Swap Your Thai Driver License In Belgium.

[NoBrains]

If you have plans to move to Belgium ( the Eu citizen or your Thai fam. member ) and you have a Thai driver license you can swap it for a permanent Belgium driver license.

Total cost 16 euro.

[brianinbangkok]

Well as Netherlands do not have an agreement about this it is not possible here in Netherlands.

I live just across the border in Nerherlands.

So could my Thai wife go to Belgium and get a Belgium driving license or do you actually need to be living and have an address in Belgium , where have you gone to swap the license ?

Also with swap you mean they keep your Belgium license ?

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Edited January 1, 2013 by brianinbangkok

[7by7]

You have to be resident in an EU state to obtain a licence issued by that state.

If you have a licence issued by one EU state and take up residence in another EU state you are supposed to exchange it for one issued by the state in which you are now resident before the age of 70 or three years of residence; whichever is the earlier.

I am surprised that the Belgian authorities will simply exchange a Thai licence for a Belgian one. Most EU countries require a non EU licence holder to pass a driving test before doing so, and these regulations supposedly apply EU wide!

Edited January 2, 2013 by 7by7

[Eff1n2ret]

I think the OP's information is (yet again) highly suspect. See this website:-

http://belgium.angloinfo.com/transport/driving-licences/non-eu-driving-licence/

It states that holders of licences issued by a limited number of non-EU countries with whom Belgium has exchange agreements can change their licence on demand. These countries are named as Australia, USA, Canada and New Zealand. Otherwise the situation is that with which we are familiar in the UK - the foreign licence may be used for up to one year from initial residence, thereafter a test must be passed to obtain a Belgian licence. I have little doubt that Thai licence-holders fall into the latter category, I would doubt very much whether any exchange agreement exists with Thailand.

I may of course be wrong, in which case perhaps the OP will oblige us with a link to the relevant Belgian legislation.

[theoldgit]

Off topic post removed, this thread has nothing to do with any countries membership of the EU.

[beano2274]

I swapped my UK Licence for a German one many years ago, but had to prove that I lived in Germany, my UK Licence was taken in exchange, I had to also pass the German tick test at the time. So I would say the same for a Thai, who would have to prove their knowledge of the rules of the road of the country they were living in.

I remember that I did not need to do the tick test so apologies there

Edited January 2, 2013 by beano2274

[brianinbangkok]

I know there is an agreement regarding driving license between Thailand and Belgium.

So it has nothing to do with EU.

Also I read on the Dutch gov website you can continue to use your eu driving licence until it expires then you have to renew it in the country that you are resident in.

I'll try and find links and post them.

Sent from my HTC Desire S

Edited January 2, 2013 by brianinbangkok

[brianinbangkok]

Found document on regulations regarding swapping a Thai driving license for a Belgium one here.

https://www.mobilit.fgov.be/data/route/ozb/34ozbn.pdf

http://www.mobilit.fgov.be/static/data/route/ozb/35ozb.pdf

http://www.mobilit.fgov.be/static/data/route/ozb/36ozbtha.pdf

[NoBrains]

I know there is an agreement regarding driving license between Thailand and Belgium.

So it has nothing to do with EU.

Also I read on the Dutch gov website you can continue to use your eu driving licence until it expires then you have to renew it in the country that you are resident in.

I'll try and find links and post them.

Sent from my HTC Desire S

Its correct Netherlands and all other EU memberstates don't swap a Thai driver license, Belgium does and you or your fam.member need to be registered.

It take arround 1 months after registering they swap, and the license is permanent not expires.

My wife did this procedure 3 years ago.

The link below you find the states Belgium recognise the driver licenses.

https://www.mobilit.fgov.be/data/route/ozb/35ozb.pdf

[brianinbangkok]

One exception to actually be registered living in Belgium is if you are a student in Belgium for over 6 months, then you can also swap the license. page 10 : STUDENTEN INGESCHREVEN IN EEN BELGISCHE ONDERWIJSINSTELLING GEDURENDE TEN MINSTE 6 MAANDEN

Translated: students who study at a Belgium school for at least 6 months.

Of course the text also mentions you should legaly be allowed to actually be in Belgium but someone living legaly in The Netherlands could do this.

Too much trouble actually she will just have to pass the Dutch test....

Edited January 3, 2013 by brianinbangkok

[Maestro]

Found document on regulations regarding swapping a Thai driving license for a Belgium one here.

https://www.mobilit..../ozb/34ozbn.pdf

http://www.mobilit.f...e/ozb/35ozb.pdf

http://www.mobilit.f...zb/36ozbtha.pdf

Do you have a link to the French text of https://www.mobilit..../ozb/34ozbn.pdf, for the Walloons?

Regarding the other two documents, http://www.mobilit.f...e/ozb/35ozb.pdf and http://www.mobilit.f...zb/36ozbtha.pdf, they appear to be attachments to another document in the context of which they have to be read. That other document may well be 35ozb and once I have the French text I may be able to make sense of it all.

[Maestro]

I have now found the French text myself at https://www.mobilit.fgov.be/data/route/ozb/34ozbf.pdf and see the long list of countries in http://www.mobilit.fgov.be/static/data/route/ozb/35ozb.pdf referred to as the non-EU countries whose driving licences are recognised for exchange with a Belgian licence without any exam if certain conditions are met, eg driver's age and matching category of vehicles for which the licence is valid. Very generous on the part of the Belgian government.

[brianinbangkok]

Did not see your request until now but see you found it already

Makes me wonder if there is also a German language version as part of Belgium they speak German.

Or an English version

I will try and look later today.

Belgium has a few bilateral agreements with Thailand that The Netherland do not have it seems.

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Edited January 4, 2013 by brianinbangkok

[brianinbangkok]

Dutch situation

http://www.rdw.nl/nl/particulier/internationalvisitor/drivinglicence/Pages/HowcanIexchangeaforeigndrivinglicence.aspx

from my HTC Desire S

[Maestro]

...Makes me wonder if there is also a German language version as part of Belgium they speak German.

Or an English version

...

Nothing in German, although German, spoken by less than 1% of the population, is an official language. Nothing in English, either. The language code is in the last letter of the PDF file name, n for Nederlandse (Dutch), f for Franse (French). I tried d for Duits (German), e for Engels (English)

[brianinbangkok]

...Makes me wonder if there is also a German language version as part of Belgium they speak German.

Or an English version

...

Nothing in German, although German, spoken by less than 1% of the population, is an official language. Nothing in English, either. The language code is in the last letter of the PDF file name, n for Nederlandse (Dutch), f for Franse (French). I tried d for Duits (German), e for Engels (English)

I could also not find any English or German version, thanks for trying.

My Dutch is good so no problem for me but how many Thai speak French or Dutch

Sent from my HTC Desire S