Can you drive legally in Vietnam with the card international?

Cards international cards issued by the countries that adhere to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968 are valid in Vietnam, as the country has acceded to this treaty on August 20, 2014, as it also picks up the law of the vietnamese government. This means that the international driving permits issued by countries such as Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Cuba, United Kingdom, and Greece can be legally used to drive in Vietnam.

However, Vietnam does not recognize the international permits based on the Geneva Convention of 1949, which leaves out countries that emit cards international are based on this convention, such as Spain, united States or Australia.

To drive legally in Vietnam, you must have:

• 1) The card original of your country,
• 2) the card international, or IDP, of the convention, 1968 issued in your country through the authority gubernalmental compentente.⚠️ This card cannot be obtained in Vietnam, and the websites that offer this type of cards are fake.

1949 vs 1968: why the permissions of 1949, are not valid in Vietnam

At first glance, it might appear that Vietnam is part of the Convention of Traffic of Geneva of 1949, as it appears as an acceding country in 1953. However, the State that signed the treaty was not the current Socialist Republic of Vietnam, but the former Republic of Vietnam, a state linked to the united States during the Vietnam War, which at the time of the signing was part of the French Indochina. This State was defeated by the communist forces during the so-called “Vietnam War” and disappeared as a result of the unification of the country in 1975.

Therefore, Vietnam does not recognize the international permits based on the Geneva Convention of 1949, which leaves out countries that emit cards international are based on this convention, such as Spain, united States or Australia.

In the bottom image, you can read the e-mail address of the embassy of Spain in Vietnam , indicating that Vietnam and Spain are not members of the international treaties on the mutual recognition of driving licences.

Does the driving, international car for driving motorcycle?

Card international is valid for the vehicles associated to each type of card. For example, the card with the category B-sealed is not good for driving motorcycles, for which it is required to have the category sealed appropriate.

Rent a motorbike in Vietnam is really a great way to explore certain areas of the country, such as Ha Giang or Sapa. An important notice is that, in my opinion, Vietnam is not the ideal place to learn to drive a motorcycle if you’ve never done before, as the traffic can be quite dangerous, especially in cities or mountainous areas.

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Is it a good idea to rent a car in Vietnam?

In Vietnam, it is not easy to rent a car for your account, even if you have an international driving license. In addition, driving in Vietnam can be very stressful due to the driving style of local, which tends to be less respectful of the rules compared with other countries. In my opinion, it is much more convenient to rent a car with driver who, in my experience, can cost anywhere from 45€ and 50€ per day (approximately 1,200,000 VND).

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Can I rent a motorcycle in Vietnam without having a passport valid?

The answer is that, yes, the majority of establishments that rent bikes you’re not going to ask you to show your international driver’s permit. The reality is that in Vietnam, a lot of people drive without driving all day, and this is not in principle an illegality as serious as can be in other countries (usually arranged by paying a small fine of around€15).

However, if you have an accident driving illegally you will be solely responsible. Depending on the circumstances, you could pick up the passport, or you could end up in jail until your embassy will be able to find a solution and it has clarified the status of the other people involved.

In conclusion, to bring an international driving license is worth it, because…

✔️ you’ll be able to drive legally in Vietnam,

✔️ you are going to help you avoid trouble with the police,

✔️ if you have an accident, your insurance will cover your medical expenses,

✔️ and if you have an accident and hurt another person, to have a driving license international can be key to not get yourself into an even bigger problem.