Driving license linked to residence

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First of all I like to thank you for your informative column in Arab Times. I am a Portuguese national and arrived in Kuwait in 1977 and worked in a reputed bank in Kuwait for 35 years. I started driving in Kuwait since 1985 and my driving licence is valid up to 2021. I cancelled my residence end of 2016 and along with my residence my driving licence also got cancelled which I had no idea. Some people say I can drive after 2 years of cancellation.

Now I am entering Kuwait as tourist because my family is here. I want to know if I can drive after 2 years since my licence is valid till 2021. Appreciate you favourable reply to my question.

Name withheld

Answer: When you cancelled your residence, your driving licence was automatically cancelled as you indicated. It is therefore not true that after two years you can drive in Kuwait with the old driving licence which in reality no longer exists as it was cancelled before you left Kuwait at the end of 2016.

You will be able to drive in Kuwait only if you come back on a new residence permit after which you can apply for a new driving licence on condition that you meet all the requirements that qualify you to apply for a driving licence.

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Kindly go through our archives and refrain from sending repeated questions

This news has been read 7675 times!