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DRIVER'S LICENSE
Be sure to get an
International Driving License in your home country
before you fly into UAE, so you can legally drive a rental car,
which you can only rent until the end of a 30-day Visitor's Visa
or 90-day business travel visa.
You can't buy a
vehicle until you have a
Residency Visa, then get the UAE
driving license. If from a
western country, you take no test except a vision
test. Apart from taking a number to wait in line, whole process takes
~30 minutes, including getting application typed in Arabic.
Vehicle Registration is available at
Tasjeel
centres offering 1-step
Testing
for AED50 and Registration for ~AED 350, plus
insurance for 13 months.
You will need to bring along a copy of your passport,
residence visa from the passport, Letter of No Objection from your
sponsor, and pass-port size photo.
FINANCING A VEHICLE
Most Asian and European vehicle brands are available, plus some U.S.
models. Prices are posted on the car, including fixed
percent profit. Dealerships are a monopoly: only they have
franchise for their brands of cars.
Getting financing in the
"post-global-economic-crisis" is
based on being able to prove you're steadily employed. Absent a
letter from your employer stating you'll still be employed
at the end of the financing period, what they'll want to see is
a bank statement showing 3 months UAE salary.
At minimum, car financing banks want a standard
form letter from your
employer which states your monthly salary, and they also prefer that you have
your whole salary directly deposited with them.
If you are will be over 60
during loan period they become more cautious. This is
because - though professionals can work until age 70 - after 60 your
residency visa is subject to annual renewal, rather than 3 years.
UAE Central Bank's policy unfortunately has directed
all banks
to adopt this age policy - in stark contrast with their UAE's
Ministry of Labour policy on eleven professions that are desired here,
and can work past 65 for five more years. (See Page 35 of the
MOL Procedures Manual).
DRIVING IN THE UAE
New roads are built to high standard. Freeways are typically max.
120Km/h, but stay out of fast lanes: you might get run over by a
wealthy local with disregard for speeding laws, which are quite loosely
enforced. Do NOT drive after drinking: take time for a meal,
as the legal blood alcohol level is zero.
Within cities, major roads that divide Districts typically have a
median. On long stretch there may be median narrowing to
allow U-turn, otherwise intersections are typically multi-lane
roundabouts. You need good peripheral vision as many drivers do not use
turn signals!! |