Want to drive overseas with ease? An official international drivers license is the best way to make a smooth transition to driving in foreign countries.
Imagine you’re driving through the winding roads of the Italian countryside enjoying your fancy new rental car. Maybe you’re enjoying it a little bit too much and go a little bit over the speed limit.
You hear the siren and see the blue lights in your rearview.
The old Italian policeman comes up to your car and begins speaking in Italian. You show him your American drivers license, but he isn’t able to read it, and the whole situation ends up being very unpleasant.
If you had your international drivers license, though, the whole situation would probably have gone a lot smoother. The policeman would’ve looked down at your license, understood every word of it, and most likely, you would be able to get off with a small ticket or warning.
What is the International License?
Sounds like something that would happen in one of those James Bond movies, right? Well the international driver’s license is a real thing. It’s actually approved by the United Nations, and was created as a way for drivers to be able to identify themselves when they are overseas.
Once you go to the website of the International Drivers Authority, you can choose to have your license translated into most major world languages and printed onto an official document that you can use overseas.
This card isn’t just for show either. It’s regulated by the UN and is easy to use. You are still required to drive around with your real license while traveling abroad, but your international drivers license makes traffic situations, car rentals, and personal identification a lot easier.
What is the IDA?
The International Drivers Authority is an organizations that will translate your driver’s license into over 25 world languages. They are approved by the UN and have offices all over the world.
How to Get Your International Drivers License in the USA
Sounds like a really useful document to have while you’re traveling doesn’t it? Sometimes it’s not necessary, but it’s one of those things that will always come in handy. Considering how inexpensive it is, it’s almost a no-brainer. It’s kind of like keeping a first-aid kit in the house. You’ll probably forget about it for years, but the one time that you need it, you’ll be glad that you had it.
Applying
Applying for your international drivers license in the USA is easy. Just find out related website and fill out the online form. After that you’ll need to attach the following materials:
- Driver information
- Passport size photograph
- Scanned image of your signature
- Photo of your US driver’s license
- Payment
How Far Ahead Should You Order?
In most cases, you’ll probably just want to opt for the standard shipping. As soon as your license request is processed and approved, they will ship it out. This should take between 5 and 15 business days depending where you are in the United States.
If you need to expedite your order, however, you can pay for special FedEx shipping which will guarantee your order within 2 to 4 days.
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