Friday, after so many years here, I finally got my driving license converted.
(Since I often see questions about this, I thought it’d be useful to share my experience.)
First, my license is from an EU country that has an agreement with Japan, so depending on where you’re from, things might be different.
Documents required:
- Residence certificate (Juminhyo)
- Original driver’s license
- Translation of your license (done by the JAF: you can get it online here)
- Proof that you were still in your country for at least 3 months after obtaining your license
- ID photo (3 × 2.4 cm)
- Passport and residence card
That “proof you were still in your country” part can be tricky. Usually, an old passport showing you didn’t leave the country is fine. Or an employment certificate. In my case, I had to ask my university to send me a certificate proving I was enrolled at the time, which was super hard to get since it dated way back.
Once you’ve got all that, you need to choose the center where you’ll apply. I went to the Koto Driving License Center, and you must make an appointment on their website.
So I had my appointment, and the first time I went, they asked me to come back with the original version of my university certificate, the printed copy I brought wasn’t accepted. You need the original. They gave me a paper saying I could return anytime without another appointment.
It took me three months to get the original…
So I went back on Friday afternoon (you’ll need at least a half day off for this, but I’d recommend taking a full day).
Here’s how it goes:
- You go to Counter 1, where they check your documents and give you a number.
- Then you wait. They call you back to reconfirm and give you a different number, which takes you to the eye test (super simple).
- Once you pass that, they give you another paper and send you back to the counter where you pay.
- After paying, they send you to another counter to take your ID photo. (You thought the ID photo you brought was for your license? Nah, that was just for decoration.)
Total waiting time so far: 2.5 hours**.**
Depending on your personality, by that point, you’re already tired and pissed off.
The photo is taken, you think it’s finally done. You imagine some magic box will now print your new license.
But no. The photo lady hands you a slip with a number and says: “Go to the 4th floor.”
Depending on your personality, you might have intrusive thoughts about setting the center on fire.
So you go to the fucking 4th floor.
And there, oh surprise, you find a waiting room full of people. Everyone looks depressed, staring at their smartphones. Some look like they’ve been there for years.
Depending on your personality, you might consider giving up, jumping through a window, or screaming something highly offensive in your native language.
You hand your paper to an old guy behind the counter. He circles your number with a colored crayon (the color apparently depends on your “status”) and tells you to sit your ass down and wait like everyone else.
You stare at the screens, realizing it’s going to take ages.
At some point, you kind of accept the idea you might never come back home and start to live in the Koto Driving Center.
But suddenly, the screens that haven’t changed in hours start flashing, and one of the old guys begins a speech that sounds very important.
Everyone lines up, they tell you to remove your mask, headphones, or hat, and finally you can get your license. They slam it on the counter like it’s a poker chip.
Final waiting time: +2 hours
Total: Around 4.5 hours
Edit: So yeah, it feels I am complaining, but to be fair, they handled that day quite a lot of people and it was pretty smooth. Kudos to them Koto driving license staff, they good. In my country, they would not even have done half of it.
by TheGuiltyMongoose