paco Posted October 7, 2010 Posted October 7, 2010 Hi everybody in the forum. I want to change my spanish licence for a philippine one. My spanish licence is alredy expired but reading in the LTO website it seems that even expired it can be done. If not possible, I will try to get a new philippine licence.Is it possible to get one showing only a balikbayan entry stamp in the passport? I wonder if anybody of you have actual experience or can advise me.Thanks to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted October 10, 2010 Posted October 10, 2010 (edited) The same day that we were to leave on vacation for the U.S. I went to LTO at Alabang right at opening time to renew my Philippine driver's license. I had a TIN and since I was over 60 and a Fil/Am on a tourist visa extension(I didn't let them know that), I just put Filipino as my nationality on the LTO application form, I was sent ahead of the line before 30 other people who weren't senior citizens and the processing of my license only took less than 2 hours! Luckily this time I was able to hold my badder all morning and was able to pee into the bottle! I don't know what their policies are if you're an obvious foreigner with an expired Philippine driver's license. A friend of mine put on his application that he was a Fil/Am U.S. citizen at a different LTO office in Calamba, Laguna. He had to return the next day and I believe he had to xerox his U.S. passport to give LTO in order to renew his about to expire Philippine driver's license. LTO at Alabang has an air conditioned waiting lounge to accommodate 50 people and LTO's employees were polite and efficient! Well, I'm good for another 3 years! BTW, don't bother to download their application form from the LTO website, it's useless and it doesn't have a control number at top right hand of the page and other instructions on the back of the form.BTW, if there are fixers from any of the offices that sells auto insurance at any of the LTO offices, they may assist you in acquiring a Philippine driver's license from scratch, doing it on your own will take you all afternoon, a few days or even weeks. I know, been there and done that, but that was years ago, it maybe different today, I don't really know! It just depends on where you live! Good luck! Edited October 10, 2010 by Fil/AmArt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancienrocka Posted October 12, 2010 Posted October 12, 2010 (edited) Hi everybody in the forum. I want to change my spanish licence for a philippine one. My spanish licence is alredy expired but reading in the LTO website it seems that even expired it can be done. If not possible, I will try to get a new philippine licence.Is it possible to get one showing only a balikbayan entry stamp in the passport? I wonder if anybody of you have actual experience or can advise me.Thanks to all.Hi Paco,I have over the past 3 years helped many people convert their foreign license to a local one. It used to be a fairly simple process but since the change of administration and the appointment of new commissioners, it seems that everyone on public office is running scared of their jobs and applying the exact letter of the law. In some government departments they seem to be making up new obstacles to be overcome just in case they are called to account for their actions. So while I think you can convert you have a few hurdles to jump through first:- As your license is Spanish, you need a translation from your Embassy in Manila - I don't know how much it will cost you but a norwegian translation costs about 1,000p As your license has expired, you will need to take a written and practical exam before your license can be converted. You will need to have been in the country for 3 months before you can apply for conversion-maybe as yours has expired, this condition may be waived. I would put up a strong case for its waiver. You need to show some evidence of your intent to remain in the Philippines beyond your next extension. You also need to take the standard medical and drug test.As each LTO is run by a different manager, you may find that some of these rules are not so strictly enforced or you may find others that are. This though has been my experience with the 5 conversions I have done since the change of administration at 2 separate branches.It should cost you 1018p including the medical/drug test.; if you are Cebu based I can help you through the process for a small fee - http://www.cebuexpat...ers-license.phpPaul Edited October 12, 2010 by ancienrocka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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