“The Dept. of Motor Vehicles is wonderfully efficient and the clerks are friendly and helpful!”
Well, that’s always been my experience at the DMV here in Taoyuan. Today I renewed my international driving permit and it took 18 minutes from the time I walked in the door to the time I had my new permit in my hand. The clerk was friendly and patient with my less-than-stellar Chinese.
I’m still amazed. If only driving the roads here was as pleasant an experience!
There’s a strong connection between the ease of getting a license at the DMV and the unpleasantness of driving on the roads here!
Can I ask you Steve, the IDP you have allows you to drive in the USA? I have an up-to-date Taiwan auto license. My US license however has expired and can’t be renewed online. As we will need a rental car upon landing I figured an IDP would suffice.
Does the IDP need to be translated? Or is it already in English?
Thanks for any help.
My Taiwan IDP is good for the US, but it’s for scooters/motorcycles only (Class A, specifically <400kg) because that’s the only Taiwanese license I have.
I’m kind of in the same situation as you. My California DL expires in March and I’m hoping I can renew online, or at least by mail through my daughter’s US address.
Edit: Here’s what it looks like. It has pages in several languages:
You will need to obtain the Taiwan version of the IDP (because you have a Taiwan license, and I assume it’s a car license) if you want to drive outside of Taiwan. It doesn’t need to be translated. It’s printed in several languages.
Just make sure you get it while you’re still in Taiwan. You can’t get the Taiwan version in the US.
Im pretty sure it took me less time than that to renew my drivers license in the US. They wouldn’t give me the gold star that allows my drivers license to be used for “federal purposes”, because my US passport was insufficient evidence of my US citizenship (but my social security card and local public library card, neither of which even have my face on them, would have been), but I was probably in and out in 15 minutes. Though I can’t use my drivers license to fly on an airplane. At some time in the distant figure. Cuz, 9/11/2001 security concerns and all that are an extremely pressing issue…
Getting back on topic …
“Let’s look for another convenience store. This one doesn’t have tables and chairs.”
Me talking to a friend during our bike ride over the weekend.
Ouch, I feel for you on that one.
I don’t know which state you’re from, but I’ve been to DMV offices in both southern and northern California and it’s always been awful. Specifically, the condescending, impatient, unhelpful couldn’t-give-a-shit attitude of the clerks is what really annoys me, and this has been the norm in my experience.
I’ve had great service at the DMV on Claremont Ave In Oakland, CA. (Rockridge neighborhood) Still had to take a number and wait in line, but the employees were friendly and helpful.
back to thread title:
At IRS office: “Yes, can you help me with this tax filing. What deductions am I allowed to take”?
Oh wait… there is no IRS office to go to anywhere to file taxes, nor even a help-line.
Dont forget there are GOP candidates that are excitedly running on the “repealing of 87,000 IRS jobs!”, just to make sure no assistance from the Tax Man ever comes.
Yet, despite the low tax rates and helpful IRS people, tax evasion is a national sport here…
Thanks for the responses re: info on IDPs. Much appreciated.
