The Sri Lankan authorities plan to issue temporary driving licenses to foreign tourists at the airport in April. The Minister of Transport of the island state, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, spoke about this.
Currently, tourists wishing to drive in Sri Lanka must obtain a provisional driving license from the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) in the suburbs of Colombo. This process is lengthy and bureaucratic, resulting in a small number of foreigners becoming eligible — only about 3,500 people per year.
From April 2024, the authorities will take steps to facilitate issuing driving licenses to foreigners — they plan to issue a driving license directly at the airport upon arrival. It is known that the new service will be paid, but its cost has not yet been announced.