With social development, cars have become a basic means of transportation in every country. However, because driving regulations vary from country to country, this has become a source of frustration for immigrants. Today, Worldway's European immigration experts have conducted a special investigation for those who have immigrated to Portugal, teaching you how to exchange your domestic driver's license for a Portuguese one without taking a test.
[Portuguese Driver's License]
First, you need to meet the following requirements: the minimum legal age required by Portuguese law for this category is 18; be in good physical and mental health; reside in Portugal; and have no record of traffic violations.
Second, you need to provide the following materials: the original valid domestic driver's license; a notarized and double-certified copy of the domestic driver's license (Chinese-Portuguese/Chinese-English); the original residence card; a medical certificate; and a recent color photograph.
Third, you need to understand the procedure: go to the IMTT (Institute for Mobility and Transport), and obtain the application form and medical form; the address of the Lisbon IMTT is: Av. Elias Garcia 103, 1050-098 Lisboa; find a licensed doctor to fill out the medical certificate; take photos: take a few extra for backup. (There are automatic photo booths on the streets in places like subway stations, and the document size is standardized nationwide.)
Finally, return to the IMTT to submit your materials and receive a receipt. Those who speak Portuguese can bring all the materials listed above to the transport authority, fill out the relevant forms, and exchange it themselves. Those who are not proficient in Portuguese can entrust a driving school to assist with the exchange, though a fee will be charged. Generally, you can receive the transport authority's receipt (an A4-sized paper) on the same day or within about 3 days. This receipt serves as a "driver's license" and must be kept inside your vehicle so that it can be presented at any time if you are stopped by the police. Wait for your driver's license according to the date on the receipt (either by self-collection or by mail to the address on your residence card). If collecting in person, you can call ahead to inquire whether the license is ready for pickup.
Patience is required when waiting for the driver's license; it may take 3 months, half a year, or even longer. Worldway immigration experts kindly remind you: once the collection date on the receipt is approaching but you have not yet received the official driver's license, please go to the IMTT to extend the validity period. Otherwise, if you are holding an expired "driver's license" and encounter any issues, it could be very troublesome.
