Singapore Expats

License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Discuss how you can convert your foreign drivers' licence and other topics relating to drivers' licence.
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expat6874
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Re: RE: Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by expat6874 » Tue, 20 Sep 2016 9:17 pm

ecureilx wrote:
expat6874 wrote: PNGMK - Glad things worked out for you after that accident! I'm guessing you were a bit concerned at the time! I have to ask because I have always wondered (and, I am a former LEO from the US) were you placed in cuffs and into the back of a car? ;) .

Seeing people getting hand cuffed is rare in Singapore though the threat gets dropped sometimes..

Like in a drunk driving check.

"Sir, if you are found to be drunk above the limit, we will arrest you and get your car towed away... "

I have seen the rarest shop lifters, street brawlers and sometimes, bar bouncers cuffed.

There was an expat in this forum who said the cops don't leave the cool air con of the car, though the reality is opposite.

PS, singapore enforces the "illegal assembly law" pretty often, to ensure there's no big gang fights

That's good to hear they have that flexibility here. It seems to be people for the most part are generally more respectful towards law enforcement here, and vice versa. SOP in the US is cuffs no matter what if you're detained.

If you're disrespectful to me, I wouldn't put the Aircon on for you either. I'd turn on the heat. It's a 2 way street. ;)

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PNGMK
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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by PNGMK » Tue, 20 Sep 2016 9:41 pm

No I wasn't cuffed; I was certainly required to sit in the back of the car and go into the lock up once we got to Maxwell Road Police Station and had to remain there until my Singapore boss bailed me. It was not a pleasant experience. My comm ops is a former LEO here and tells me that any thing unusual is the high light of their day here (as in his words the action is so boring) so I imagine this was a high light for them.
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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by bgd » Tue, 20 Sep 2016 9:57 pm

PNGMK wrote:For the above it is highly dependent on the type of residency you hold and you own nationality. You're not going for to be able to convert an Indian licence after 14 years of PR or even a year of EP I suspect.
From the UK and on a PEP at the time. He left Sg shortly after getting it, so never did ride that planned bike.

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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by pemabuk » Wed, 05 Oct 2016 1:51 pm

Yes OP - just go take the BTT and line up and pay for the conversion. The clerk will not even look carefully at your USA DL. Both my wife and I did this at around the 15 month mark and no issues whatsoever. I know of a few friends who've converted after 12 mos as well. Literally never heard of anyone being prevented from converting.

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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by expat6874 » Wed, 05 Oct 2016 2:05 pm

pemabuk wrote:Yes OP - just go take the BTT and line up and pay for the conversion. The clerk will not even look carefully at your USA DL. Both my wife and I did this at around the 15 month mark and no issues whatsoever. I know of a few friends who've converted after 12 mos as well. Literally never heard of anyone being prevented from converting.

Thanks for the reply. I had my license converted with absolutely no issues at all pertaining to being over the 12 month period of living in Singapore (I scored 100% on the BTT! ;)). Despite what I heard from some in this thread, the issue isn't converting before the 12 month mark. It literally makes no difference provided you have a valid driver's license from a recognized country. There becomes an issue is if you drive in Singapore after the 12 month period without having a conversion or taking the tests.

The only issue I happened to have when finalizing happens to be specific to your response. They actually did look at my US license. And, because I had my US license renewed when I went home on business in Dec it stated: Date issued: 12-X-15. So, according to clerk I had only been driving in the US for a few months, then came back to Singapore! I had to prove I have been driving for over 20 years! THANK GOODNESS I had a photocopy of my older license at home on my HD.

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PNGMK
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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by PNGMK » Wed, 05 Oct 2016 3:44 pm

:)
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

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Re: RE: Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by GSM8 » Wed, 05 Oct 2016 9:30 pm

ecureilx wrote:
PNGMK wrote:You're not going for to be able to convert an Indian licence after 14 years of PR or even a year of EP I suspect.
It used to be easy to convert Indian licenses for EP/PR, though no more. I know a guy who was asked to take Basic Theory AND Driving test!
It remains simple to convert an Indian license after taking BTT. Only additional step being that one has to get it certified by the High Commission - which apparently is fairly straightforward via their agent BLS, takes 2-3 days. The certification requirement was not unique though, traffic police was requiring the same of Philippines DL as well (my observations and chats while waiting in line for my turn)

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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by Wd40 » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 1:06 am

I wonder though, I had got my license converted in 2010. The expiry date of the converted SG license was 5 years. Now 5 yrs are up. Not that I intend to ride, as I gave up riding my motorcycle 2 years ago. I wonder if I can renew my license?

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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by Strong Eagle » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 6:00 am

Wd40 wrote:I wonder though, I had got my license converted in 2010. The expiry date of the converted SG license was 5 years. Now 5 yrs are up. Not that I intend to ride, as I gave up riding my motorcycle 2 years ago. I wonder if I can renew my license?

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I suspect that if you go down to the police license bureau on Ubi, you might get a talking to about not getting it renewed but will still get it.

Otherwise, I have read, but not confirmed, that both the theory and practical tests are required to renew... not necessarily the courses, but the tests.

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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by x9200 » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 6:29 am

Wd40 wrote:I wonder though, I had got my license converted in 2010. The expiry date of the converted SG license was 5 years. Now 5 yrs are up. Not that I intend to ride, as I gave up riding my motorcycle 2 years ago. I wonder if I can renew my license?
Why did you have it granted for 5y only?

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PNGMK
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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by PNGMK » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 7:02 am

x9200 wrote:
Wd40 wrote:I wonder though, I had got my license converted in 2010. The expiry date of the converted SG license was 5 years. Now 5 yrs are up. Not that I intend to ride, as I gave up riding my motorcycle 2 years ago. I wonder if I can renew my license?
Why did you have it granted for 5y only?
Common with some EP now.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

expat6874
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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by expat6874 » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 8:35 am

x9200 wrote:
Wd40 wrote:I wonder though, I had got my license converted in 2010. The expiry date of the converted SG license was 5 years. Now 5 yrs are up. Not that I intend to ride, as I gave up riding my motorcycle 2 years ago. I wonder if I can renew my license?
Why did you have it granted for 5y only?

License conversions are not permanent I believe they are 5 years. If you become a PR then you convert to lifetime license.

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PNGMK
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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by PNGMK » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 10:48 am

Yes I have a lifetime one and my EP wife keeps missing her renewal every 5 years....
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

expat6874
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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by expat6874 » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 11:43 am

PNGMK wrote:Yes I have a lifetime one and my EP wife keeps missing her renewal every 5 years....
Apparently I've become some sort of authority now on this subject.. haha. It's what you do when you study up for the BTT. :D

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Re: License Conversion - Penalties for Allowing to lapse

Post by Strong Eagle » Thu, 06 Oct 2016 10:12 pm

I am no longer a PR but I still have my lifetime license. Do you think it is valid?

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