all you actually get is a plastic translation of your original licence ), you can take the usual tourist gamble of driving without one. And probably no papers for our bikes as well, most get away with it, but the consequences can be very expensive, ( especially if you are involved in an accident, regardless of fault )..
If there are a few of you the cops will probably ignore you, ( unless you have been drinking ).

Hwy1 is complete insanity . They scare the crap out of me on the open roads. Give me a dodgy airline anyday

bluenz wrote:

leebanger wrote:

Hi everybody,

Some mates and I are heading over to Vietnam this August to do the top gear thing.

We want to get our Vietnamese licenses but cant get a straight answer on whether we need a 3 month residency visa or if a 3 month tourist visa will be enough?

We all have our car/motobike licence and international drivers permits.

Also I've read that it can take up to ten days. Can the wait be made shorter if we let our money do the talking?
 
Any info would  be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.

International licences are worthless in VN.
No such thing as a 3 month Residency Visa, you only need a 30 day Tourist Visa.
10 days?, not planning on seeing much??????
Unless you change your licence to a VN one, ( which all you actually get is a plastic translation of your original licence ), you can take the usual tourist gamble of driving without one. And probably no papers for our bikes as well, most get away with it, but the consequences can be very expensive, ( especially if you are involved in an accident, regardless of fault )..
If there are a few of you the cops will probably ignore you, ( unless you have been drinking ).

Thanks for the reply mate.

We will be in vietnam for about seven weeks.
I heard it can take up to ten days to process the licene. Can this be done faster if I flick them a bit of extra cash?

And just to confirm a 3 month tourist visa will be all we need?

Cheers

Cash is king

DirtyPierre wrote:

Blue NZ,
You live here and know what its like to ride in VN. After watching a highly edited but very irresponsible Top Gear program many think it will be a breeze to ride here just like on the program.
The reason I gave my riding history was to bring the point home I wasnt a timid Sunday rider but an experienced rider who still would not ride on HWY1 because of the dangers of trucks coming from behind who will drive over the top of you.

Yes I agree, maybe I should be giving that advice as well, I've just had a friend stay up here for a couple of weeks, and he said driving up here is heaps worse than in the big cities, idiots tend to go faster with less traffic.
When i'm on the Hwy, my rear vision mirrors are my best friends, but the best way, is to go just that little faster than a VN, NEVER sit behind or amongst them,  I call that the killing zone.

Someone should knock your head off for being a twat with your attitude

I do a lot of country riding and yes they are bad drivers, but in the city its basically that you are going much slower. I still prefer to drive in the countryside then Saigon or Ha Noi.

leebanger wrote:

bluenz wrote:

leebanger wrote:

Hi everybody,

Some mates and I are heading over to Vietnam this August to do the top gear thing.

We want to get our Vietnamese licenses but cant get a straight answer on whether we need a 3 month residency visa or if a 3 month tourist visa will be enough?

We all have our car/motobike licence and international drivers permits.

Also I've read that it can take up to ten days. Can the wait be made shorter if we let our money do the talking?
 
Any info would  be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.

International licences are worthless in VN.
No such thing as a 3 month Residency Visa, you only need a 30 day Tourist Visa.
10 days?, not planning on seeing much??????
Unless you change your licence to a VN one, ( which all you actually get is a plastic translation of your original licence ), you can take the usual tourist gamble of driving without one. And probably no papers for our bikes as well, most get away with it, but the consequences can be very expensive, ( especially if you are involved in an accident, regardless of fault )..
If there are a few of you the cops will probably ignore you, ( unless you have been drinking ).

Thanks for the reply mate.

We will be in vietnam for about seven weeks.
I heard it can take up to ten days to process the licene. Can this be done faster if I flick them a bit of extra cash?

And just to confirm a 3 month tourist visa will be all we need?

Cheers

3 months will be plenty,
  Yes about 10 days processing time, ( if you have the correct translation, photo's, and Passport/Visa page copies ).
  You would have to know someone here to be able to bribe the right people, or it could get very expensive, believe it or not, they are not all dishonest in uniform. ( Some actually get insulted if you offer a tip, well that's up here, the cities might be different now )..

He wont be around long, have a look at the stupid username, shows the intelligence of the guy.

colinoscapee wrote:

I do a lot of country riding and yes they are bad drivers, but in the city its basically that you are going much slower. I still prefer to drive in the countryside then Saigon or Ha Noi.

I  was meaning the larger country towns, ( some with traffic lights, for them to ignore ), certain times of the days the roads are practically empty, but when the markets open, or an hour before school, the crazies come out.

Anywhere there are markets,traffic lights and schools you will have chaos.

Yes so we noticed.

What kind of licence do you need? A1 or A2 or B2?

I don't know if you can have a legal A1 driving licence within 10 days but illegal A1 can be made within 5 days. It impossible to have a A2 legal licence within 10 days either. No need to pay for licence. The fine can be equal to backhand.

sorry guys for interrupting I removed a couple of messages that I missed yesterday