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  1. #11 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob French_Rider's Avatar
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    Thanks Jim and Human Being...

    So thats a sticky problem, there is no way around going through Russia and some of the former soviet states...

    I heard that using HK as a proxy to get an IDD from a Chinese license required to be a HK resident. Thats better than having to be a citizen, but at the end of the day thats the same: I dont plan to be an HK resident anytime soon. Does anyone knows if "visa agencies" in HK can get me an IDD for a fee?

    I am gonna dig that question on my side and come back post here if I find out something.
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  2. #12 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
    Senior C-Moto Guru humanbeing's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by French_Rider View Post
    Thanks Jim and Human Being...

    So thats a sticky problem, there is no way around going through Russia and some of the former soviet states...

    I heard that using HK as a proxy to get an IDD from a Chinese license required to be a HK resident. Thats better than having to be a citizen, but at the end of the day thats the same: I dont plan to be an HK resident anytime soon. Does anyone knows if "visa agencies" in HK can get me an IDD for a fee?

    I am gonna dig that question on my side and come back post here if I find out something.
    NO "agencies" can get u a "real" HK IDP (u don't have HKid) but there's tons of "agency" can help u get the "real" HKDL/ DIY: send the required docs to TD is also NOT difficult.

    Russia and some of the former soviet states are SUPER corrupt
    ReAL HK DL (TD 063A / In theory needs HK address proof but it's easy: famous comapny/ organzation's envelope w/ name & HK address on it is enough -FRIENDS/关系 is very impotant, isn't it?) / if had chance stays in UK: the HK DL can transfer to UK dl w/o test) + fake HK IDP (It's easy get that done in Shenzhen's "办证" / DiY is also NOT difficult... eh -where's my expired "real" HK IDP ? I can borrow u as sample to DIY) seems works fine in there
    (Be warned :If got caught carrying "fake HK IDP" in civilized world-- "HK", u will have serious trouble!!!)
    Last edited by humanbeing; 11-18-2009 at 02:45 PM.
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  3. #13 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob French_Rider's Avatar
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    OK, after browsing the web I am seeing different ways through the maze but each with some obstacles

    1) if it's possible, paying an agency that could help me show an address in HK and get me a real HK DL / transfer my mainland DL into a HK one. Then what?
    a) also using this agency to stretch the law again to help me get an HK-issued IDD through the HK DL. According to the HK Transport Department website, both HK DL and HK IDD require to have HK I.D. As a consequence, if an agency is able to give me the former, it should also be able to give me the latter, no?
    b) there is an agreement between France and HK to transfer DL, so ideally I could transfer the HK to a French one, and then from the French one get an IDD. BUT: I need to prove to the Traffic Bureau in France that I was resident in HK, and that proof needs to come from the French consulate, so: impossible.

    2) apparently France and China are negotiating to step up and allow transfer of driving license. If that happens, fantastic, I just get the French one and then the IDD. I’ll check updates on that on France side and also on China's (if I can), it may be useful to other French riders…

    3) I give up trying to get legal documents and as humanbeing suggests, I get a forged HK-issued IDD in Shenzhen, that I will only show when my genuine Chinese DL is not enough, i.e. in Russia and former soviet states. I guess that in these countries, even if they suspect my IDD to be fake, I could get away by paying a bribe (any feedback on that? and, by the way, how much to get a nice looking forged HK IDD if anyone knows?)

    4) I just carry my Chinese driver license with a formal translation in Russian and hope that it'll work in the countries it needs to, i.e. Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. And again, expecting to have to pay some bribe there too...

    So, here it is, as much as I'd like to be legal, if it's not possible and “circumventing” the law does not imply dire consequences, what the hell...
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  4. #14 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
    Administrator-tron CrazyCarl's Avatar
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    With the complications of international over-land travel I think more than a few people decide to go the "what the hell" route unless you literally have a team of people planning it for you like in "The Long/Expensive Way Round".

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  5. #15 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob French_Rider's Avatar
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    I like your idea CC, for its simplicity

    At the end of the day, I'm not sure that to avoid the possible extra money in backhander it's worth going through the hassle and cost of trying to get an HK IDD.

    Anyway, this intercontinental trip initially planned for next summer might well be postponed to 2011. Maybe by then, Chinese and French will have agreed on a full exchange of DL, we'll see.
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  6. #16 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
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    Oh, and for 2010 that doesn't mean I won't do any road trip. I am still checking faisability and availability but I might well be riding a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 around north-eastern India (Assam and Arunashal-Pradesh) for 3 weeks in march
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  7. #17 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
    Motorcycle Addict chinabiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by French_Rider View Post
    OK, after browsing the web I am seeing different ways through the maze but each with some obstacles

    1) if it's possible, paying an agency that could help me show an address in HK and get me a real HK DL / transfer my mainland DL into a HK one. Then what?
    a) also using this agency to stretch the law again to help me get an HK-issued IDD through the HK DL. According to the HK Transport Department website, both HK DL and HK IDD require to have HK I.D. As a consequence, if an agency is able to give me the former, it should also be able to give me the latter, no?
    b) there is an agreement between France and HK to transfer DL, so ideally I could transfer the HK to a French one, and then from the French one get an IDD. BUT: I need to prove to the Traffic Bureau in France that I was resident in HK, and that proof needs to come from the French consulate, so: impossible.

    2) apparently France and China are negotiating to step up and allow transfer of driving license. If that happens, fantastic, I just get the French one and then the IDD. I’ll check updates on that on France side and also on China's (if I can), it may be useful to other French riders…

    3) I give up trying to get legal documents and as humanbeing suggests, I get a forged HK-issued IDD in Shenzhen, that I will only show when my genuine Chinese DL is not enough, i.e. in Russia and former soviet states. I guess that in these countries, even if they suspect my IDD to be fake, I could get away by paying a bribe (any feedback on that? and, by the way, how much to get a nice looking forged HK IDD if anyone knows?)

    4) I just carry my Chinese driver license with a formal translation in Russian and hope that it'll work in the countries it needs to, i.e. Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. And again, expecting to have to pay some bribe there too...

    So, here it is, as much as I'd like to be legal, if it's not possible and “circumventing” the law does not imply dire consequences, what the hell...
    ad 1) why so complicated? Just get yourself an IDP from back home in France. They'll give you the bike license, which you have in France legally - that will do.

    ad 2) It's the EU and Chine negotiating that thing for years already but every time a European leader receives the visit of a certain person (the DL), all such small things are put on hold by the Chinese.

    ad 3) see ad 1)

    ad 4) see ad 1)
    Andy
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  8. #18 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
    C-Moto Not-so-Noob French_Rider's Avatar
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    I only have the "moped" license in France (ie max 125cc), to get the bike category on an IDP I need the full motorcycle license (we have 3 different categories for motorcyles on the french license)
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  9. #19 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
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    Quote Originally Posted by chinabiker View Post
    ad 1) why so complicated? Just get yourself an IDP from back home in France. They'll give you the bike license, which you have in France legally - that will do.

    :
    i'm also from europe and have the same "problem" with the limited moped licence.
    I don't have time to go back for a long time.
    Getting a licence is Europe is very difficult, expensive, and on top of that.
    The waiting lists are very long. It's normal to wait for up to 3 months to take a test.
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  10. #20 Re: Validity of Chinese driving license in foreign countries 
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    Quote Originally Posted by French_Rider View Post
    I only have the "moped" license in France (ie max 125cc), to get the bike category on an IDP I need the full motorcycle license (we have 3 different categories for motorcyles on the french license)
    yes, french licence is just an European Union licence.
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