Introduction
This aim of this article is to tell you all you need to know on how to convert your foreign driver's licence to a Philippines driving licence.
Note that I do not describe the extra steps required if your foreign licence is not in English, as I have no experience of this.
What is 'Converting' My Foreign Licence?
Firstly when they say 'convert', this does NOT mean that you lose your foreign licence, merely that you are given a Philippines licence, without having to take a driving test, by providing evidence that you have already passed the relevant test in your own country.
Why Would I Want To Get A Philippines Driving Licence?
Before I describe the process of getting your licence, I should tell you why you might want one. The two main reasons are:
1) You are only allowed to use your foreign licence in the Philippines for up to 90 days after arrival. If you live permanently in the Philippines, they are therefore required to drive legally, unless you get an International Driving Licence to accompany your driving licence.
2) It gives you another form of ID that is recognized in the Philippines.
What Are The Requirements?
1) You will have to have already been in the Philippines for at least a month
2) You will require permission to stay in the Philippines for a further 12 months
Where Do I Go To Get My Licence?
You will need to go to the main LTO Centre in San Fernando:
Address: Capitol Compound,, San Fernando, Pampanga.
Note that the LTO Office in SM Mall, Clark, or the district office in San Fernando will not be able to help you.
What Do I Take?
This may not be an exhaustive list so please do not rely on it!
1) Glasses, if they are required for driving
2) Passport and ACR Card
3) Foreign Driver's Licence.
4) All details of your parents, e.g. full names etc. It may be useful to take a copy of your birth certificate.
5) Money to pay for medical, application and transport.
6) Some water in case you are sitting around for a while! If you are going by jeepney it can be hot!
7) Make sure you dress with LONG TROUSERS, LONG SHIRT and PROPER SHOES!
8) Not essential, but taking a photocopy of your passport, arrival stamp and ACR card, will save a little time.
How To Get There
They do not allow motorized trikes to the Capitol Compound so you will have to go there either by car, jeepney followed by pedal trike, or motorbike.
What Happens When I Get There?
The first thing you will be required to do before you can apply for your licence is to take a medical. Outside the building they have courtesy vehicles that will take you to one of the authorized medical centres. Here they will do an eye test (so make sure you take your glasses if you require them for driving!), check your blood pressure, and your weight and height. They may also ask you some other medical questions. They will then take some details for your medical certificate. You will be charged, as I recall, around 2000 PHP for the medical
Assuming you passed the medical, you will be given a certificate, and be taken back to the main Capitol Compound. There are some people just outside the gate, on the right hand side, with a table, that will give you a form to complete. These people are genuine, not fixers, despite what your initial reaction might be.
You will be asked to fill in the application form with all your details. If you haven't already done so at this stage,you will have to get a photocopy of your passport main page, latest entry visa etc. There is a shop as you leave the compound, to the left, across the road that can do this for you. They will know what you require and their photocopy costs are very reasonable.
OK, Now It's Time to Enter The LTO Office
Now that you have, hopefully, satisfied all the entry requirements, you can now enter the LTO Office.
When you go in through the front entrance to the building, keep going, past the windows and round the corner to the left to where there are people there that will get your application started.
One thing you should be aware of is that when you convert your licence YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO CONVERT ONE CATEGORY AT A TIME. For example I have a licence for motorcycles, all cars, and non-HGV lorries. I had to choose only one, so I chose the Car licence. So make sure you are clear which of the categories you want to convert. If you want additional categories, you will have to go back at least a month later to add them
Once you have had your form accepted, ts now just a case of waiting to be called at various windows (I think I was called up about 4 times) and paying when asked. The cost was 1600 PHP for the application.
The final time you are called up you will be given your licence and you can finally go home! The whole process, including the medical, took about 2 hours, and cost a total of 3600 PHP.