US Driver License in Vietnam: The Ultimate Guide

If you plan to study, work, or reside in Vietnam for extended periods of time, you may be wondering if it’s legal to use your US driver license in Vietnam. While US driver licenses are not legally recognized in Vietnam, you can generally apply to exchange your license to the local one. What are the procedures and required documents? Read on to find out what to prepare for a driver license exchange.

Exchange US driver license in Vietnam: Eligibility criteria

As per Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic, to convert your US driver’s license into a Vietnamese license, you must have either:

1. • American citizenship: You must hold a valid US driver’s license. Additionally, you must submit valid identification documents and legal proof of residence in Vietnam. Or,
2. • American-Vietnamese dual citizenship: You must hold a valid US driver’s license and provide both your American and Vietnamese identification documents. Or,
3. • Vietnamese citizenship: If you are a Vietnamese national, you must hold a valid US driver’s license, provide documents verifying your residence in the US, and identity documents in Vietnam.

Required documents to exchange US driver license in Vietnam

Document requirements for US driver’s license exchange into Vietnamese license may differ on a case-by-case basis. In addition to filling out the application form, be sure to prepare the following documents:

For American citizens:

1. • Two-sided copy of your US driver’s license
2. • Information page in your US passport
3. • Your Vietnam visa
4. • Visa stamp indicating your most recent entry into Vietnam
5. • Your residential and employment records in Vietnam: temporary residence card, Vietnam work permit, and other relevant papers.

For American-Vietnamese dual citizens:

1. • Two-sided copy of your US driver’s license
2. • Information page in your US passport
3. • Information page in your Vietnam passport
4. • Visa stamp indicating your most recent entry into Vietnam
5. • Two-sided copy of your Vietnam ID card

For Vietnamese citizens:

1. • Two-sided copy of your US driver’s license
2. • Information page in your Vietnam passport
3. • Your US visa/green card
4. • Two-sided copy of your Vietnam ID card
5. • Visa stamp indicating your most recent entry into Vietnam

Reminder: You will have to provide a notarized translation of your driver’s license and a copy of the notarized translation to complete your application. Similarly, your US documents must be translated and notarized before submission to the Vietnamese government. In addition, if you are a Vietnamese citizen, or if you have a dual citizenship one of which is Vietnamese, make sure to obtain consular authentication for your non-Vietnamese driver’s license, then get it translated and notarized for your application.

Where to exchange your US driver license in Vietnam?

You can apply to convert your US driver’s license at the following locations:

1. • Department for Roads of Vietnam or the Ministry of Transport
2. • Driving test centers
3. • Centers that offer international driver’s license exchange services

Opting for such services can save you the time spent on researching the necessary documents, which may speed up the process. Nevertheless, you will need to budget for service fees. Additionally, don’t forget to assess the service quality carefully before making a decision.

US-to-Vietnamese driver’s license exchange process

Besides preparing the essential documents, it’s important that you navigate the application process with confidence. Fortunately, the procedure for exchanging driver’s licenses in Vietnam is highly efficient, providing you with the flexibility of both in-person and online applications:

1. • Step 1: Prepare your documents
2. • Step 2: Complete the payment and submit your US driver’s license exchange application to the local authorities as regulated by the Ministry of Transport.
3. • Step 3: You will have your photo taken at the submission site and present your original documents for verification purposes. For online submission, you need to upload your photo and scanned copies of your documents as required.
4. • Step 4: The Ministry of Transport reviews the submitted application. You will receive your result within 5 working days. You can either pick up your result in-person or have it delivered to your address.

Online procedure for exchanging your US driver license in Vietnam

The procedure for converting a US or international driver’s license to a Vietnamese equivalent includes 6 steps:

1. • Step 1: Access the National Public Service Portal website. Navigate to the “Thông tin và Dịch vụ/Information and Services” section, select “Dịch vụ Công Trực tuyến/Online Public Service” and type “đổi giấy phép lái xe” into the Search Box.
2. • Step 2: Select “Đổi Giấy phép lái xe hoặc bằng lái xe của nước ngoài cấp/Exchange foreign-issued driver’s license.”
3. • Step 3: In the information box on the right side, select “Bộ Giao thông vận tải” from the dropdown list. Click the button “Đồng ý.”
4. • Step 4: Select “Nộp trực tuyến/Online Submission.”
5. • Step 5: Log in to your account via one of the three provided methods on the screen (register a new account if you do not have one) and select “Tiếp tục/Continue.”
6. • Step 6: The system confirms your appointment. For your appointment, make sure to bring your ID card or passport and other documents for verification purposes.

Practical tips for exchanging your US driver’s license in Vietnam

To successfully convert your US driver’s license, make sure your US documents are translated into Vietnamese and notarized, or you get Consular authentication for legal validity.

The notarization or consular authentication process can be particularly challenging due to its intricate requirements. Extensive research is necessary to make sure your application adheres to Vietnam’s regulations. This generally requires plenty of time and effort.

For a stress-free application process, you can consider certified translation services that offer notarization and consular authentication assistance.

Thao & Co. provides a comprehensive notarized translation service for US driver’s license exchange application, including notarization and consular authentication asistance.

Our streamlined workflow for document processing and translation guarantees high-quality translations that exceed your expectations.

With years of experience in the industry, we are well-versed in the intricacy of administrative and legal procedures, which allows us to deliver top-notch notarized translations. Select Thao & Co.’s professional notarized translation services to:

1. • Get notarized translations for your driver’s license exchange application within 48 hours.
2. • Benefit from the expertise of our expert linguists who are experienced in translating documents for international driver’s license exchange.
3. • Enjoy our robust translation workflow where speed meets precision.
4. • Experience peace of mind as our linguists are well-versed in Vietnam’s administrative and legal procedures, guaranteeing legally valid notarized translations.
5. • Rest assured that your personal and project information is handled with care and discretion for complete security and confidentiality.
6. • Enjoy our transparent and competitive pricing as we provide detailed quotes upfront, ensuring you get quality translations within your budget.
7. • Stay on top of your project progress and communicate with our team via Thao & Co.’s proprietary platform.

As a professional translation company with extensive experience in notarized translations for legal procedures, we’re committed to understanding your translation needs and exceed your expectations. Ready to exchange your US driver’s license for a Vietnam driver’s license? Call Thao & Co.’s hot line or leave your information on our Get a Quote page, we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!