How long a Russian, Belarusian, Kazakh or Ukrainian licence stays valid after you move, whether it is exchanged or you must retake the exam, and the rules in Cyprus, Georgia, Turkey, the UAE, Poland, Spain, Germany and Portugal.
In brief
After you move, your home driving licence is usually valid for a limited time: 6 months in Germany, 185 days in Poland, 1 year from the last entry in Georgia, 6 months to 1 year in Turkey, 90 days in Portugal for some licences. After that you must either exchange it or take a new exam, and which of the two depends on whether your country has an exchange agreement with the destination. For Russian licences we found no source that confirms the status in most of these countries, so treat every line below as something to confirm with the local licensing office. Position as of 6 November 2026; not legal advice.
The three questions that decide everything
1. Is my licence valid while I am only a visitor? Usually yes for a limited stay, often together with an International Driving Permit, but the rules differ. 2. How long after I become a resident does it stay valid? This is the clock, and it differs from 90 days to 1 year. 3. Will the country exchange it, or must I take an exam? This depends on a treaty or a list of states, and it is the question where Russian licences are least clear.
Everything below is built around those three questions. If you remember only one thing: find the deadline in the first week, not in the sixth month.
The International Driving Permit
The International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation-style document based on the 1968 road traffic convention. It is commonly recommended to carry with a Russian licence when you travel, because it helps with police and car rental. We did not confirm which countries accept a permit issued by a Russian authority, so check the destination's road authority before you rely on it.
An IDP does not extend the period during which you may drive as a resident. When the grace period for your licence ends, the permit does not help.
Germany
Licences issued outside the EU and EEA are generally usable for six months after you establish residence. The licensing authority can grant a one-time extension to a total of up to twelve months, but the federal transport ministry describes this as available only in exceptional cases, on request, where you can show you will not stay longer than twelve months.
To convert, you apply in writing to the driving licence authority at your main residence while the foreign licence is still valid. A licence acquired abroad after you took up residence in Germany cannot be transferred. For states that are not on the exempt list you must pass a theory and a practical exam; a 2019 county information sheet also mentions a first aid course and an eye test. We did not find Russia's status. One report says Ukraine was added to the list of states with simplified exchange from 18 August 2026.
What to do: write to the authority in your first month, ask whether your issuing state is exempt, and do not let the six months run out.
Poland
Sources say a foreign licence can be used for about 185 days, and the Warsaw city portal says it stops being valid six months after residence begins. After that a non-EU resident must exchange it. One commercial blog says licences from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova are exchanged without exams, and that exams apply only for countries outside the traffic conventions. That is the only source that names Russia, so confirm it with the local transport department (Wydział Komunikacji) or on gov.pl.
Typical details from commercial sites: a fee around PLN 100.50 and about 9 working days for the new card; the office often keeps the original foreign licence. Ukrainian licences are recognised under EU temporary protection, and one 2026 guide says this runs to 4 March 2027, after which an exchange is needed.
Portugal
Exchange rules follow a framework in force since 1 August 2022 (Decree-Law 46/2022), which sorts countries into categories. Licences from countries with no agreement are not valid for driving in Portugal as a resident, and you must pass the Portuguese theory and practical exams. Two sources report that filing is online only, through IMT's portal, since 21 January 2026. The usual documents include the original licence, a Portuguese residence document, proof of address, a tax number (NIF), a medical certificate and, for non-EU licences, a declaration of authenticity from the issuing authority or its consulate.
One source describes a 90-day period after becoming resident during which you may keep driving on the foreign licence and file; another says you can file until the 2-year mark but may not drive after the 90 days. Sources disagree. We did not find Russia's category, and you should ask IMT whether a declaration of authenticity can be obtained from Russian authorities.
Spain
Whether you can exchange (canje) without a test depends on an agreement between Spain and the issuing country. Without one you take the medical check, the theory and the practical exam. Two further rules appear in the guides: a licence issued after you established legal residency in Spain cannot be exchanged, and the exchange requires legal residence. The foreign licence stops being valid after about six months of residence.
We found no source that names Russia. The Ukrainian interior ministry says Ukrainians can exchange a licence without exams in four countries, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. For everyone else, ask the DGT.
Cyprus
Sources conflict. One 2026 guide places Russia in a group with a simplified exchange for stays over 185 days under bilateral agreements. A relocation guide says the result depends on whether Cyprus has a reciprocal agreement with the issuing country, and without one you go through the learner, theory and practical route. An older property site says a holder of a valid Russian licence can exchange it without a test and that the Russian embassy must certify a police confirmation letter at a cost of about EUR 100, with an exchange fee of EUR 50.
Tourists can drive on a Russian licence for stays of up to six months, according to one source. We found no statement from the Road Transport Department. Confirm the status before you spend money on a police letter.
Turkey
Guides disagree on the grace period: about six months after you receive a residence permit in several of them, one year from the start of the permit in another. Exchange without a test generally depends on whether the issuing country is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention, and we did not confirm Russia's or Kazakhstan's position. The usual documents are a valid residence permit, a notarised Turkish translation of the licence, the passport, a medical report and biometric photos. Appointments are made at randevu.nvi.gov.tr or by phone on 199.
Ukraine has an agreement with Turkey on exchange without exams, according to Ukrainian government sources.
United Arab Emirates
The Dubai RTA exchanges licences from a list of countries; a state news agency reports that it replaced 58,082 foreign licences from 57 countries in 2025, and a 2026 advisory post says the list was expanded. Sources disagree on Russia: one relocation firm says Russia is not on the approved list, while several promotional pages say Russian holders can convert without the standard process. We could not verify it. If your country is not on the list, the standard process applies, with a driving institute, training and tests. An eye test is required for conversions.
One source lists Belarus as exchangeable and says Kazakhstan is pending; each is a single source. Ukraine is on the list of countries with exchange without exams, per Ukraine's ministry.
Georgia
A foreign licence is valid for one year from your last entry, according to a Georgian expat information site, and the clock runs from entry, not from the licence expiry. Exchange is handled by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, for a fee of about GEL 15 to 16 paid at the bank window in the building. Sources differ on residency: one TV report and one expat site mention 185 days of lawful presence, and one guide says you can no longer fly in and take the test on a short visit.
For Russian licences the practical problem is the confirmation from the issuing country. One site says the confirmation is hard to obtain from Russia, so many holders take the Georgian test instead, and expat guides add that the apostilled document must explicitly state the licence was never suspended.
Practical steps
1. Before you leave: renew a licence that expires soon, get an IDP, and ask the destination's road authority what it requires. 2. On arrival: write down your entry date and your residence start date, and set reminders at 60 and 30 days before the deadline. 3. In the first month: ask the licensing office whether your state is exempt from exams and what documents they need, and whether a medical check or eye test is required. 4. Order what the process needs: an apostille or confirmation from the issuing country, and a sworn translation. Both can take weeks. 5. Book the exam or exchange appointment early. In some cities slots run weeks ahead. 6. Keep the original in your wallet until the office takes it; do not let anyone else hold it.
Insurance and cars
If your licence is no longer valid in the country, an insurer can refuse a claim, even if the accident was not your fault. Tell your insurer you have become a resident and ask in writing what licence it accepts. We did not research the rules for importing a car registered in Russia or another CIS state; they are restricted in several countries and handled by customs, so check with the customs service before you ship a car.
Common mistakes
1. Assuming a Russian licence is exchanged because a friend's was. 2. Relying on an IDP after the grace period ends. 3. Starting the paperwork in month five of six. 4. Getting a police or authenticity letter from the wrong office and losing weeks. 5. Letting the licence expire at home, which can end the exchange option. 6. Taking a licence issued after you became resident for an exchange in countries that forbid it.
FAQ
Can I drive in the EU on a Russian licence as a tourist? In general you can for a limited visit, often with an International Driving Permit, but the rules differ by country and we could not confirm each one. Check the road authority of the country you visit.
How long can I drive on my home licence after becoming a resident? It varies: six months in Germany, 185 days in Poland, one year from last entry in Georgia, six months to one year in Turkey, 90 days in Portugal for some licences. The clock normally starts when you become a resident or enter.
Will my country's licence be exchanged without an exam? That depends on an agreement or a list of states. We found no confirmation for Russian licences in most countries covered here; Poland and Cyprus have conflicting reports. Ask the licensing office for the current list.
Do Ukrainian licences work differently? Often yes. Ukrainian licences are recognised in the EU under temporary protection, and Ukraine reports exchange without exams with Italy, Spain, Turkey and the UAE. One report adds Germany from 18 August 2026.
Is this legal advice? No. It is a summary of secondary sources as of 6 November 2026. Rules and lists change, so confirm with the licensing authority.