Buying alcohol

Hey Paris, will you be staying at the Hilton.....

Anyway, (And this is as a Dubai resident only) yes you can as long as you have an alcohol licence, these you get when you have a residents visa. In other emirates they aren't nearly as strict, even Abu Dhabi - you don't need a licence and alcohol is cheaper there as there's nor 30% tax (as in Dubai).
Don't worry everyone does here, it's pretty much obligatory when you see the crap we have to put up with!

This man knows his alcohol, listen to him.

yeah.... he's full of it!

Surprisingly enough gentlemen, no, I don't drink much at all, far, far better ways to spend money now....

congrats michael. glad to here you got that taken care of.
But you are STILL the man to talk to about where to consume and buy alcohol.

was it a painful experience...... i hear that detox is agonizing and makes the victim grumpy and uptight!

haha ahhahah ahhaha hhaha haha hahah
oh man too funny

I thought alcohol was banned over there???

Jo x

No a big problem. At first you stock up at airport on arrival - 5 bottles of wine or 2 cases beer.

Then you find out where the Barracuda is (outside of dubia). Full liquor store - no Dubai 30% tax, no limit.

Once you have your visa, you can apply for a liquor license and after a few weeks you can visit the local stores as needed. But watch out for that tax.

An occassional trip out of town will keep you stocked like you local corner market in France.

screw all that work..
I go to my local mmi, pick what I want, bring it to the counter, they say can I see your lic.,,, I smile at them and say its all cash, they bag it, I pay, they even bring it to my car for me..

no lic, no long drives to baracuda....

mrbig said:

screw all that work..
I go to my local mmi, pick what I want, bring it to the counter, they say can I see your lic.,,, I smile at them and say its all cash, they bag it, I pay, they even bring it to my car for me..

no lic, no long drives to baracuda....

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Aha... so you're the man to know.:clap2:

lol, I dont drink at all. Diabetic. It is only for parties and cooking.

mrbig said:

congrats michael. glad to here you got that taken care of.
But you are STILL the man to talk to about where to consume and buy alcohol.

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Well, it's years of experience i guess.

I just stock up from the airport, and every now and then tell my pals to pick up a couple of bottles on the way out. Works well.

Carlozz said:

I just stock up from the airport, and every now and then tell my pals to pick up a couple of bottles on the way out. Works well.

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How much is a person allowed? And isn't it a problem to transport alcohol in Dubai without a license?
Isn't it expensive at the airport?

MikkiD said:

How much is a person allowed?

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It's four bottles per person but double check at the counter, I always get confused when mixing and matching.

MikkiD said:

And isn't it a problem to transport alcohol in Dubai without a license?

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If you are a tourist, no. If you are a resident then you are meant to have a licence. Not that anyone in duty free or customs afterwards has ever asked to see it.

MikkiD said:

Isn't it expensive at the airport?

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Not really, bit dearer than the 'Cuda if I remember but worth paying if you can't be bothered driving there.

You are allowed 5 Liters per person.

As MikkiD mentioned - no one in the duty free asks for a license, so its alright. They are selling to make money.

Its not a problem, as Andy said about the licence or you just drive to somewhere like Barracuda and stock up big time.
If you wont have a car there is always someone heading done that way, is only 40 min from Dubai.
There is as much grog if not more than were I am from.
You will get all the stories about here as we all did, I thougt I was going to have to give up drinking from the stories I heard. How wrong people are that have never been to the UAE.
I think I have a drinking since moving here.

I also manage to find all my favourite Australian beers and spirits at Barracuda and wines of the world.
MMI has such a limited range compared to the Barracuda store so it is worth the drive.