lisalou24

Hi All

Just a quick question about my current UK driving licence - photo ID has expired (I'm currently still in the UK - due to move in just over 3 weeks!).

I am going to renew it, however, I am also getting married in 2 days! And wondering whether I have to change my name on it? As I will have to send in my Marriage Certificate, which I need to also get attested next week, and as it apparetnly takes 15 days to send back, this is just 2 days before we depart the UK, thats if I send it on Friday/Saturday! So if I send it with Marriage cert it will be delayed further.

I am therefore just wondering if I can keep my maiden name on the drivers licence and just renew the photo ID? Or will this cause problems as obviously visa / passport will have my married surname.

Can when I apply for a UAE drivers licence, as I believe I have to do this, at some point?! Can I change my name then on this one, if I show marriage cert, visa, passport etc?

However, I am going to get my mail redirected, so thought that I can always if I definately need to change my name can get it send after had marriage cert attested, and then have it directed to my in dubai address. I can just taxi everywhere for 1-2 weeks!

Please please help.
Thanks

busybee2

i would try and get it changed to married name if you can, as if you have documents which are not the same, so passport and licence etc have to be from same place, they will not let you have a driving licence, but i have heard recently that they may have relaxed this rule somewhat, but with the uae who knows. so if you can have same name its better to be on safe side. and if you are redirecting using post office, i wouldnt trust it with important documents this end, i would use a courier.

lisalou24

Excellent. I am getting all important docs redirected to parents house, so will get them to forward it by secure mail method I think to make sure!! I guess it would make sense, I guess I can just use taxis at first couple of weeks, if its going to save on agro!

busybee2

u will find it easier to try and get things the same, as the probs you can endure here with the red tape dont make it worse for yourself if you can advoid it.

i am in ad and dxb do drivers licence differently so i can only advise you on that, but overall unless your documents are the same, or they can tick their little boxes here its much easier.

postal service here is better than 10 years ago, but dont trust it with important stuff, people use aramex, tnt etc all the time. also we dont have proper addresses so you either pay for a personal po box at the post office or you use your company one. no letterboxes!

Bahtatboy

You can drive a hire car on a UK licence. At most big Post Offices you can get an International Licence there and then, and I wouldn't worry if its in a different name from your passport provided you've got some other proof of your maiden name (I'd have thought a copy of your marriage certificate would do it).

Bahtatboy

Oh, and congratulations, by the way. Hope you have a wonderful day

lisalou24

Thanks. I was told don't bother with an International Driving licence? just keep UK driving licence, which will then be swapped over to UAE driving licence?

OOhh thats interesting to know about NO letterboxes!! Didn't realise would have to rent one at the post office. More costs lol

Bahtatboy

Yeah, I think the UK one would be fine.

I use my company's PO box for any mail, and courier for anything important. Any important mail that gets sent to my home in UK I get my kids to scan and email to me.

kittycat1

You can only use an international driving license before you process your visa, one your residents visa is being processed /is processed you have to have a dubai license and you need a id card to get that- note why I STILL haven't got round to it! Bring your paper and other bit of your UK license and a few photocopies.

I use my companies PO Box, which is pretty standard however anything coming from the UK I get couriered as god knows how long it would take via royal mail- I'd be doubtful it would actually get here!

busybee2

yeh int licence allows you to rent hire cars, once you have res visa you have to convert or do lessons etc

lisalou24

Ok so cannot use UK drivers licence to hire a car, someone just said I can? So conflicting? My friend in Dubai also said don't worry about getting international driving licence too.

Apparently my visa is supposed to take 15 days - in the Free Zone?! So if I can use my UK drivers licence to hire a car, then no point getting an International one. Especially if visa takes 15 days, my actual UK drivers licence probably wont turn up much before this anyway. by the time its been processed by DVLA (god knows how quick they actually take?) plus getting is posted by courier etc.

busybee2

yes but until you have your visa in your hand, you dont know that it will only take 15 days...... things here are as good as your pro etc. and if you think dvla will be bad just wait until you reach these shores! take the id pavaloa for eg. years

kittycat1

I'm sure its clear as mud!

Ok when you first arrive I am guessing your visa will be in process in which case an international license is useless. However if you haven't started your visa process you can use an international driving license to hire a car, but as soon as you start processing your visa your insurance becomes invalid so you can't drive a hire car. So basically international one is useless!

Is that any clearer? Think I'm confused now!


Taxis are cheap!

busybee2

yeh clear as mud just like a lot of things here. like how do you get to the licence place, as you now have your new visa, to exchange for a uae driving licence but you cannot drive with your int or overseas licence hehehe. yep take a taxi.

lisalou24

Ok great, sorry!

I am assuming that my boss wants to start the process of getting visa sorted ASAP from what he has told me, so think that it will be pointless as visa will be processing probably before my UK driving licence has even arrived lol, as starting my job a week later after landing.

Also want to get bank account sorted too, so guess will need the visa in place too for this before can be opened? Or can they open in whilst in process to? I believe I need a letter of employment too? I will probably open the same bank account that my employer banks with to make it easier, which is "Emirates NBD" which I have also heard are one of the better banks?! (of course if thats at all possible with dubai banks lol)