Buying a car as a foreigner

hoshii2000 · Jun 17th, 2009, 20:38

Update:

I was shown a sample of the document they needed... it's a my residents permit.

I should be able to get my car tomorrow. Yeah!!

sg402 · Oct 28th, 2009, 15:57

I've moved to Chennai for work for 1-2 yrs & I am now thinking of buying a car and was wondering what is a resident's permit? Sorry for such an obvious question -- but does one acquire one?

I have an Overseas Citizen of India passport or OCI (I'm of Indian-origin & am a naturalized US Citizen) which allows me to work in India. Therefore, I did not need to register or get a work visa to work in India. I think we are supposed to get all the same benefits that NRI passport holders get.

I'm curious as to how buying a car will go if I cannot show the correct documents. I guess I should just find a dealer and inquire there.

Thanks!

Nick-H · Oct 28th, 2009, 16:12

A residents permit (RP/RC --- Residents Permit/Registration Certificate) is what you would get if you registered.

As an OCI holder, you are exempt from registration, so never need to have such a document.

Having got that far... I'm really not sure how to answer the question! We'd best check out the docs required by the RTO, and see what you can give.

How about licence? Do you have, or plan to get, an Indian driving licence?

sg402 · Oct 29th, 2009, 01:22

Yikes, I do have to get my Indian driver's license, Nick. Since you drive quite a bit -- was this process difficult?

Nick-H · Oct 29th, 2009, 01:27

Shockingly easy

But there is a process that you have to go through, which involves getting a learner's licence, getting a required number of lessons, taking a theory test, and a driving test. I think I did all but the theory test. A driving school will organise the whole thing for you. I posted my recommendation for someone else recently, (Modern Driving Institute, Mylapore) but if you can't find the details, I'll post again.

curtdfw · Oct 29th, 2009, 01:34

And don't you have to suffer the minor humiliation of having that red "L" on the rear window for some period? My wife's former boss (a recently returned NRI) was quite offended...

Nick-H · Oct 29th, 2009, 01:40

Not once you pass your driving "test".

curtdfw · Oct 29th, 2009, 02:00

Here's the licensing experience a US citizen had in Bombay:

http://carriekabir.blogspot.com/2007...-in-india.html

Nick-H · Oct 29th, 2009, 02:20

I've heard of such experiences --- getting an Indian driving licence just because of having a foreign one. Didn't happen to me, but I actually wanted that series of lessons to get over my fear of driving here anyway. It took me a year to pluck up courage to do it! That was about 12,000km ago.

*jyoti* · Oct 29th, 2009, 02:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtdfw

And don't you have to suffer the minor humiliation of having that red "L" on the rear window for some period? My wife's former boss (a recently returned NRI) was quite offended...

Quote:

Not once you pass your driving "test".

That is, if you bother to put it on in the first place.

Oct 28th, 2009, 15:57	#17
sg402 Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New York Posts: 34	If anyone is still reading this thread... I've moved to Chennai for work for 1-2 yrs & I am now thinking of buying a car and was wondering what is a resident's permit? Sorry for such an obvious question -- but does one acquire one? I have an Overseas Citizen of India passport or OCI (I'm of Indian-origin & am a naturalized US Citizen) which allows me to work in India. Therefore, I did not need to register or get a work visa to work in India. I think we are supposed to get all the same benefits that NRI passport holders get. I'm curious as to how buying a car will go if I cannot show the correct documents. I guess I should just find a dealer and inquire there. Thanks!

Oct 29th, 2009, 01:34	#21
curtdfw PIO Club Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: dallas, tx Posts: 460	And don't you have to suffer the minor humiliation of having that red "L" on the rear window for some period? My wife's former boss (a recently returned NRI) was quite offended... __________________ "Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative" Oscar Wilde

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Jun 17th, 2009, 20:38	#16
hoshii2000 Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 87	Update: I was shown a sample of the document they needed... it's a my residents permit. I should be able to get my car tomorrow. Yeah!!

Oct 28th, 2009, 16:12	#18
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,197	A residents permit (RP/RC --- Residents Permit/Registration Certificate) is what you would get if you registered. As an OCI holder, you are exempt from registration, so never need to have such a document. Having got that far... I'm really not sure how to answer the question! We'd best check out the docs required by the RTO, and see what you can give. How about licence? Do you have, or plan to get, an Indian driving licence?

Oct 29th, 2009, 01:22	#19
sg402 Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New York Posts: 34	Yikes, I do have to get my Indian driver's license, Nick. Since you drive quite a bit -- was this process difficult?

Oct 29th, 2009, 01:27	#20
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,197	Shockingly easy But there is a process that you have to go through, which involves getting a learner's licence, getting a required number of lessons, taking a theory test, and a driving test. I think I did all but the theory test. A driving school will organise the whole thing for you. I posted my recommendation for someone else recently, (Modern Driving Institute, Mylapore) but if you can't find the details, I'll post again.

Oct 29th, 2009, 01:40	#22
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,197	Not once you pass your driving "test".

Oct 29th, 2009, 02:00	#23
curtdfw PIO Club Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: dallas, tx Posts: 460	Here's the licensing experience a US citizen had in Bombay: http://carriekabir.blogspot.com/2007...-in-india.html

Oct 29th, 2009, 02:20	#24
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,197	I've heard of such experiences --- getting an Indian driving licence just because of having a foreign one. Didn't happen to me, but I actually wanted that series of lessons to get over my fear of driving here anyway. It took me a year to pluck up courage to do it! That was about 12,000km ago.