New conditions for expats to get driving licenses

The Ministry of Interior is said to have amended some provisions concerning conditions for obtaining a driving license in Kuwait for expatriates, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.

Source : Arabtimes

The daily said, according Article 85: Expatriates, who apply for driving license, should have a university degree, a salary of not less than KD 400 per month, valid residence permit and fulfill certain conditions. This is in addition to they should have resided in the country for at least two years and meet the conditions of age and health in addition to others, subject to passing a driving test conducted by the General Traffic Department.

Those eligible are as follows:

■ Non-Kuwaiti women married to Kuwaiti men including widows and divorcees provided they have children.

■ Non-Kuwaiti men married to Kuwaiti women and have children.

■ Bedoun holding valid security cards.

■ Students – provided they are registered at any of the universities or applied institutions in Kuwait.

■ Expatriate housewives who have children and provided their husbands are eligible for driving license. This does not include drivers and company representatives.

■ Members of the diplomatic corps.

■ Professional in sports federations, clubs and government sectors.

■ Drivers and representatives who hold valid legal driving licenses issued by their countries or any other country.

■ Domestic workers who have been working for a period of not less than 5 consecutive years in a similar capacity provided they change their profession to driver.

■ Technicians working in the oil fields.

■ Undertakers

■ Nursing staff, physiotherapists and prosthetic limbs technicians.

■ Medical emergency technicians and paramedics, lab technicians and radiologists.

Those who are exempted from the ‘length of stay’ condition and the stipulated salary stipulated in above include:

■ Judges and members of the Public Prosecution, the advisors and experts.

■ Teaching staffs of the universities, faculties and Applied Institutes.

■ Managers of companies and institutions, journalists and media personnel.

■ Doctors, pharmacists, engineers, assistant engineers and accountants.

■Teachers and social workers.

■ Researchers, judiciary persons, translators, librarians and imams working in government agencies.

■ Sports trainers working at sports federations and clubs and government agencies.

The licenses of drivers and representatives will be cancelled upon thier cancellation of their residence permit, or should there be any change in profession based on which the driving license was issued. The person will then not be eligible to apply for driving license for at least two years.