The High Commission says the Indian Consulate in Melbourne has taken up the issue of verification of Indian driver licenses with VicRoads, but says it doesn’t believe a large number of Indian driver licences were being declined.
During the last few weeks, a number of Indian migrants have contacted SBS Punjabi to report that their Indian driver licences were turned down by the Victorian driver licencing authority despite verification by the Indian Consulate, saying their licences could not be verified as original documents, and asking them to obtain Learner’s licences.
Holders of Indian driver licence can obtain an Australian licence upon successfully passing a driving test.
Bhaumik Shah, an Indian migrant in Melbourne claims to have held an Indian driver licence since 2001. He says when he applied for an Australian licence, VicRoads refused to accept his it, telling him it could not be verified that he had held a valid driver licence in India.
Himanshu Malhotra, claims VicRoads declined his wife’s Indian licence even though it was verified by the Indian Consulate in Melbourne.
“We got a letter from VicRoads stating that her licence was not authentic and stating that she couldn’t drive on her Indian licence anymore, and should apply for a probationary licence now,” Mr Malhotra told SBS Punjabi.
“We spent around 300-350 dollars on the whole exercise or probably more considering that our parents had to send through some documents all the way from India as a part of the deal.”
He says it’s frustrating that they have not been given a reason for declining his wife’s Indian driver licence.
“But what hurts the most is that VIC Roads representatives could not give us a reason behind it all. And while we could prove it was authentic, we had all the evidence for it.”
Parteek Puri who has migrated from India last year and was working as a pizza delivery driver in Melbourne said he had to quit his job because he was left unable to drive after he applied for a Victorian licence.
Mr Puri said he obtained a verification of his Indian driver licence from the Indian Consulate in April and submitted to VicRoads. VicRoads told him in August this year that his Indian licence was an original document.
“The licence you presented cannot be verified as the original document and we can’t confirm that you held a driver licence in your country of origin,” VicRoads told Mr Puri. He too has been told to get a learner’s permit as his licence was invalid in Victoria.
Mr Puri's Indian driver licence has now been accepted by VicRoads after he could get the issuing authority in Punjab (India) to respond to VicRoads' email.
Harminder Singh, a university student in Melbourne has been told he can’t drive on his seven-year-old Indian licence.
“I sent a verification letter from the consulate along with my licence but VicRoads has told me it’s [the driver licence] not original,” he tells SBS Punjabi. “I have now obtained a verification from the issuing authority in Punjab and also a printout of the website of Indian transport ministry showing details of my licence.”
Mr Singh works as a part-time driver and says VicRoads is being unfair to him.
“I am being told to get a learner’s permit despite having a genuine licence. They can’t just call it fake without properly examining it. The government of India’s database clearly shows it’s there,” he says.
Source: Supplied
An official at the Indian Consulate said VicRoads is independently verifying the licences after “many people have misused the system and exchanged fake Indian licences in the recent past”.
However, the Indian High Commission in Canberra says there’ no reason why Indian driver licences should be declined.
“We do not believe that there are 'a large number of Indian driver licenses being turned down' after verification by CGI Melbourne. However, even if there are a few, we do not see any reason why this should be happening,” the Indian High Commission said in a statement issued to SBS Punjabi.
The High Commission uses a service provider to issue verification of Indian driver licences. The service provider’s website advises that some licensing authorities in Australia do not accept its verification of Indian driver licenses.
Before the Indian High Commission’s statement, SBS Punjabi contacted Consul General of India, Ms Manika Jain. But she declined to comment on the issue.
to verify the Pakistani driver licenses after many migrants from the country faced the same issue. Pakistani High Commission has agreed to provide VicRoads with the verification letter it receives from the issuing authorities in Pakistan to support its endorsement of the driver licence.
Migrants on permanent visas can drive a vehicle on their overseas licence for six months after they first arrive in Australia. A full overseas licence can be exchanged with a Victorian licence subject to passing a road rules test, hazard perception test and the driving test.
VicRoads says it works with Consulates and High Commissions in the process where possible for verification of licences based on an applicant’s confirmed overseas driving history.
“While we want to make the transfer process as simple as possible for all applicants, it is important to ensure that an applicant is issued the appropriate Victorian licence relevant to their driving history,” David Shelton, VicRoads Executive Director Registration and Licensing told SBS Punjabi.
Mr Shelton did not reveal the process of VicRoads’s verification of the Indian licences and the reason for declaring them invalid.
