International Driving Permits (IDPs), which allow the holder to drive a private vehicle overseas, will officially be available to Vietnamese nationals and foreigners from October 1 onwards, according to Deputy Head of the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam (DRVN) Nguyen Van Quyen. The granting will be piloted in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for a month before being conducted nationwide. In accordance with the 1968 Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals, known as the Vienna Conventions, which went into effect in Vietnam on August 20 this year, IDPs are recognised in the 85 countries that signed the conventions and are valid for 1-3 years from the date of issue. The IDP contains the holder’s personal particulars and the vehicle classes translated into English, French, Russian and Spanish. An eligible application for an IDP must be submitted with a valid driver’s licence and passport or permanent residence card alongside a required application form. The application fee is 150,000 (6.67 USD). The permit will then be issued within five working days. Notably, the IDP is not valid for driving in the country of issuance. Beholders are advised to bring both his/her IDP and national driving licence when travelling in Vietnam and abroad.-VNA