50 countries now accept UAE driving licences, including 20 Arab countries

Holders of UAE driving licences can now use them to drive and hire cars in 50 overseas countries.

Last September, only nine countries accepted a UAE licence for legal driving, but, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, they are now accepted in: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Mauritania, Djibouti, Comoros, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine, Spain, France, America, UK, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Ireland , Austria, Greece, Sweden, China, Poland, Canada, Turkey, Norway, Latvia, New Zealand, Serbia, South Africa, Finland, Hungary, Luxembourg, Lithuania and Singapore.

The countries that already accepted the UAE driver's licence were: Austria, Slovakia, Luxembourg, China, Portugal, Finland, Romania, Denmark and Serbia.

Romania are absent from the updated list.

The ministry stressed on its website the need to still obtain an international driving licence, as there are countries that do not recognise or do not accept the UAE licence. In the case of long stay abroad, individuals must renew their driving licences as this may result in legal accountability.

The National