Migrating to Australia or visiting long-term often means you’ll want to convert your overseas driver’s licence into a local one. In New South Wales (NSW), Roads and Maritime Services (RMS, now part of Transport for NSW) requires certain overseas licences to be verified before conversion. This verification is particularly important for Indian licence holders — and if your name differs between your Indian driver’s licence and your passport, you’ll need to take extra steps.

1. Why Licence Verification is Required

Transport for NSW may request an Indian driver’s licence verification to ensure the licence is genuine and valid. This is typically done through the Indian High Commission or Consulates in Australia, in coordination with the original issuing Regional Transport Office (RTO) in India.

If there’s a name difference — for example:

• Licence: “Ravi Kumar”
• Passport: “Ravi Kumar Sharma”
  — the verification process will also need to clarify that both documents refer to the same person.

2. Where to Apply

In Australia, the High Commission of India (Canberra) or the Consulates General of India in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, or Brisbane handle these requests. NSW residents will generally apply through the Consulate General of India, Sydney.

The service you’re looking for is typically called Verification of Driving Licence.

3. Documents You Will Need

While requirements can vary slightly by consulate, generally you will need:

• Original Indian driver’s licence
• Clear photocopy of the licence (both sides)
• Valid Indian passport and copy of photo page and visa page
• Proof of NSW address (utility bill, tenancy agreement, bank statement, etc.)
• Completed application form for driver’s licence verification
• Recent passport-size photographs (per specification)
• Applicable fee (check the consulate’s fee schedule)

4. Dealing with Name Differences

If your name appears differently on your Indian driver’s licence and passport, you will usually need to provide:

• An affidavit stating that both names refer to the same person. This can be prepared before a notary public in Australia.
• In some cases, a legal name change certificate or marriage certificate (if applicable) may also be accepted as proof.

Make sure your affidavit is clear, stating both versions of your name and affirming they belong to the same individual.

5. The Verification Process

Once submitted, the consulate will forward your application to the RTO in India where your licence was issued. The RTO will confirm its authenticity, and the consulate will then issue a verification letter. Processing times vary, but can take anywhere from 4–8 weeks, depending on RTO response speed.

6. Submitting to Transport for NSW

After receiving your verification letter, you can present it to a Service NSW centre along with your passport, proof of NSW residence, and your original Indian licence to apply for a NSW driver’s licence. If your licence is fully recognised, you may be able to get a full NSW licence without passing a driving test. However, if there are restrictions or the verification is incomplete, you may need to sit knowledge or driving tests.