An International Driving License is a must for tourists who want to drive in Dubai. A citizen of the UAE who is willing to go to foreign countries and drive in that country also should have the International Driving License. This license is a mandatory prerequisite and it can be applied through a portal or from the Dubai offices. The process is very simple and easy to apply. You just need to submit the documents, follow the process and you will be issued with an International Driving License.
International Driving License in the UAE
International Driving license is a compulsory requirement if you want to drive in any foreign country. It is a United Nations convention and is internationally recognized. Without any tests and driving applications, International Driving License provides the legal permit to drive a car outside the UAE.
A compulsory document which is required for driving vehicles’ in any country is an international driving permit, the driver should also possess a license from the residing country. The international driving permit may not be a requirement if the domestic license fulfills the conditions of the 1968 law. The domestic driving license is valid in any immigrant nation belonging to the UAE arbitration.
Aspects of the International Driving License
- International Driving License is permissible to 1 year from the date of issue.
- You should hold a permissible driving license.
- An international driving license protects you in event of accidental vehicle damage
- It protects you when you if you lose your passport as it is a legal identification
- International Driving license is given in ten different languages to overcome language problems.
- It is permitted throughout all countries
- International driver license is permitted for car, motorcycle, light buses and heavy vehicles.
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Applying for an International Driving License in Dubai
The process of applying for an international driving license in Dubai is very simple. As a tourist having a driving license in the UAE is a must. Follow the below steps for applying for an international driving license in Dubai.
Applying through the Online process
- Visit the online portal at https://www.atcuae.ae/idl-international-driving-license/
- As requested follow the instructions by entering your name, email id, mobile number and other details.
- Upload the documents and complete the process as instructed
Make sure that spellings are correctly entered while you fill the online application. If there are any discrepancies then there might be a delay in processing your application. The process may take upto three to five working days and the license will be delivered to your address.
Applying at the offices
- Go to the nearest office from where you want to apply for the license. Fill all the details on the application form
- Submit the documents that are required for getting the license at office.
- It will take approximately half an hour to get your international driving license if all the documents are in place. You can wait and collect your license documents then and there.
- The license holder should be physically present at the time of applying for the license.
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Documentation for obtaining an International Driving License
The following are the documents required for obtaining an International driving license.
- Passport copy
- Valid driving license copy
- Address proof
- Passport size photos
- A Permissible visa
- ID proof
1. Passport copy- You need a valid passport, check the passport expiry date.
2. Valid driving license copy- To apply for an International driving license you require a license which is issued in the country of your residence. You have to carry a copy of your driving license which is attested.
3. Address proof- In the process you are required to submit address proof. Experts advise that you should not change your address during the ongoing process of obtaining the license. An attested copy of address proof may be required along with the application.
4. Passport Size photos- You may be required to submit 2 or 3 passport photos.
5. A Permissible Visa- International driving license is processed for those having a permissible visa from foreign embassy.
6. ID proof- A copy of identification proof must accompany the documents. A copy of a birth certificate may be useful in this process which is attested. During the process along with the documents, you have to pay a service fee which is approximately AED 200 and VAT amount.
Benefits of International Driving License in Dubai
- With an International Driving License tourists or travelers can drive in the other countries in a safe and legal manner.
- A Driver with this license can drive peacefully without any questions from the legal authorities.
- Penalties can be avoided if you have international driving license
- UAE citizens can drive in foreign countries holding international driving license.
- It is a permissible license in the country
- While driving abroad it protects the license holder and the family if any accident occurs to the vehicle.
- If the licence holder loses his passport, an international driving license is a document for identity.
- The problem of language barrier between the driver and the legal authorities can be overcome with an International driving license as given in ten different languages. These languages are Arabic, English, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, Italian, German, Portugese and Scandinavian.
What to do if you Lost International Driving License?
Due to any reason if you lost your international driving license you have to report quickly to the official authorities as soon as possible. If you lost the license in your residing country, complain to the legal authorities. If the license is lost abroad, inform the consulate of your residing country and the local authority. Once all the formalities are complete an equivalent document is issued. If all the documents are submitted, and you get the clearance from the authorities you will get the international driving license.
About the author
Vinay Kumar Goguru is a finance professional with more than 8 years of diverse experience as a researcher, instructor and Industry work experience with both public and private entities. Prior to MyMoneySouq, he spent 6 years in Berkadia, It's a commercial mortgage banking company. He has a "Doctoral Degree in Commerce" and two master's degrees with a specialization in Finance, one as Master of Commerce and other as Master of Business Administration. He has written several articles on personal finance, published by different International journals. He loves traveling, reading and writing is his passion. He has a dream of writing a book on his favorite finance topics.
