Losing an international driving permit abroad starts with checking how it can be reissued In Korea the permit is issued the same day, but when it is lost, stolen or expires abroad the only routes were to return home in person or to appoint a proxy.

Apostille Korea said it provides an agency issuing service for people who need an international driving permit reissued while abroad. The company said it reworked the process so that applicants no longer carry the burden of sending identity documents back and forth by international post. The permit is valid for one year, so it not infrequently expires during a stay overseas.

How the permit is issued and how long it lasts

The international driving permit is issued under the international convention on road traffic so that a person visiting another country temporarily can drive there. To apply in Korea the applicant brings a passport copy, a passport photograph and the original driver's licence, and the permit is issued at driver's licence examination offices and police stations nationwide. It is valid for one year, and during that period the holder can drive in countries around the world by carrying the international permit together with the Korean driver's licence and a passport. When applying in person, a passport or identity document copy, the driver's licence and a passport photograph are enough for same-day issuance. A proxy application only adds the proxy's identity document and a power of attorney, which makes this one of the more straightforward documents to obtain inside Korea.

Where reissuance abroad breaks down

The picture changes when the permit must be reissued abroad after loss, theft or expiry. In practice there were only two options. The first is to spend the time and money to return to Korea and reapply in person, which is hardly realistic given that the permit exists to be used during a trip or business travel abroad. The second is to appoint a proxy. The driver's licence is first sent to the proxy by international post, the proxy visits a community service centre to prepare the applicant's power of attorney and obtains an entry and exit record certificate, then goes to a nearby police station or licence examination office to complete the application form and the power of attorney, and finally sends the issued permit back to the applicant by international post. Between unfamiliar administrative forms and the round trip of international mail, this route is not simple either. Apostille Korea said it built its service to handle these steps on the applicant's behalf and remove the need to mail identity documents in both directions.

Frequently asked questions

Source: 데일리그리드 · 2017-04-25