Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Daniel1981]

Has anyone recently traded in their Canadian drivers license for a Korean one?

I am in Seoul now.

Can someone let me know where to go to get my Canadian Drivers license 'apostilled' ?

Then do I just take that to any motor vehicles office? Anyone can recommend one?

And, is it just an eye exam I need to take, or also a road exam that I should study for?

It would be great to have it in time for a small trip this Saturday so I can help my friend drive.

[ttompatz]

[Daniel1981]

Always so very helpful ttompatz, thanks!

If it all goes well, I hope I can walk out with a valid Korean ID card, or a paper copy the same day I walk in. I will reply here with my results either way.

Cheers and thanks!

[ttompatz]

[Stan Rogers]

How much is the confirmation letter?

[Feebie]

[Weigookin74]

[ttompatz]

looks like 49k won at the moment.

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/korea-coree/consular_services_consulaires/fees-frais.aspx?lang=eng

and of note: NO CASH TRANSACTIONS.
Credit card (additional fee) or postal money order.

Consular Services Hours (Monday to Friday):
Passport, Citizenship & Notary Services: 09:00 - 11:30
Phone inquiries: 13:30 – 16:00 (good luck with that - I've NEVER managed to get anyone to answer the phone).

.

[Weigookin74]

[ttompatz]

$50 CAD and the rate in KRW that they charge fluctuates with the won over time so it very well could have been 55k won in 2010.

In late 2008 is was almost 75K for a short while.

.

[Daniel1981]

My experience from this morning is below. Doesn't contradict anything above but is slightly different as I used the Seoul Global Center to get the actual license.

Certifying my Canadian License I went to the Canadian Embassy near the Seodaemoon station. Exit 5, 10 minute walk, turn right at Dunkin Donuts and walk another 100 meters to the big canadian flag. Inside, I just showed them my license, passport, Korean ID card.. I paid W50,000 + W1,500 payment processing fee on Visa (Mastercard also accepted). You can use a money order instead, there are instructions on how to do that at the embassy, you have to visit a post office down the street. Much easier to use a Visa/Mastercard. I used my Visa-supported Check Card.

Visit Seoul Global Centre Next I took a cab for 4 minutes (W3,200) to the Seoul Global Centre, which is Exit 6 of the Jongak subway station. On the fifth floor there is a small desk for Driver License processing. Here, I handed my paper from the embassy, along with my passport, my Canadian driver's License, my Korean ID card.. They handed me back a simple eye examination form. I had to run to a hospital across the street for the eye exam.

Han-A-Lo Hospital Eye Exam There is a hospital immediately across the street from Seoul Global Centre. We go up to the fifth floor here as well. It's a simple eye exam that we have all done tons of times. Cover one eye, check to see if you can see numbers that are on the wall 10 feet away. Check the other eye. Check both eyes. You get a score for each eye out of 1.5.. Then you pay W8,000 and walk out. The whole thing here took about 10 minutes. Then you cross the street back to the Seoul Global Centre.

Seoul Global Centre part 2 Back up to the fifth floor and the little driver's license desk from before. They close at 12:00 noon for lunch until 1pm. I got back at 11:59am and fortunately he was still able to help me. Hand your eye exam sheet to the fellow at the desk, along with W7,500 and he hands your new Korean drivers license to you right away.

In terms of how long it took. I started at my embassy at 10:50am and was done everything at 12:05pm.. So just over an hour.

In terms of costs:
- W50,000 + W1,500 for the certified license from embassy.
- W8,000 for the eye exam
- W7,500 for the driver's license.

License is valid for 10 years. Class 2 license.


Regarding getting my Canadian license back. There is a small form I had to sign to acknowledge that they will destroy my original Canadian License after 3 years. If at anytime I want to get my Canadian License back, I should give them my Korean License, and also show airplane tickets that I am leaving the country (e-tickets are okay, but must be printed). That is what the form that we sign says. Whether you actually do have to show flight information, I guess your mileage may vary

[ATM SPIDERTAO]

I did this last year.

I gave them my Canadian license, it was up for renewal anyway

did everything to get the Korean license

went back to canada to renew my license and they asked me a tricky question: do you have any licenses from other places?

i said yes, i do from KOREA

and they DEMANDED i give them my korean license! i wasn't willing to do so cuz i was just in canada for a few days. So I angrily said Forget it, I'll just take public transportation for two weeks and left that canadian driver licensing place.



Then I went to a neighboring branch and said "NO, i do not"





just make sure if you ever get asked that question, you answer "NO" cuz I think it's not allowed to have two driver's licenses.



i think that's soooooo stupid of Canada honestly.

Anyway, i got my new canadian driver's license and now i also have a nice korean one so i can drive in multiple countries!

OH YEAH take that, stupid CANADA.

[Stan Rogers]

[jvalmer]

[Daniel1981]

From what I gathered today, it's straightforward for me to get an international drivers permit if I ever need to drive in Canada after the 3-year period once they have destroyed my Canadian license. I'm not concerned at all.