Driving licence

When in Rome, do what the Romans do

Same wording

A couple of weeks ago i red this article/report in Gulf Daily news

Sudhibhai wrote:

I find driving tests schedules in Bahrain unreasonably lengthy and absurd.
I applied for a test in November, even before finishing the full 22 training hours. But to my shock, I was asked to take the exam after a two-month wait, on January 21 at 11am. Luckily, I reached there by 10am because I was called in for the test at 10.15am.Had I not been there early, I would have missed the exam. Unfortunately, two months of waiting ended in a matter of minutes, as I was marked failed. I thought it was no big deal as I was asked to take just eight more hours of classes to work on my mistakes.
After I finished the prescribed eight hours, I went again on January 29 to ask for a new test date. To my surprise, this time I got a date two months and 15 days later, even longer than my previous waiting period!!! That meant my test would now be on April 15.
Unbelievable! By the time I go for my driving exam, I would have forgotten everything my instructor had taught me. I requested for an earlier exam date but the officer at the counter just grinned at my problem. I even earlier saw that computer count in April, but he just scrolled down and picked April 15. Aren't they supposed to give us the earliest possible date and not randomly pick one that pleases them?
I do hope there's no bias and a system is in place to schedule the earliest available date. Two and a half months is a very, very long time to wait just to get a driver's licence.
Just before I went for my required lessons, I was on a vacation and renewed my non-professional driving licence and also made extra efforts to get an International Driving Permit, this after having read the Road Traffic Law in Chapter 3 that they are issuing international permits (which is mentioned in the international traffic convention held in Vienna in 1968).
International Driving Permit then, regardless from country of issue should be valid for use in this country which took part in an agreement and listed on contracting states in an international convention on road traffic.
For one, the traffic directorate themselves issue the same document to Bahrainis wanting to drive abroad. So can anyone answer me if my IDP could be of any use?
In the end, time, money and effort is very much wasted just acquiring the elusive driver's licence to start driving in Bahrain.
I hope the government looks into this, as I'm sure complaints like this must happen on a daily basis.
I'm not asking for an instant licence, I'm only asking for a reasonable processing timeframe for applicants and a proper evaluation of the international licence's usage here in Bahrain.

I have an International licence (origin being from India). Can I use this to drive in Bahrain? Can some kinldy confirm this?

A Frustrated resident of Bahrain

u can use ur Indian International license only on visit visa..if u are resident, u must get Bahraini license..

You were lucky getting a 2 month only. I applied on October and the date they gave was in March - today in fact I am going to take the exam today so fingers crossed

....Well I heard from few friends that there are ways to get your test date early by paying universally accepted currency that is BRIBE.... EVEN passing the test too.... :-)

any Good news ? hurrrr

brightonguy wrote:

You were lucky getting a 2 month only. I applied on October and the date they gave was in March - today in fact I am going to take the exam today so fingers crossed

yup . u heard it right ,,,,
BUT don't offer Universal accepted currency direct on the table ""

retrogradee wrote:

....Well I heard from few friends that there are ways to get your test date early by paying universally accepted currency that is BRIBE.... EVEN passing the test too.... :-)