SSN Policy Manual

A New Identity

Having an International Driving Permit does not authorize you to break the law or endanger public safety. The holder of an International Driving Permit is presumed to be bound under the Convention of International Road Traffic of September 19, 1949. That is, you must be qualified, and obey all the rules of the road in every country or state it is used. The International Driving Permit is not a so-called "silver bullet" against traffic citations. If you happen to get a traffic citation (and deserved it), then pay the fine and stop doing whatever it was that got you the citation. The holder of an International Driving Permit is also responsible for any property damage he or she may cause. The International Driving Permit is recognized in 168 countries. An American-issued International Driving Permit is accorded varying degrees of recognition. Many countries honor it for up to three months, but enforcement is uneven, so a country may require an international driving permit officially, but not in practice. International Driving Permits are intended for tourists. It is very important to realize that for an Intemational Driving Permit to be valid in your State or country, you must have a driver's license issued from your state or country or a car registered in your name. State issued licenses supersede an International Driving Permit in the State or country where they are being used. So, if you are ever stopped, your tags and name are run through the local department of motor vehicle computers. If the name on your Intemational Driving Permit matches that in departments records, then you are a resident and not a tourist. However, beyond that legal technically, the International Driving Permit does carry a lot of weight with people who are unfamiliar with them. They are available through travel clubs, foreign embassies and foreign motor vehicle offices for very low cost . . . usually around $10.00. Get a Foreign Driver's License Other than a State issued driver's license, the next most useful documents you can have for driving in the United States are 1) a foreign driver's license, and 2) an International Driving Permit. A traffic officer is very likely to not issue a ticket if you have these two documents and you are stopped for a minor infraction. However, a major infraction will likely end you in jail since the officer, thinking you are a foreign tourist, knows that you will not attend court or pay the fine. You can often obtain a foreign driver's license by first getting your American Passport. Secondly get the passport stamped with every free visa you can (this will take some web time visiting foreign embassies to get their mailing address - your reason for wanting visa . . . tell them you are planning a world vacation and hope to visit as many countries as possible, including theirs). When you send them your passport for the visa stamp, include a copy of your current driver's license and ask them to issue you a national driver's license (for their country). Many countries won't do this, several will charge you a little, and a few will give you a license for free. (Most embassies have no policy regarding the issuance of driver's license, so getting the driver's license usually depends more on the clerk who opens your letter, rather than any policy - they do this because it encourages foreign tourist spending.) Once, you have the foreign driver's license - go back to that embassy and askfor an International Driving Permit.