Kuwait revokes driving licences of 32,000 expats

Cairo: Kuwaiti authorities have revoked driving licences of 32,000 expatriates in the past 10 months of the year on illegibility grounds, a traffic official has said.

“The General Directorate of Traffic adopts strict rules in issuing driving licences in coordination with other governmental agencies including the Residency Affairs and Public Authority of Manpower, a step that has largely helped expose those who previously obtained a driving licence, but later changed their jobs thus losing eligibility,” chief of the traffic public relations, Col. Nawaf Al Hayan, added.

The official also noted that some of the invalidated licences were issued for foreign students who have now finished their studies, but have not handed back the licences per se rules.

The number of driving licences issued for expatriates in Kuwait has reached 41,000 over the past 10 months, down 43 per cent compared to the corresponding period of last year, he said..

Moreover, traffic authorities have withdrawn driving licences from around 2,400 Kuwaitis, mostly women, found to have mental or sight disabilities, according to the official.