DangerousBro

Hello I need some advice from you ex-pat Sensi's out there.

I have been in Abu dhabi for about 6 months and finally going local, till now I have been renting cars on my Domestic UK license - (I am a Brit)

My Residence Visa has just come through and so I have begun the process to apply for a UAE drivers license to I can buy and register a car.

However I have been told that I can apply for a license in which case I have to take lessons and a test etc.

Or I can apply for License replacement in which case they take my UK license and replace it with the UAE one.

The problem the people telling about this are mostly Egyptian and I would prefer to hear from fellow Brits and I know that rules can differ depending on your host country.

Question I have

1 Does this sound true in your experience?2 If so what do you recommend, I am slightly nervous about surrendering my UK license, will this create problems with the DVLA for example. Or can you just get a duplicate from them.

What have people done in the past?

Cheers
Matt

ctfc

Nope, all wrong.

Get yourself a copy of this: http://www.explorerpublishing.com/co...i-red_tape_487

Bahtatboy

Yeah, a bit of lost in translation there. You get to keep your original UK driving licence. But as with everything here procedures are pretty fluid--even so, I haven't heard of anyone actually exchanging one for t'other. Just go along to the licencing centre with all the required docs, your sense of humour and an extra helping of patience, and Ahmed's yer uncle.

Sensei Bahtatboy

Mogs

Technically your UK licence will not be valid whilst you are driving with a UAE licence - but the licence will remain with you and the DVLA will be none the wiser.

Therefore, as an example, when renting car in the UK while still a resident in UAE, with UAE driving licence, you should be using your UAE licence when arranging with the UK car hire company.

However, should you choose to use your UK one, I can 99.9% guarantee there will be no questions asked on its validity (with regard to your residence here).

norsk

Both Saudi and UAE will issue a drivers license based on your UK one whilst letting you keep it. I currently have UK, Saudi and UAE drivers licenses. All useful to have (just in case).

In fact the only reason I don't also have a Norwegian drivers license is that the DVLA kept it when issuing my UK license. Bastards!

lullabelle

Go to infinity services at Marina mall with your uk licence, paper bit of the uk licence, Arabic translation of licence (get this done in one of tHe shops off hamdan street - will take an hour) and cash. You may/may not also need your id card or the receipt to show you have started the application for the Id card. The diving licence man is in the left hand corner. The hordes of people waiting will be for the ID card.

It will take 10 - 15 mins tops if there's no one in front of you. Been twice and it was surprisingly effortless there.

busybee2

if it is a new drivers licence you need id card to do that now.

archie159

not quite - you need the proof of application for ID card. You don't actually need to have received the card itself.

norsk

I just exchanged my license about 2 weeks ago with no mention of any ID card or ID card application. I went to the RTA in Al Quoz. They open 7.30am and there is nobody there at that time. Took 10 minutes.

archie159

You might have been lucky - I did mine 6 months ago, and my wife did hers last week, and we were both required to show the receipt one gets when one applies for the ID card. This was in the large licensing office just between Muroor and Airport Roads.

busybee2

sorry in abu dhabi they require it i believe.

busybee2

yes i know that thank you, but you have to go and do the typing and get the receipt, thats always been the case. you can be waiting long long time for the card to actually arrive.

busybee2

there is only one place to go in abu dhabi which is the traffic department between 2nd and 4th and 27th and 25th, in this compound there is the car rego place and the drivers licence place (ie the one up the stairs) this is where you have to go for your drivers licence.

norsk

my bad. i saw lulabelle said something about marina mall and i know she's in dubai so jumped in feet first...

Millsyisland

It's not just the typing you have to have done, you have to have had the fingerprinting/photo done too and have the receipt for that.....