Originally Posted by
moondog
The rules vary widely between regions AND change frequently. If you're hell bent on getting a drivers license, I suggest you research individual provinces/municipalities, and plan on making some phone calls.
Following are questions I would focus on:
1. qualifying visa types
2. what is the visa remaining validity requirement?
3. which hospitals do you approve for the health check?
4. apart from the passport/visa, foreign drivers license, and the health check form, what other documents are required? (Most want to see a residence permit of some sort.)
Apart from the above, when you actually get around to applying, make sure you have several passport sized photos ready to give out.
Okay, well, I'd most likely try to get it in Henan. So I guess licensing in China is similar to the US, where each jurisdiction (state/province) has different rules and requirements?
Originally Posted by
JPDM
I can only speak about Beijing where I got mine some time ago. You had also to get your driver's license translated into Chinese. A visa longer than 90 days was required. I had a 120-day tourist visa ( I mean duration of stay, not duration of visa). And obviously, had to write the exam and get a score of at least 90%.
The health check was a joke. no need to go to any hospital. They just run a few tests themselves (staff dressed with the white jacket to look like a nurse) like making sure that you are not color blind. When I renewed my license 2 years ago in Nanjing it was the same "health test".
Despite having a Chinese driver's license, I was never able to rent a car as they would not accept a foreign credit card. I always had to do it with my girlfriend's credit card. They might accept a foreign credit card at Hertz but when I last looked they required 6 months of driving experience in China. So, not an option for someone who just got their license.
What does "6 months of driving experience" mean? Does it mean you have held a Chinese driver's license for 6 months? Technically I already have driving experience because I drove last time (borrowed cars, not rental cars).
Why is it so ridiculously hard to get a Chinese license? China does not seem to actually care about making sure that licensees are safe drivers; I've seen so many Darwin Award wannabes there it's not even funny. And, I'm not sure what visa validity (days per entry) should have to do with this at all. But then again, there are things about China that are far more ridiculous than this, so...