My driving license is expiring in a few days, so on Sunday I passed by the Hawally Traffic Department in Jabriya. Regular readers might remember I had passed by the same place two weeks earlier when getting my motorbike learners permit. So once again I got my papers typed out in the typing room and then headed towards window #1.
When I got there it turned out to be the same person who had given me trouble the last time. Previously when I went to get my riding learners permit he had told me to come back the next day just like that for no reason. In the end a nice high ranking officer helped me and Nat out and I was able to get the paper work done in the same day. Anyway I went up to him with all my papers this time, he looked at them and then gave them back and told me to come back in the evening. I was like why? He was like from 4 to 7pm its for renewals. I was like fine whatever and left. On my way out I saw the nice cop from last time standing not doing anything. I was like cool, he will help me out again.
I go up to the high ranking cop and go hey remember me? Me and my wife came here 2 weeks ago and you helped us out and stuff. He told coldly replied no, and then rudely turned around and walked away. I was like thinking to myself what the fuck just happened here? This guy was like super friendly to us last time and he was kidding around with Nat and he was telling her about the dangers of riding and how he wouldn’t advise her to ride and stuff and then he went and finished up all our papers. Now its like he never met me before. I was like doesn’t matter, whatever, I followed the cop back to his office the whole time going excuse me in Arabic wanting him to turn around. Finally just before he got into his office he turned and was like what? I was like I want to renew my papers but that guy said I should come in the evening. He told me then come in the evening and walked away. I was like fuck it and left the place.
Tonight I passed by at 6:30pm to finish up my papers. I go in and the place was empty except for 2 guys sitting next to each other at 2 adjacent windows. I go up to one guy and without saying a word I give him my papers. Since my papers say I am Canadian I figured I would get better treatment like that, and it works most of the time. The guy signs my papers and places a stamp then the guy next to him tells him in Arabic “Tell him to come back tomorrow”. The guy continues to sign the papers then hands them back to me and tells me come back tomorrow. So I replied back in Arabic why? I came already before and you told me come back between 4 and 7, now I am here you are telling me come back tomorrow. The guy was like yes, no one is here now come back tomorrow at 5. I was like yeah buy I have work. He is like I finished everything for you, all you need to do is come back tomorrow have your picture taken here and get your license. I was like ok why can’t I do that now? He was like come back tomorrow.
So with no chance of reasoning with the guy and no wasta available I had to leave the place without getting my driving license renewed. Now I need to go back for the third fucking time just to get my license renewed. Three visits just for a renewel!
13 replies on “Renewing the Driving License”
Fuck dude! Thats a bitch! I think starting up a company to take care of your paperwork is something that should be done in Kuwait! A services company, and you have a membership with them.
And I think Mark the guy was only nice, because Nat was with you and he doesnt usually see Women in their department. And so he doesnt give a damn. Thats just plain fucking annoying!
I drive with my US license .. I have no idea where my Kuwaiti on is; I think it was suspended or something.
anything related to hawalli and non-kuwaitis usually ends up not very nice. You should try Kuwait City with a little wasta too.
Take care man. The last time I was there, an Egyptian guy who was upset about coming back repeatedly argued with the guy in the fines section and the fines guy came out from behind his desk and started hitting the Egyptian guy! All hell broke loose.
When I was leaving I saw the manager of the place shouting at the Egyptian guy telling him that he would not finish his paperwork unless his sponsor came personally and requested it.
“This guy was like super friendly to us last time and he was kidding around with Nat”
Last time, you were with Nat.
Do yourself a favor this time……TAKE NATS with you. Although it may seem like they cant delay it any longer and they’ll have to give it to you this time round, they can probably find a million reasons to ask you to come back tomorrow. These guys are pros when it comes to excusues…. computer is not working…..nobody is here to staple your papers….I didnt get laid last night. Trust me on this, go with what works…take Nats!
cant you do it at the maidan hawally branch?? or better yet mark go to the liberation tower… jus as you enter on ur left is the MO interior. they will renew ur papers there it self…
Mark this has always been a problem in Kuwait, I like your blog coz you expose all the day to day stuff real deep and have good readers responding for it. Yes most of the things are being run on attitude in Kuwait (like the cell phone shop, traffic department, driving). All I can tell you is Hard luck and wish you a better luck next time.
Yes Mark last time you were with Nat hehehe…
I havn’t gotten my License yet, you renewing your license are facing so much trouble, i kind of wonder how much prob i will be facing first time around
I renewed my licence 2 months back (can’t f****** believe I have been living & driving in q8 for 10 years without any accident – touch wood). Just went to Hawally traffic dept. one evening, all finished in 15 minutes. Went the next week and picked up my new licence. I was actually impressed by the whole process.
My secret: speak to them in a low respectful voice, and keep saying sir…and nod/agree to everything they say. 🙂
Since my papers say I am Canadian… yeah, but thats only on papers and that matters…the treatment is good for the real canadians not for people like us immigrating to canada and get the citizenship…and for us its better to be with the original nationality…in your case, Lebaneese…
but still dont know, why the treat people like this… they always have something or the other as excuse…
Did you go back yet? I know you want them to fix their attitude.. but these guys just dont give a damn! Its annoying as hell!
When I lived in Kuwait and went through the licensing nonsense, I kept a daily log of the process. Over a two week period, I was required to visit 13 different offices in various part of Kuwait. Two of the offices were nothing more than “paper shuffle and restaple” points. When I finally reached the twelfth office, I was first rudely told to leave and when I protested that I had been told to come to the office, the high-ranking officer in the huge office in back of the desk where I stood overheard and asked me to come in. He then looked at my papers and said that the first paper I had clearly stated that I was a “Special Guest” of the government and should be granted a license immediately without any furthe procedures. Everyone prior to this individual had ignored that instruction. The officer stamped that first document, personally walked me to the final (13th) office, said something to the clerk, shook my hand, welcomed me to Kuwait and my license was issued immediately. There must have been a special code on my license, as every time afterwards when I was stopped at police roadblock/checkstop, the police would step back, salute and wave me through. Bizarre, isn’t it?