MoI planning to cancels thousands of driving licence of expatriates

Monday, October 11, 2021

Ministry of Interior planning to withdraw thousands of driving licenses of expatriates, which have already expired as per the condition of getting driving license for expats.

There are around 40,000 expats having driving licenses and changed their profession after getting the license. According to their new profession, they lose their driving license, however they still continue to use them. Expats who are generally caught for driving on expired license go to the MOI and pay a 5 KD traffic fine and are also able to renew their residence.

According to report, around 20,000 driving licenses were issued to the university students based on their student status. However most of them have finished their studies but they do not come and hand over their driving license on finishing their studies and still using it after their studies. Such driving licenses will be blocked in order not to renew their license.

MoI is planning to link data between traffic department, manpower and residency affairs to detect blocked driving license. Expatriate with an old, invalid license will not be able to renew his residence as he will have to handover the license in order to renew residence.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Sheikh Faisal Al-Nawaf, had recently requested a study to stop issuing driving licenses to expats in order to place a new mechanism for granting driving licenses.

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