Philippine Driving Licence

[Mike J]

On 7/27/2019 at 6:35 AM, Mike J said:

My wife and I went to Carcar (2 hour trip) to do our driver license renewal.  Got there just as they were opening at 8:00.  Took about 2 1/2 hours for us to jump thru the hoops, stand in line, etc.  At the end of all that we each get our receipt and are told that we had to go to the new Seaside Mall in Cebu City to get the actual license.  So now we are looking at an additional 3 hour trip next week to get the *&% license.  

Fee was 727.63 which included the late fee of 75 peso because our licenses expired in May.  I fully expect to pay additional fees when we go get the actual license.  There was an additional fee of 750 peso each of us for the urine drug test and the physical exam.  The doctor was amazing!  She sat there, never examined me, did not ask me a single question, nor even looked at my medical questionnaire.  And yet she still knew my blood pressure, vision was perfect, everything is A OK!   What a relief to know that I am in such good health. 

So probably a good idea to have 2000 peso in your pocket when you go to renew, just to be safe.

I just go back from our trip to Cebu City to get our driver license.  Apparently the machine at Seaside Mall is the only way to get the license for all of Cebu Island, Bohol, and Samar    They do the license from 10AM to 7PM.  Fortunately I was treated as a senior citizen and went straight to the head of the line and avoided the approximately 200-300 people already queued up.  No additional fee but you have to have your receipt from the regional LTO office.  I wonder what they will do if the machine breaks down? 

[cerox]

Hello guys,

I read here that you cannot get a Filipino license on a tourist visa. On another forum I read you can get visa extensions like this (example):

- 2. day in the country: extend to 59 days
- 3. day in the country: extend another 6 months
4. day in the country: extend another 6 months
So there is more than 1 year to fulfill the requirements to get a license.
Is that still possible /true?
 

Does anyone have experience getting a Filipino license with either:
a) EU license (can be translated by my embassy to English) for class B (car, small motorcycle only), no expiry date
b) Thai car and motorbike driving licenses (bi-lingual - also in English, ASEAN license supposedly valid for the Philippines and other ASEAN countries), expires 2024

I would like to use one of them, ideally the Thai license, because it is already in English and valid for all engines (motorcycle). But perhaps they insist on a license from my home country.

Priority for me is saving time, meaning that I do not have to memorize questions, do a written or practical test.

[Huggybearman]

It seems to vary from one LTO to another.

I have not heard of anyones experience converting a Thai licence but as a member of ASEAN I think it should be straightforward. But, this is the Philippines!

Here in CDO I was able to obtain a Phils licence based on my UK one, which is the same as an EU one. No theory or practical test, just a very basic, and I mean BASIC, medical test which only involved being able to discern a 50php note from a 100php note.

I only had extension of stays and an ACRi card.

You infer that your home country licence is different from your Thai licence. Where is your home licence from? 

Welcome to the forum.

Ken

 

Edited September 3, 2019 by Huggybearman

[Jack Peterson]

2 hours ago, cerox said:

Priority for me is saving time, meaning that I do not have to memorize questions, do a written or practical test.

 Sorry my Friend but saving time is not on the local Agenda, get in Line is the key word, the LTO will accept any Licence in English But the procedure is the same, Line up and when the form is filled up and medical certificate produced and paid your cash. Wait a while sir and 3 hours later your name will be called for Fingerprints etc, then after another 2 hours you may get a PAPER licence and wait 3.4.5 and in my case 12 months for your plastic one, Welcome to PEF ( the Forum) and the Philippines  Harsh mate but Reality 

[Dave Hounddriver]

10 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

But the procedure is the same

They are only accepting a limited number of driver's license transactions per day as well.  He'll have to be at the LTO an hour before it opens to get a number to even start doing it.  Then be prepared to push and shove anyone who comes late and tries to squeeze in front to get one of those coveted numbers before they are all gone.  Its like "work to rule" down there.  No one has any idea when things will get back to normal, However Lyn was there at 7:30 this morning so she got her student permit done.  The system works . . . .  very slowly.

[cerox]

Thanks to both of you.

I am aware that things move slower in the Philippines. The time-saving thing what I meant was preparations like memorizing questions for a driving test etc. - which is what I would like to avoid. I do not mind waiting there half a day for different steps, always have something to do, read etc. :)

In theory I am not allowed to drive 3 months as a tourist because my EU license is not in English (do not have an IDP) and my Thai license - Thailand is not my home country. I read it has to be your home countries license. But you never know - depends on the person I guess.

The major challenge I see is the ACR card. I read I have to request it after 59 days but it can take months to receive it which means I cannot apply for a license.

Two questions to you guys:

- is there any express service for the ACR card to get it faster? I am not talking about bribing an Immigration Officer. Some countries simply have an option where you pay extra to get things faster - all advertised and legal

- When is a "clever timing" to do the extension beyond 59 days? Example: If I go to Immigration after in total 45 days in the country I expect to be able to apply for a 6 months extension and then I have to go back again after in total 59 days to apply for the ACR card? If I go right before the visa expires (e.g. after 57-58 days) - will I be able to apply for the extension  and ACR card on the same day?

Thank you for your help. Looking forward to a new adventure soon after 3 years of living in Thailand.

[Dave Hounddriver]

59 minutes ago, cerox said:

When is a "clever timing" to do the extension beyond 59 days?

First, your experience will differ from others as every BI office interprets the rules slightly different.  In theory, you could get your first extension at the airport (which gives you the full 59 days) and go to the nearest BI office a day or two later for your first 6-month renewal and ACR card, then come back the next day and get a second 6-month renewal.  That gives you a year of temporary residency so you qualify for a driver's license.

In practice there is this rule:

Quote

 

How many days should I allot for the filling of my visa extension to avoid overstaying?

You may file for your visa extension application seven (7) days before your Temporary Visitors’ visa expires.

 

Some BI officials say that you must apply for your extension a minimum of 7 days before your visa expires.  Some BI officials say that is the maximum.  At one time there was an "internal memo" that I was told of which advised the BI agents to allow up to 14 days before expiry BUT that was years ago and the individual offices have a lot of flexibility to interpret the rules.

Another example:  If you read forums and blogs for your information you will read BS like this:

Quote

For illustration only.  You can search for the link if you like.  The content is BS.
IMPORTANT: You can only get two 6 months extensions within the allowed maximum of 36 months. All other extensions are 2 months only. The first 6 months extension can only be obtained after the initial free 30 days and the following 29 days.

Statements like this are just opinions of the blog writer based on his own interpretation of the rules.  I can tell you that I have had 3 consecutive 6-month extensions in the past and I can name at least 2 other forum members who have.  Again, don't believe what you read online about the BI.  Go to the BI office that you will be using and ask them.  If you don't like the answers then try another office (if it is not too far out of your way).

And good luck to you.  Staying here on a tourist visa is getting more contentious all the time.  The rules change often, but usually only minor changes. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they do not throw the whole program out. 

[cerox]

Thank you. Good to know about the 7days, so to be safe I just apply for my extension up to 59 days 1 week before :)

About the driving license, I will try to get 2x 6 months then.

You mentioned that the tourist visa might come to an end? I just experienced that in Thailand in the past few weeks that unless I pay a lot of money (30.000 USD) I cannot stay here long-term anymore. It is not a big think, as we saw it coming for months and years ahead and were prepared to leave now.

I assumed because the Philippines is poorer (no offense just reality) their policy would be more welcoming to long-term expats. I do not yet qualify for the SRRV visa as I am below 35 of age, also I do not want to deposit 50k USD in a developing country, once I turn 35. I heard most expats in PH live on tourist visas?

How much are the fees if I get caught without a local license? People tell me in Cebu they impound the vehicle/bike?

[robert k]

56 minutes ago, cerox said:

Thank you. Good to know about the 7days, so to be safe I just apply for my extension up to 59 days 1 week before :)

About the driving license, I will try to get 2x 6 months then.

 

How much are the fees if I get caught without a local license? People tell me in Cebu they impound the vehicle/bike?

Welcome to the forum.

I don't think you are on the same page with what usually or is supposed to happen. They are not supposed to let you accrue visa time, like getting two 6 month visa extensions close together to make the one year you are supposed to show before they allow you to get a license. They want you to show you will be in the country one year from the time you apply for the drivers license which is just not possible on the tourist visa. If I'm wrong, someone will correct me.

You may find an LTO that will break the rules.

I have never had them ask to see my passport at a checkpoint. Most of the time I drive firmly up to a checkpoint they just wave me through. If they don't look at your passport, they don't know if you are past the 90 days from arrival you are allowed to drive or not.

The people who know they won't pass any kind of inspection pull over and wait for the checkpoint to close or go another way as inconspicuously as they can.

[virginprune]

My experience of getting a drivers licence here was very similar to Huggybearman, apart from the eyesight test which for me was...you have so many groups on your British license you must be able to see....I suppose eyesight for driving isn't an issue here as they know the majority of locals don't look anyway.