Exchanges of foreign driver’s licenses are soaring in Portugal (and prices are already being considered)

The number of requests up to November already exceeds the total recorded last year. Brazilians lead the list of nationalities.

Portugal is facing a significant increase in requests to exchange foreign driving licenses, driven by the growth of the immigrant population. Until November 2023, the Mobility and Transport Institute (IMT) received 70 785 requestsexceeding the 67,581 requests in the same period of the previous year. This increase reflects an ongoing trend, with numbers rising from 54,000 requests in 2021 to around 72,000 in 2023.

Among nationalities, Brazilians largely lead exchangesrepresenting more than half of those carried out in mainland Portugal in 2023. However, Madeira has stood out as an alternative to speed up the process due to its more efficient response capacity, says .

Around 50% of the 3,351 letters exchanged in the region until November were from immigrants who purposely traveled to Funchal. Citizens of Bangladesh stand out, representing 716 of these requests, followed by Venezuelans and Pakistanis.

The delay on the continent has led immigrants to look for solutions outside their area of ​​residence. In Madeira, the face-to-face service system was reorganized to be more efficient, with the introduction of a password system in order of arrival.

However, the Regional Directorate of Land Transport and Mobility warns that growing demand could exceed current capacity, even with the opening of a new counter for busy days. Given the increase in slowness, it is considered a possible update on service costcurrently set at 30 euros, the same price as on the continent.

The IMT justifies the increase in the number of exchanges by “improving responsiveness” and points out that the average waiting time after positive pre-analysis is 10 dias. Furthermore, it highlights the possibility of starting the process online to minimize unnecessary travel.

The rules for exchanging driving licenses vary depending on nationality and bilateral agreements. Drivers from European Union or OECD countries have specific conditions, but most immigrants, including workers from electronic platforms such as TVDEyou must exchange your driving license to obtain the necessary certification. This requirement has contributed to high demand and criticism regarding delays in services.