XN000022-1977-03-05 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1977

NEW RULES ON OVERSEAS DRIVING LICENCES

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED REVISED RULES REGARDING THE DIRECT ISSUE OF FULL HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCES TO HOLDERS OF OVERSEAS DRIVING LICENCES.

FROM MONDAY (MARCH 7) THE HOLDERS OF DRIVING LICENCES ISSUED IN COUNTRIES WHERE IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT THE DRIVING TESTS CONDUCTED BY THE AUTHORITY CONCERNED ARE OF A COMPARABLE STANDARD TO THOSE IN HONG KONG MAY BE GRANTED A FULL HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCE WITHOUT A TEST AFTER COMPLETING THE NECESSARY FORMALITIES AND ON PAYMENT OF THE PRESCRIBED FEES.

APPLICATION FORMS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT LICENSING OFFICE ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF MURRAY ROAD MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT UNDER THE REVISED POLICY THE PREVIOUS DISTINCTION MADE BETWEEN THOSE APPLICANTS WHO HOLD OVERSEAS TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND THOSE WHO HOLD HONG KONG DOCUMENTS HAS BEEN ABOLISHED.

THE OVERSEAS LICENCES THAT WILL BE ACCEPTED INITIALLY IN THE NEW SCHEME INCLUDE THOSE ISSUED IN BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, CANADA, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN AND A NUMBER OF WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES BUT OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD BE ADDED AS APPROPRIATE TO THE APPROVED LIST AS INFORMATION ON THEIR DRIVING TEST STANDARDS IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE IR ACCEPTABILITY.

IN SOME CASES, WHERE APPLICANTS ARE UNABLE TO FURNISH ADEQUATE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REFER BACK TO THE OVERSEAS ISSUING AUTHORITY CONCERNED FOR VERIFICATION.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THIS POLICY CHANGE HAD BEEN DECIDED LAST YEAR AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH UMELCO ARISING FROM COMPLAINTS FROM HOLDERS OF HONG KONG PASSPORTS.

THE CHANGE HAD BEEN FORECAST BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN ANSWER TO A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL QUESTION ASKED BY AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER ON APRIL 27 LAST YEAR.

IT WILL AVOID FURTHER ADDITIONS TO THE LONG WAITING LIST FOR DRIVING TESTS AND WILL HELP THE INCREASING NUMBER OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO BECOME QUALIFIED DRIVERS IN OVERSEAS COUNTRIES AND WISH TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE WHEN THEY RETURN.

HE ADDED THAT ANY PERSON WHO HAS AT ANY TIME DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS HELD A LICENCE ISSUED BY ONE OF THE COUNTRIES ON THE APPROVED LIST COULD NOW APPLY FOR A HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCE WITHOUT TEST. THIS INCLUDED THOSE WHO NOW MEET THE REQUIREMENTS BUT WHOSE APPLICATIONS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REJECTED FOR NOT BEING IN POSSESSION OF AN OVERSEAS TRAVEL DOCUMENT.

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