Tourists get driving license in 5 minutes at Air Port

Sri Lanka has established a new branch office of the Department of Motor Traffic in the Arrivals Terminal of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, offering foreign tourists the convenience of obtaining a valid driving license within a mere five minutes.

This new facility was officially opened under the patronage of the Minister of Transport, Highways and Civil Aviation, Bimal Ratnayake. The licenses are issued based on the tourist’s existing driving license and the duration of their visa period.

The service extends its benefits to various categories of tourists.

Foreign tourists holding heavy vehicle driving licenses who intend to stay in Sri Lanka for more than a year can also acquire valid licenses through this new branch.

Additionally, tourists arriving from countries such as India, who possess three-wheeler driving licenses in their home countries, are now able to obtain a Sri Lankan driving license specifically for operating three-wheelers.

To further expedite the process, the Minister noted that tourists have the option to submit their applications to this airport office via email, which can further reduce the time required for license issuance.

This new system is a significant improvement as it addresses the previous cumbersome process where foreign tourists had to travel to the Department of Motor Traffic’s driving license branch in Werahera, a journey that previously consumed several days of their valuable travel time.

The Minister emphasized that this new facility will effectively save tourists’ time. Looking ahead, there are plans within the next few months to equip officers of the Police Traffic Division with smartphones, and this new airport office will also begin providing QR codes for foreign tourists.