Forum: Digital IC - Physical card needed for verification when applying for international driving permit

We refer to Ms Kate Ho Koon In's letter, "All organisations here should accept use of digital IC" (June 8).

The Automobile Association of Singapore (AA Singapore) supports the move by the authorities towards going digital. Since the implementation of the digital NRIC in November last year and the digital driving licence in March this year by the authorities, AA Singapore has accepted both on the Singpass app.

We have also implemented the application of the international driving permit (IDP) online, which lets applicants submit their documents online through https://www.aas.com.sg

As part of the IDP verification process, our staff request a physical NRIC and driving licence, as there were instances when our staff encountered differing details between the NRIC and driving licence.

We have since reached out to Ms Ho and explained the incident to her.

A copy of the IDP was issued to Ms Ho on the day, but our staff may not have clearly conveyed to her the rationale for us asking to view the physical documents, and we sincerely apologise to her for the unpleasant experience.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind the public that the IDP is an official legal document sanctioned by the United Nations Convention on Road Traffic 1949 and it must be presented together with your valid local driving licence.

We have received feedback from Singaporeans that when driving overseas, presenting your local driving licence may not be sufficient, as you are required to present your IDP together with a copy of your local driving licence. Hence, having an IDP before travelling is important.

Once again, we thank Ms Ho for her feedback, and we will continue to streamline our processes and improve our service.

Lee Wai Mun
Chief Executive Officer
Automobile Association of Singapore

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