Driver’s licences to include holder’s nationality from February

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By Theresa Goodwin

[email protected]

Motorists with a valid driver’s licence may wait until it expires to add a new feature that will come on stream next month, transport officials say.

The Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board issued a notice this week notifying residents that as of February 8, the holder’s nationality will be printed on locally issued licences as well as the country of birth which is already on the card.

This is in an effort to facilitate regional integration, officials said. Licence holders were asked to bring their passport along when next renewing their licence.

Despite this indication, social media users bombarded the Transport Board’s Facebook page inquiring whether it was mandatory to bring in a licence which was still valid, and asking about the relevant fees associated with the change.

However, the board’s General Manager Hubert Jarvis says the new feature is not mandatory and can be added when the document is being renewed.

“It is not compulsory at all; if you think that you would want to update the card before it expires that can be done. If not, it can be done when the document expires,” Jarvis said.

“We have kept the rates as low as possible for several years because we do not intend to add additional rates which are actually taxes on the public.”

He added that the new feature will benefit nationals as well as immigration and foreign affairs officials tasked with collating pertinent information.

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