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I have a Q2 Chinese multi entry visa, is it possible to get a driver's license with this kind of visa? I don't have and I will not ask a residence permit, but the visa validity is 1 year so I will stay there for a while.

I don't have an international driver's license, only my Italian one.

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In most major Chinese cities they have the driver's license test in English. You just need to buy the book with the Chinese traffic regulations (recent one) and learn it and go to the exam.

You will need your passport, your driver's license from your country in original and copy and the proof of address in China (that piece of paper with your photo and address that you have to get from your local police station 48 hours after entry. I'm sure u have one if u got a Q2 visa, otherwise you can go to your local police station and get one).

I have quite a few friends that have passed the test with no problem. Although the English they use is chinglish, I had friends that just memorized the answer to the questions. Just make sure you get the book in English, you can buy it on taobao.

There's also "streamlined" services, I have had friends that used those. In that case you will be taken to the police station after hours with a bunch of other foreign applicants. You will each have to stand in front of your computer and a Chinese person will tell you all the answers for each question.

Be careful with these services though and always use one that you know other friends have used. Also make sure you have a friend that can check if the license is real, there have been lots of foreigners that used services like this and gotten fake ones.

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Yes it is possible to get a Chinese drivers license. There are many services that offer "streamlined" processes to do this (www.chinesedriverslicense.com for instance). Only certain testing centres offer the exams in English, so if you are going to do it on your own, you will need to get all the documentation and find a testing centre in English. If you use one of the "streamlined" services, you don't really have to write the exam, you just pay a little more to skip that step.

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    Based on the answer's tone these "streamlined" services doesn't seem to be completely legal. Can you actually get a licence without them?
    – SztupY ♦
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 1:18
  • Yes, sorry for the ambiguity, you most definitely can get a license without them. You have to find a location that offers the tests in English (or read, write and speak putonghua). You will need to study the government provided information, and achieve As a warning, the English exams aren't (weren't) translated very well, but still completely possible.
    – Kevin Willock
    Commented Jul 15, 2014 at 2:07
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    As for the legality of the streamlined services, it takes place at an official testing centre, and is overseen by a government official, and you obtain a real, legal drivers license. I'm positive that there is greasing of palms, but from a customers perspective you are paying for the translation service and test advice, so it is legal for you.
    – Kevin Willock
    Commented Jul 15, 2014 at 2:09

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