27,000 expatriates obtained driving licences in five years
Manama : More than 27,000 expatriates passed the driving test and obtained driving licences in the past five years, Interior Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa has said.
There are 307,000 non-Bahrainis who possess driving licences, out of which 27,179 received in the period between 2011 and 2016.
Replying to the queries of MP Jalal Kadhim recently on the status and numbers of drivers in Bahrain, Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid said that there are 383,000 citizens holding driving licences and 5,000 Gulf nationals in the Kingdom. The data revealed by the minister also showed that 256,516 expatriates hold licences for driving private cars, while 12, 863 have motorcycles’ licences, 21,124 have private transportation licenses and 679 have public transportation licences. The numbers of expatriate drivers rose from 17, 750 in 2010 to 31, 988 in 2015 and 45, 680 drivers last year.
Motorcycles’ licences for expatriates also rose from only 987 in 2010 to over 22,000 in 2016. The minister pointed out in his response to the standards and conditions imposed on foreigners when they obtain driving licences according to the type of license. Among the conditions stipulated is that applicants should be at least 18 years of age to obtain a private or motorcycle licences, and not less than 25 years to obtain a private transport licences.
Regarding the renewal of the driver’s licence for non-Bahrainis, the minister added that the licence is valid for five years from the date of issuance and can be renewed more than once, except for public transportation licences. The minister’s replies will be reviewed before the House of Representatives soon.
Related Posts