The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has moved to correct what it describes as misleading media reports claiming it plans to establish full-scale driver licensing offices overseas.
In a clarification, the Authority stated that it is not setting up permanent foreign branches. Instead, it has entered into a collaborative arrangement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deliver limited services to eligible Ghanaian citizens through selected embassies.
What the Overseas Service Will Cover
According to the DVLA, the initiative will focus on two specific services:
• Issuance of International Driver’s Permits (IDPs)
• Renewal of Ghanaian driver’s licences
The pilot phase will begin in five countries: the United States, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Under the arrangement, embassy staff in these countries will receive training to verify applicants’ documents. The verified applications will then be forwarded to the DVLA headquarters in Ghana for processing. Once completed, the licences or permits will be returned to the respective embassies for collection by applicants.
No Deployment of DVLA Staff Abroad
The Authority stressed that, contrary to some reports, it will not post its domestic staff to work at Ghana’s embassies in the listed countries. Processing and approvals will remain centralized in Ghana.
Management explained that the initiative is part of broader efforts to make DVLA services more accessible to Ghanaians living abroad, reduce licence expiration defaults, and encourage compliance with driving regulations.
The Authority also reiterated its open-door policy, urging media houses and members of the public to seek clarification from its Corporate Affairs Department when in doubt, to prevent the spread of inaccurate information.
Source: Africa Publicity
