Do I Need to Surrender My Indian License After Getting a German One?
I recently converted my Indian driving license to a German one. I passed my exam yesterday and will be picking up my new license soon.
I’ve heard that, the original foreign license must be surrendered when obtaining a German license. Does this apply to everyone? If yes, what is the reason for this requirement?
I visit India regularly and need my Indian license for driving there. Is there any workaround to retain my Indian license while still having my German license? Would appreciate insights from anyone who has been through this process!
1 Comments
Congratulations on passing the exam, @Nivi !
According to my research, the surrender of the Indian driving license depends on the rules and procedures in your state in Germany. Unfortunately, every federal state handles this slightly differently.
You should clarify with the driving license office, whether you can keep your drivers license or can leave it valid for India.
Proof of your travels to India might can help to argue to keep it. Please note, that the authorities might want to avoid legal differences and might not approve to keep both licenses.Additionally, you can check if you can use your German drivers license (with an additional application for an international one) or a certified copy or translation of your Indian drivers license, if that would still be valid. Therefore, please contact the Indian authorities to ensure that your driver’s license remains valid in India since we have no knowledge about the Indian law.Did you already get in contact with your local driving license office? I hope this will get sorted out. Please let me know if you have further questions.