Kuwaiti authorities have denied reports of banning the renewal driving licences of expatriates, dismissing such reports as “incorrect”.

In recent days, Kuwaiti media carried reports that traffic authorities had temporarily halted renewal of driving licences for all expatriates in the country pending a new system to revoke licences of the ineligible ones.

However, the Interior Ministry said there is no decision or circular issued to stop or withdrawing expatriates’ driving licences. “All what was circulated is incorrect,” the ministry added.

It explained that traffic authorities in coordination with the Department of Information Systems had carried out a “routine procedure” to update data of the issued driving licences replacing the old documents with smart ones.

“Anyone among foreign residents found to have obtained the driving licence illegally will have it withdrawn and be liable to legal action,” the ministry’s Security Media Department said.

Earlier this week, Al Rai newspaper reported that traffic authorities had temporarily suspended renewal of driving licences for all expatriates in the country pending a new system to revoke licences of the ineligible ones.

The suspension was seen as spelling trouble for foreign holders of expired licences and Kuwaiti citizens who employ foreign drivers and workers holding expired licences. The paper later reported, citing a lawmaker, that Interior Minister Thamer Al Aly ordered a freeze on the ban.

The renewal process will be available to licence holders who will show up having all the required documents complying with eligibility stipulations in terms of job, salary and holding a university degree, the paper added.

As many as 250,000 expatriates were expected to have their driving licences revoked in Kuwait, Al Rai had earlier estimated./GN