Regulation on issuing license without a test for foreign license holders publicized

Transport Ministry has publicized the regulation which they would follow when issuing driver’s licenses in the Maldives for foreign license holders without the completion of a test to both foreigners and locals.

In July, the Ministry had publicized a list of countries acceptable to the Ministry for issuance driver’s license in the Maldives without the completion of a test – subject to that the individual possesses a valid license issued by the relevant authorities from such a country.

The 25 countries named acceptable to them are:

• Afghanistan
• Bhutan
• India
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• Brunei
• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Philippines
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• Japan
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
• China
• United Arab Emirates
• Switzerland
• Saudi Arabia
• Belgium
• Germany

Under the regulation publicized today, the Ministry is set to begin issuing licenses in the Maldives without the completion of a test for both foreigners and locals who are license holders in any of the aforementioned countries.

As per the Ministry, when requesting the license – the applicant if a local must submit an ID Card copy, and a passport copy which indicates that the applicant was residing in the country the license had been issued in at the date of its issuance.

Foreigners are required to submit a work visa copy, a passport copy and a copy of the foreign driver’s license they hold – that must not be expired. The validity of this license will be checked online.

If the foreign license cannot be verified online – a verification documents from an embassy would suffice.

Applicants will be charged a fee of MVR 250 by the Ministry.

The recent amendments to the Land Transportation Act, bestows the discretion to the Ministry to issue driver’s licenses to license holders from countries acceptable to the Ministry without the completion of a test.