The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) says it will soon begin issuing international driving licences to Ghanaians resident in five countries as part of efforts to improve access to its services abroad.

The Director of Corporate Affairs at the DVLA, Stephen Attuh, said the initiative is intended to reduce the need for Ghanaians living overseas to travel home solely to renew their licences.

Speaking on JoyNews on Wednesday, January 14, Mr Attuh explained that although the international driving permit will be renewable annually, applicants will still be required to return to Ghana for biometric capture.

“Because we take the biometric details of the individual, the presence of the person is required back in Ghana again before the renewal,” he said.

He noted that the Authority has assessed the growing volume of requests from Ghanaians abroad and is therefore planning a pilot programme to decentralise its services.

“We felt that… we can now have DVLA services in those places for Ghanaians, so that they can at least travel to those places and then get the licence, the international traffic team giving it to them,” he explained.

According to Mr Attuh, the pilot phase will initially be rolled out in five countries: the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Germany and Lebanon.

“These are five countries that we will start with this process. Discussions are far advanced, and in due course, we will deploy so that we can be in these areas to provide services for Ghanaians only in those countries,” he said.

He added that the move forms part of the DVLA’s broader strategy to make international licensing more convenient, while maintaining compliance with Ghanaian laws and biometric verification requirements.