# Total newbie -help with car!!!



## suzimack (Nov 29, 2011)

Sorry to be a total ignoramus! But I'm confused as to what I can/can't rent/lease/hire on arrival! I'm due to fly in early hours of 28th April, and reckon I'll need a car pretty much ASAP, so...can I rent as a resident ( while my visa is being processed, but have a work visa), or am I stuck with tourist rates (which seen very high to me) !! 
If I seem a bit ignorant, I've always owned (financed) my own car, but I know I can't do this until I have a salary history I can take to the bank!


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## teuchter (Dec 12, 2011)

suzimack said:


> Sorry to be a total ignoramus! But I'm confused as to what I can/can't rent/lease/hire on arrival! I'm due to fly in early hours of 28th April, and reckon I'll need a car pretty much ASAP, so...can I rent as a resident ( while my visa is being processed, but have a work visa), or am I stuck with tourist rates (which seen very high to me) !!
> If I seem a bit ignorant, I've always owned (financed) my own car, but I know I can't do this until I have a salary history I can take to the bank!


Yes you can rent as a resident: just ask your company to provide you with an NOC for this purpose. (If your company is super-nice, they may even organise the car rental for you - no harm in asking )

teuchter


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## beaniebops (May 16, 2011)

I used Autorent, have a look on their website or email them for good deals.


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## Confiture (Jan 9, 2011)

If you have a resident stamp in your passport, you won't be able to rent until you have a UAE license.

Admittedly some hire companies are more diligent than others, but this is the issue you will face.

We arrived here on the same day as you last year and Mrs Confiture rented the car in her name until I managed to get a UAE license as she entered as a tourist until my labour card etc. had been finalised.

Sorry, but there's no way to sugar coat this, it will be an issue for a week or two.


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## teuchter (Dec 12, 2011)

Confiture said:


> If you have a resident stamp in your passport, you won't be able to rent until you have a UAE license.
> 
> Admittedly some hire companies are more diligent than others, but this is the issue you will face.
> 
> ...


All depends on the rental company: all of the new arrivals in my former company were able to rent a car at resident rates almost immediately upon arrival, simply by producing an NOC from their employer along with their (newly acquired) UAE driving licence.

teuchter


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## RoBombay (Jan 1, 2011)

If I'm on an employment visa, I cannot use an international license, right? 

Can I start driving lessons before I get my residence visa?


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## teuchter (Dec 12, 2011)

RoBombay said:


> If I'm on an employment visa, I cannot use an international license, right?


Correct. You need a UAE licence.



> Can I start driving lessons before I get my residence visa?


Unfortunately no. See: Get a driving license in Dubai - quote: "Documents Required: *Passport (original & copy) with residence stamp*, No-Objection Certificate from employer & 8 photos."

teuchter


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## RoBombay (Jan 1, 2011)

Thanks! 40 lessons for me!!


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxmatizzay (Apr 16, 2012)

Im a little confused. Can you rent on a visitor or temp work visa?


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## teuchter (Dec 12, 2011)

matizzay said:


> Im a little confused. Can you rent on a visitor or temp work visa?


Sure you can. See here: Reserving transportation for your visit

Quote: _"To drive a rental car in Dubai, you will need to produce a copy of your passport, a valid international driving licence and two passport photographs. You will also need a credit card."_

There was a period a couple of years ago when they were insisting that even tourists/visitors had to obtain a UAE driving licence in order to rent a car here, but that seems to have been forgotten about.

teuchter


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## commonone (Apr 25, 2012)

I am planning on renting pretty much straight away been checking out some companies already Hertz seem to be the best so far.


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## Engineer (Jan 13, 2012)

If all else fails the taxis are cheap enough and plenty to go round.


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