Dubai: Are you a Chinese citizen working and living in the UAE? Then you might know that you can convert your Chinese driving licence to a UAE driving licence directly. But how do you renew your Chinese driving licence while you are in the UAE? Here is our detailed guide.
Documents needed to renew your Chinese driving licence
Drivers holding a Chinese licence can entrust an assignee in China to apply for the renewal of their driving licence, according to item 105 in the ‘Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licences’ – Decree No. 162 of the Ministry of Public Security of China.
The assignee will need to submit the following documents:
• Your national ID card (original)
• Your Chinese driving licence (original)
• Your passport sized photo, which is also referred to as ‘ID photo’
• Power of Attorney letter signed by both you and the assignee. It is advisable to first consult the local Traffic Management Bureau Office of Vehicle Management in China where you apply your licence renewal, for specific requirements on the Power of Attorney letter's format, as the requirements may vary.
• Proof of physical condition issued by hospitals, health examination centres and community health centres in China certified by local health administrative department for driving licence renewal (Original)
The proof of physical condition is valid six months after issuance.
If you do not have this document, you would need to apply for a ‘renewal extension’, the process for which is provided below.
• Assignee’s national ID card (original).
You may choose to send your original copies from the UAE to China by an international carrier.
- Your information – name, gender, date of birth, nationality, ID/certificate type, chosen ID/certificate number, driving licence number, driving licence file number, delivery address, contact number.
- Declaration of matters – You will need to fill in this section with details of whether you have or do not have any of these medical conditions: heart disease, epilepsy, Meniere’s disease, vertigo, hysteria, Parkinson’s paralysis, mental illness, dementia, neurological disease that affects your physical activity. As per the form, you will bear all legal liabilities if you hide or lie about any of your health conditions.
- Medical examiner section - This is filled by the medical examiner in the respective health institution you consult. This section provides information on your height, colour perception ability, vision, hearing, and physical dysfunctionality.
• You can renew your driving licence anytime within the three months leading up to the expiration date.
• You can still apply for driving licence renewal if your driving licence has expired, but is within one year from the expiration date, without your driving licence being cancelled. However, you are not allowed to drive in China with an expired licence.
• If you fail to renew your driving licence in time, the licence will be cancelled, and you will need to apply for a new driving licence in this case.
Source: ‘Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licences’ – decree NO. 162 of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China
The processing time and fee
If all documents are ready, your assignee may proceed to the nearest local Traffic Management Bureau Office of Vehicle Management during work hours to apply for your driving licence renewal. The application will be reviewed and processed in one working day. The fee for the application is 10.50yuan (Dh5.71). If you choose to get your driving licence delivered to a place within China, an additional 20yuan (Dh10.88) delivery fee will apply.
What if I don’t have the proof of physical condition issued in China?
According to item 75 in ‘Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licences’ – Decree NO. 162 of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, if you are overseas, and cannot renew your driving licence at the time of expiration, you can apply for driving licence renewal application extension before your licence expires, or within one year after the licence expires.
The extension period is for a maximum of three years and you are not allowed to drive during the extension period.
So, if you are in the UAE and you don’t have the proof of physical condition issued in China to entrust an assignee to apply for driving licence renewal for you, you may entrust an assignee in China to apply for your driving licence renewal application extension. Afterwards, if you can go to China within the extension period, you may then apply for your driving licence renewal on your own.
Documents for driving licence renewal extension
• Your National ID card copy
• Your Chinese driving licence copy
• Your ID photo
• Power of Attorney letter signed by both you and the assignee
Again, you may ask the assignee to consult the local Traffic Management Bureau Office of Vehicle Management in China where you apply for your licence renewal, for specific requirements on the Power of Attorney letter such as how you can get it, as the requirements may vary.
• Proof of reason for the extension, such as your overseas visa copy and residence card copy
• Assignee’s National ID card (original).
The processing time and fee
Your assignee needs to go to the nearest Traffic Management Bureau Office of Vehicle Management and submit all listed documents above to the staff there. Your application will be processed in one working day and there is no fee involved in this process.
