China to ease application of temporary driving licenses for int'l travelers

Policy

International travelers who apply for temporary driving licenses in China will see reduced paperwork and get a longer validity term from Sept. 20, the Ministry of Public Security said Tuesday.

XinhuaUpdated: September 11, 2019

International travelers who apply for temporary driving licenses in China will see reduced paperwork and get a longer validity term from Sept. 20, the Ministry of Public Security said Tuesday.

A traveler who applies for a temporary driving license for a car or motorcycle will no longer need to submit a health examination report. Required documents include a passport, a driver's license in his or her home country and the two documents' Chinese translations, said Liu Yupeng, a senior official with the ministry, at a press conference.

The validity term of the license will be for a minimum of three months and can be extended to a year if the holder will stay in China for more than three months, Liu said.

Chinese police will also simplify the procedure for international travelers to obtain temporary plates for their vehicles.

Cars with less than seven seats and registered in foreign countries or regions within the past six years will be exempt from technical checks in China, Liu said, adding that the police will try to provide registry services at airports, harbors and free trade zones where demands are the highest.

Vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao that enter the mainland via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will be granted a digital plate that will be valid for one year. The same will be applied to vehicles from Macao to Hengqin of south China's Guangdong Province and those from Taiwan to Pingtan of southeastern Fujian Province.

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