Patsy Stoned

Yes you can darling, if you are getting a pay as you go sim then you only need to show your passport. A friend of mine did it only last week

busybee2

well down in ab dabs they require to look at the visa, otherwise you need to get the visitors one.

Oyibopeppeh

I must have bought at least 3 SIM cards from corner shop sellers and never once been asked for any ID

Patsy Stoned

then come up to Dubai if you ever need 1 for a friend

busybee2

ok will do

busybee2

well i hope that they have registered them properly with etislat or whatever. i had a sim card in my name for my oldest boy, i renewed in the etislat next to spinneys first year, and the following year i renewed it again in mafraq but was told that i was firstly a guy 10 years younger, who came from africa and my name was something really odd, cant remember now. to cut to the chase i had a terrible time trying to get the name changed, even the dates of my application and this "african guy" were like 3 weeks apart. i had to go to the 13th floor and sign a piece of paper to say that i take responsibility for that number etc...... as i wanted to keep the same number. only in abu dhabi.

Yoohoo

We got our SIMs in AD from an Etisalat booth three years ago without residence visas - I remember because it was our first brush with anything vaguely resembling bureaucracy and it was a true nightmare. The woman who created the accounts didn't spell any one of our names correctly, none of which are longer than six letters even though the passports were right in front of her.

Patsy Stoned

I got a text a few weeks ago from etisalat telling me that I don't need to renew my sim until 2023 ..Their gift to some people for ramadan apparently!!

busybee2

yeh i looked at my phone when i got back from hols and it said 2023 or something thought thats a little odd, then i checked and as long as you use it once in the next 3 months etc then you dont have to renew. but if you think about it it cost 100 to start with way back when, then 75 to renew each and then you got 25 free credit etc, so over the 15 years that i have had one i have paid them an awful lot for a pay as you go... unlike if you get a contract one then you dont pay to renew.

The Dean

Shhhhh! That special offer is supposed to be for Muslims only................

jebelaligardener

Ok - back to the original topic. I am in a similar position.

Currently on visit visa, car needs renewing in 2 weeks. In the meantime I need to do a visa run by 15 Sept as we will only start processing my employment visa next week.

Looks like I should do the visa extension via DNRD or fly out, rather than drive.

Does anyone know if the 10 day grace period on visit visa is true?

bedarwen

Maybe you can get a friend drive you? Or do a cheesy tourist bus trip!

Otherwise, you can be late with the car registration for not that much of a fine, I think - not sure which emirate you're in, but that part seems easy to check.

jebelaligardener

I phoned RTA in Dubai today who confirmed I CAN drive with my UAE licence in my own car whilst on a visit visa. The vehicle registration (expires in a few weeks) cannot be renewed until I get my new residence visa.

The only dilemma now is whether to drive a visa run, or the much shorter drive to extend the visa at DNRD.

Next challenge will be reregistering the car which is registered in Dubai when I end up on a Fujairah visa. THEN renewing my driving licence in December - again issued in Dubai but different emirate when I renew. I knew there was a reason I love living in the Emirates - I like challenges

Oyibopeppeh

Last week Etishaite agreed to replace my faulty iPhone. It took another 4 hours this afternoon to actually get the damn thing exchanged.
They just love the bullshit here!

jebelaligardener

1996-99 Nigeria; 2000 Gabon; 2001 Equatorial Guinea; 2002 Cameroon; 2003-05 Nigeria; 2006 UK; 2007-08 Nigeria; 2009-10 Libya; 2010 UAE

Looks like you have been to Nigeria about as much as me! I was there as an expat brat from about 9-17yrs old (1980-1990's). That must be where I get the 'challenges' bit from. It also helped reduce my expectation of customer service and time-keeping. Having learned to drive in Lagos meant Sheikh Zayed Road was a doddle when I got to Dubai