Following the passport crisis, the issue of driving licenses has emerged, with the company in charge of issuing them, insisting on receiving payment in fresh US dollars.

The Vehicle Registration Center informed Al Akhbar newspaper that the number of available licenses in the stock for the years 2021 and 2022 does not exceed 15,000.

These licenses will be distributed on a "first come, first served" basis and will be exclusively allocated as replacements for lost licenses.

However, if licenses are granted to all categories, the available number will only be sufficient for approximately three months, according to sources.

Until financial issues are resolved, the Vehicle Registration Center's new management officer is working on establishing examination committees to monitor driving tests.

There is also positive news for those taking the driving test for the first time, license applicants will have the option to choose between a vehicle with a manual transmission or an automatic transmission, by a law issued 11 years ago.