[Rohan24]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

No change sadly. You still need an IDP if you want to drive in Italy.

Not sure if it applies in BLR, but for a few hundred extra, there are certain people who can shorten that turnaroud time to a day.

Damn, okay. Thanks, yeah will go to an agent and check out if he can get it done fast.
Otherwise, worst case scenario, will take the Furka train and then the Gotthard tunnel if both the passes aren't open. Won't be as scenic a drive though.

[girish.purswani]

Hi Folks,

I am visiting belgium, netherlands and spain for tourist purposes in august and needed to make an IDP to enable me to drive there. While my local friends there have told me that an IDP is not really required and the car rental companies accept an Indian License, I have read up about people facing issues by local cops in-case of any violations/accidents and not having an IDP. Can someone throw some light on this ?

For the first time I thought I wont visit an agent and will try things myself, but I am kind of stuck; the issues I am facing in my application process is -
1. The maharastra RTO website allows me to add only one country in their drop-down?
2. In the upload documents section, it is asking for a Form 1A medical certificate by a Govt Issuing doc? Do we really need 1A for an IDP?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by girish.purswani

Hi Folks,

I am visiting belgium, netherlands and spain for tourist purposes in august and needed to make an IDP to enable me to drive there. While my local friends there have told me that an IDP is not really required and the car rental companies accept an Indian License, I have read up about people facing issues by local cops in-case of any violations/accidents and not having an IDP. Can someone throw some light on this ?

For the first time I thought I wont visit an agent and will try things myself, but I am kind of stuck; the issues I am facing in my application process is -
1. The maharastra RTO website allows me to add only one country in their drop-down?
2. In the upload documents section, it is asking for a Form 1A medical certificate by a Govt Issuing doc? Do we really need 1A for an IDP?

Two things

-Yes an Indian DL is more than enough to hire a car across Europe(maybe a few exceptions)If the rental company is ok to accept your DL,then you are good to go.

-During violations,yes if they see an Indian DL,it can result in a few additional questions but remember you are not breaking any laws by hiring a car using an Indian DL(that is the rental company's job to ensure you have a valid and accepted DL before they issue a vehicle).Having an IDP-yes it is the best and easiest.

[girish.purswani]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Two things

-Yes an Indian DL is more than enough to hire a car across Europe(maybe a few exceptions)If the rental company is ok to accept your DL,then you are good to go.

Thanks ranjit, this helps! Although I will still try and get the IDP to be at ease (But at-least I am no longer stressed!)

[akshaymahajan]

Dont know if there is a more apt place for this query

Due to work travel, I am often at a car rental counter at some American or European airport. I generally book my cars from aggregators like easycar since they have better rates.

I have taken and successfully used their Excess Protection add ons in Europe. In the US however, they also push me to buy extra insurance at the counter.

Last time at ATL, they told me that it is illegal to drive without the special liaility insurance and forced me to pay a ridiculous amount for that. I am not sure if what I was told was true or not and I cant find any such thing on the internet. ANyways, my queries are

1. What is the best and cheapest way to get CDW and complete liability insurance for a rental?
2. Does any Indian Credit Card provide rental insurance that is valid world wide?
3. Am I really completely covered with the easycar/honk cover? It doesnt include liability so what happens?

Appreciate your responses.

Thanks

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

1. What is the best and cheapest way to get CDW and complete liability insurance for a rental?

I always took the maximum coverage I could on rentals. Some labelled it CDW, others something else. But yes, maximum coverage.

2. Does any Indian Credit Card provide rental insurance that is valid world wide?

I don't think Indian credit cards offer that facility. Most US-issued credit cards do. Do you have a SSN? Perhaps apply for a US-CC and use that to book your rentals?

3. Am I really completely covered with the easycar/honk cover? It doesnt include liability so what happens?

I generally always book directly with Avis/Enterprise and take their damage waivers. This was before I had my own car and Insurance. After that, I didn't as my Insurance covered rentals.

Also, since you travel for work (assuming you are not self-employed), aren't all expenses related to car rentals (as with hotels) reimbursed?

[ptushar]

Hi. I got myself an IDP yesterday from RTO Pune. Earlier this used to be a small booklet. But now this is a single page document.
On top of the document it says "This IDP can be verified on www.parivahan.gov.in web portal". I went to the portal and couldn't find any link to verify the IDP.

Can someone confirm where on the portal can once verify the IDP?

[ayushagarwal26]

Hi all,

Does the IDP specify the country you are travelling to?

The reason I ask is:

1) I have applied for a Spain VISA and my travel dates are very close (13th Sept '18). I will probably get my VISA only in mid september and do not want to wait that long to apply for an IDP

2) The RTO specifically asks for a copy of valid visa

Since I have other valid VISAs on my passport, can I submit a copy of another one (say, USA) and procure the IDP? Will that IDP mention that I can drive only in the specified country, or can I use it for all applicable countries?

If it helps, I will apply at Delhi RTO.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by ayushagarwal26

Hi all,

Does the IDP specify the country you are travelling to?

Yes, the IDP specifically mentions the country it endorses the holder to drive in. Whether the person will hold it against you - can't really say.

Also, the Indian DL, as long as it is in English and highlights the meaning of the abbreviations (what LMV stands for), suffices these days. My experience in the US and Switzerland has been such that the rental agencies wanted my DL and not the IDP.

To be entirely safe, try getting one based on the US visa and also, Spain if your visa comes in time. If it does, you are covered. If not, you have the US IDP and the Indian DL to fall back on.

[ayushagarwal26]

Thanks! I've used the Indian DL in USA / UK and some other countries before without an IDP - but Spain specifically asks for an IDV even though Indian DLs are now in English / have a photo and a chip, so getting one just in case.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Yes, the IDP specifically mentions the country it endorses the holder to drive in. ... ... ...

Does it? Is that a new development? I am not sure when I last had one, might have been 2015, but I don't think that my destination was an issue. The thing is valid for twelve months: a person might travel to many countries.

[sharninder]

I'm going to visit Sri Lanka next month for a week or so and was thinking of taking a rental to drive around a bit. The rental agencies there I've spoken to seem to require an IDP. I've never been asked for an IDP before in the US or any of the Asian countries I've driven in so I'm not sure about the complete process.

My license is issued in Delhi and I stay in Noida, as in all my address proofs etc right now are from Delhi. Does it matter where I get an IDP issued from? Secondly, the process seems to be partly online now, so will they send the IDP on the license address or do I have to finally collect it at the RTO?

[get2bid]

Originally Posted by sharninder

The rental agencies there I've spoken to seem to require an IDP.

As far as I know, Sri Lanka accepts Indian License as long as it is printed in English. I was able to rent a car there using my Indian License. Did not get an IDP done.
Any other language, you will need an IDP.

Not too sure about the other questions you have, since it differs from State to State. I had to collect mine from the RTO even though I had applied online.

[sharninder]

Originally Posted by get2bid

As far as I know, Sri Lanka accepts Indian License as long as it is printed in English. I was able to rent a car there using my Indian License. Did not get an IDP done.
Any other language, you will need an IDP.

Not too sure about the other questions you have, since it differs from State to State. I had to collect mine from the RTO even though I had applied online.

My license is in English. May I know which rental company did you go with? And did you just walk in or had booked online?

[get2bid]

Originally Posted by sharninder

My license is in English. May I know which rental company did you go with? And did you just walk in or had booked online?

It was a local rental company. Do not remember the name. I just walked in. No online booking.