Few questions re driving license

[zebedee]

hi all,

i have an irish passport and a british driving license. will this pose problems for when i move to dubai? a friend of mine said it may but couldn't give any more details. i am from southern ireland and would like to keep my british license for as long as possible as i am essentially exempt from penalty points in the south, for the time being anyways.

also, how long can i drive in dubai on my current license before i have to change it for a UAE one?

and finally, do i have to do anything to my current license before i head over like international permit or something.

thanks in advance, zeb

[grasshopper]

I've heard you can run into problems when converting your license to a UAE license if your home license is not the same nationality as your passport.

In answer to your other questions, (1) you'll need to drive under a UAE license once your get your Resident Permit in your passport; and (2) I would definitely advise getting an international driving permit in the UK before coming over to Dubai.

[flossie]

So rumour has it, but my husband has an Australian license and a British passport and changed over, no problem. I think the biggest problem would come if you had say an Indian passport and British licence or vice versa.

It used to be that you could get a temporary 6 month licence while waiting for residency but that no longer applies. I think you now have to have an international licence and can only drive on a UAE licence once your residency comes through. Maybe someone who has been through it more recently than I can advise.

[Maz25]

Originally Posted by flossie

So rumour has it, but my husband has an Australian license and a British passport and changed over, no problem. I think the biggest problem would come if you had say an Indian passport and British licence or vice versa.

It used to be that you could get a temporary 6 month licence while waiting for residency but that no longer applies. I think you now have to have an international licence and can only drive on a UAE licence once your residency comes through. Maybe someone who has been through it more recently than I can advise.

They can be quite strict with the license matching the passport rule. However, you may get lucky and they may swap it depending on what kind of mood the person you end up dealing with is in (or how restricted his knowledge of RTA's rules are!)

Give it a try, they could only say no after all!

[macca_24]

Originally Posted by flossie

So rumour has it, but my husband has an Australian license and a British passport and changed over, no problem. I think the biggest problem would come if you had say an Indian passport and British licence or vice versa.

It used to be that you could get a temporary 6 month licence while waiting for residency but that no longer applies. I think you now have to have an international licence and can only drive on a UAE licence once your residency comes through. Maybe someone who has been through it more recently than I can advise.

To drive over here you need IDL (international Drivers License), Until your residency visa comes through. When you get residency visa you then need to go for your UAE license because then as a resident your IDL no longer applies for you.
You'll need current passport photos get about 12 for res visa and keep some for license application

[Maz25]

Originally Posted by macca_24

To drive over here you need IDL (international Drivers License), Until your residency visa comes through. When you get residency visa you then need to go for your UAE license because then as a resident your IDL no longer applies for you.
You'll need current passport photos get about 12 for res visa and keep some for license application

I reckon that we must all be absolutely gorgeous and handsome people - I've never been anywhere else where they love photos that much!! I can only think that we are all very beautiful, that's why they want our photos!

[becks]

yes maz it is cos we are all beautiful and thats why everyone in this country wants our photos.

[macca_24]

It's a damn nuisance, HR asked for 12, Luckily the package at the travel agent was for 16 and also lucky I just happened to have 2 in my handbag, who knows what happened to the other 12 or how ever many was left after residency visa application, or I wouldn't have got my license the day before I left for annual leave. I think there might be someone out there somewhere with a fettish for passport photos and thats where they all end up. If you have photos with you when you go for drivers license it saves having yr pic taken for your license, they are also needed for yr application. So much for putting the make up on and looking glam. Instead its the not so fav visa photo, at least they match

[ghandi2485]

So as I am coming from the UK, I also need an international deriving permit to be able to drive in the UK?

DVLA website says nothing about this (though the AA one does and says it takes 3 months!!)