# Jumping hoops for alcohol license



## Genovapernoi (Sep 26, 2008)

Hello all -- Please excuse my newbie lack of context -- I am not in-country yet but am trying to find out what to expect.....

I have a quick question about what is required in order to receive a license to purchase alcohol. I understand the the employer must provide some sort of document, and I think I recall reading somewhere that there is some sort of form about one's religion. If this is true, does it mean that I must declare affiliation with a religion, or just check a box attesting that I am not Muslim? If I must name a religion, and am an Atheist, what do you suggest? Is it o.k. to state such, or should I choose a religion that is less alienating to me than Xtianity, such as Buddhism?

Thanks very much for your insights......


----------



## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

To obtain an alcohol licence, you will need to complete the application form and on the form there is a box for your employer to sign and stamp.

As for the religion section, well, not sure what to suggest in your case, It may be easier just to write christian.

You will need a copy of your passport, residency visa page copy, labour contract copy, tenancy agreement copy (or letter from your employer if they lease the property), passport photo and AED160


----------



## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Just a point of note, if you share you will not be able to get one unless it is your name on the tenancy agreement. Initially when you get in-country stock up on your maximum duty free allowance if you like a tipple.


----------



## Genovapernoi (Sep 26, 2008)

crazymazy1980 said:


> Just a point of note, if you share you will not be able to get one unless it is your name on the tenancy agreement. Initially when you get in-country stock up on your maximum duty free allowance if you like a tipple.


Hi, crazym -- by share do you mean sharing living quarters? My husband and I will both be employed -- but of course will share the same flat. What I hope is that we can each have our own license. Will this be possible? (No, really - we're not a pair of lushes --  ).....


----------



## Genovapernoi (Sep 26, 2008)

Ogri750 said:


> As for the religion section, well, not sure what to suggest in your case, It may be easier just to write christian.


Hi, Ogri -- thanks -- it sounds to me that the subtext of your message is that it's best to remain under the radar and call oneself a Christian even if one would never do that in "real life".......


----------



## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Indeed, sometimes being honest is far too much hassle here...


----------



## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Genovapernoi said:


> Hi, crazym -- by share do you mean sharing living quarters? My husband and I will both be employed -- but of course will share the same flat. What I hope is that we can each have our own license. Will this be possible? (No, really - we're not a pair of lushes --  ).....


As far as I understand the rules, as long as you name is on the tenancy agreement, then you can apply for a liquor licence.

Somone else may know different though...?


----------



## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

If it is a married man for example and it is his name on the tenancy agreement, so long as his wife also has residency, then she can be added to the application for a licence


----------



## DXB-NY (Oct 6, 2008)

dont stress urself going thru all that. Stay off the radar and bring in ur 4 bottles everytime u travel. Or have ur friends bring it in 4 u everytime they go. After doing this every few trips, ur mini bar should be in place. lol.


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

DXB-NY said:


> dont stress urself going thru all that. Stay off the radar and bring in ur 4 bottles everytime u travel. Or have ur friends bring it in 4 u everytime they go. After doing this every few trips, ur mini bar should be in place. lol.



Except for one little matter.

As a resident it is illegal to have alcohol in your home without a licence.


-


----------



## 30knots (Sep 30, 2008)

Genovapernoi said:


> Hello all -- Please excuse my newbie lack of context -- I am not in-country yet but am trying to find out what to expect.....
> 
> I have a quick question about what is required in order to receive a license to purchase alcohol. I understand the the employer must provide some sort of document, and I think I recall reading somewhere that there is some sort of form about one's religion. If this is true, does it mean that I must declare affiliation with a religion, or just check a box attesting that I am not Muslim? If I must name a religion, and am an Atheist, what do you suggest? Is it o.k. to state such, or should I choose a religion that is less alienating to me than Xtianity, such as Buddhism?
> 
> Thanks very much for your insights......


CIAO RAGA!! 1 month time I'll also be moving to Dubai...that means that when yr 4 bottles are "dead" we can meet for some drinks out. What will you be doing in Dubai?............C'E...SOOLO L'INTER.....


----------



## Grantley (Oct 6, 2008)

"name on tenancy agreement..."? But we'll be living in company accommodation. I meet all the other criteria though. Should this be an issue?


----------



## DXB-NY (Oct 6, 2008)

edited for content. 


Elphaba said:


> Except for one little matter.
> 
> As a resident it is illegal to have alcohol in your home without a licence.
> 
> ...


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

DXB-NY said:


> really? I mean, who is coming in to check though? So long as u dont advertise it. I am sure like all other illegal things in Dubai.


OK, let's make it clear. It is against the law. I cannot advocate anyone doing this; nor is it clever to promote such things on a public forum.

As with other issues, you only need to annoy one neighbour to get a visit from the police. 

-


----------



## Genovapernoi (Sep 26, 2008)

30knots said:


> CIAO RAGA!! 1 month time I'll also be moving to Dubai...that means that when yr 4 bottles are "dead" we can meet for some drinks out. What will you be doing in Dubai?............C'E...SOOLO L'INTER.....


Ciao! Sorry, sono Americana......just also love love love the city of Genova.....
You'll be arriving well ahead of us -- drinks and conversation sound good though, sometime in the future! Meanwhile, best of luck to you in your own move.


----------



## Genovapernoi (Sep 26, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> Except for one little matter.
> 
> As a resident it is illegal to have alcohol in your home without a licence.
> 
> ...


Thanks to everyone for the details. As soon as we are set up and legal, and with a proper bar at the house, I think I'll need to thank you all properly with a little cocktail-centered open house!


----------



## 30knots (Sep 30, 2008)

Genovapernoi said:


> Ciao! Sorry, sono Americana......just also love love love the city of Genova.....
> You'll be arriving well ahead of us -- drinks and conversation sound good though, sometime in the future! Meanwhile, best of luck to you in your own move.


You're right, somehow Genoa has charm, and above all in winter is one of the best place to windsurf...see you in Dubai...cin cin


----------



## crimson_idol (Nov 2, 2008)

*liquor license, religion??*

Hi.

I'm a bit confused. I searched other threads on this site and other sites and couldn't find an answer.

As I understand you should apply for a liquor license and you should indicate your religion in the application forms. So, what happens to people who are not religious?

I'm middle eastern and technically I was born a muslim. But as far as I'm concerned, I'm not a muslim and I don't want to be one!

Anyways, what happens if I apply for a liquor license? I guess they won't believe me if I say I'm christian! 





Ogri750 said:


> To obtain an alcohol licence, you will need to complete the application form and on the form there is a box for your employer to sign and stamp.
> 
> As for the religion section, well, not sure what to suggest in your case, It may be easier just to write christian.
> 
> You will need a copy of your passport, residency visa page copy, labour contract copy, tenancy agreement copy (or letter from your employer if they lease the property), passport photo and AED160


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

crimson_idol said:


> Hi.
> 
> I'm a bit confused. I searched other threads on this site and other sites and couldn't find an answer.
> 
> ...


Being Middle Eastern does not mean you automatically become a Muslim! There are Christian communities all over the Middle East. However, as you were "technically" born a Muslim, are you saying you have "converted" to another religion? What is the Qur'an's view on athiesm/agnostics if you do not practice/believe in any religion??


----------



## DesertStranded (Oct 9, 2008)

crimson_idol said:


> Hi.
> 
> As I understand you should apply for a liquor license and you should indicate your religion in the application forms. So, what happens to people who are not religious?
> 
> ...


You have to keep in mind that this is a muslim country. Like you, my fiance was 'technically' born a muslim but no one in his family is religious. Not even his grandparents. Agnostics, atheists and especially former-muslims are not viewed with an open mind here. That's something you'll want to keep to yourself. I'm not sure how a former muslim goes about getting a liquor license. You could try to pull off being christian but if you and your father have obviously islamic names it might raise an eyebrow.


----------



## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Grantley said:


> "name on tenancy agreement..."? But we'll be living in company accommodation. I meet all the other criteria though. Should this be an issue?


I would hazard that you would need a letter from your company in the form of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) stating that they don't have a problem with you storing and consuming alchohol in their premises.

Shouldnt' be too hard to get from them.


----------



## crimson_idol (Nov 2, 2008)

You cannot convert to another religion in Islam. As I know, they simply can execute one, if found guilty of such "sin"! (though I believe such executions are not that much common nowadays)

So I guess I should risk my life or face jail if I just want to give applying for a license a try!

That's funny! 



Pasanada said:


> Being Middle Eastern does not mean you automatically become a Muslim! There are Christian communities all over the Middle East. However, as you were "technically" born a Muslim, are you saying you have "converted" to another religion? What is the Qur'an's view on athiesm/agnostics if you do not practice/believe in any religion??


----------



## crimson_idol (Nov 2, 2008)

That's exactly the problem. I don't have an obviously islamic name, but my father does. But as that's "forced" in my full name here (another funny thing), I guess it'll definitely raise an eyebrow.

Currently I don't have a problem because I travel a lot and I always buy 4 bottles when I arrive, you do the math.  But I don't like the fact that it's illegal. Especially when I know they REALLY don't like "Muslims" to sin. A few months ago I was coming back from Germany and I had bought a set of poker chips. They caught me in the airport and they were really "angry" that I was "in possession of gambling tools".




DesertStranded said:


> You have to keep in mind that this is a muslim country. Like you, my fiance was 'technically' born a muslim but no one in his family is religious. Not even his grandparents. Agnostics, atheists and especially former-muslims are not viewed with an open mind here. That's something you'll want to keep to yourself. I'm not sure how a former muslim goes about getting a liquor license. You could try to pull off being christian but if you and your father have obviously islamic names it might raise an eyebrow.


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

crimson_idol said:


> You cannot convert to another religion in Islam. As I know, they simply can execute one, if found guilty of such "sin"! (though I believe such executions are not that much common nowadays)
> 
> So I guess I should risk my life or face jail if I just want to give applying for a license a try!
> 
> That's funny!


Thank you for clarifying that for me; I had heard the above was the case but I prefer to hear the truth from the horses mouth.


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Leaving a religion is known as apostasy and in the case is Islam, in some places, can be punished by execution.


Full info here:

Apostasy in Islam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Read and learn, but let's not have any arguments about it here. Most of us will find these ideas utterly daft, but we are living in a Muslim state. Thanks. 


-


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Thanks, Elphaba. Not sure Wikipedia is a reliable source though, I shan't go into the reasons why on a public forum. 

I had heard of apostasy but the source was unreliable. I don't see what the Qur'an says as utterly daft, different cultures have different beliefs; keeping an open mind on such matters helps us to understand the reasons behind those beliefs.


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Pasanada said:


> Thanks, Elphaba. Not sure Wikipedia is a reliable source though, I shan't go into the reasons why on a public forum.
> 
> I had heard of apostasy but the source was unreliable. I don't see what the Qur'an says as utterly daft, different cultures have different beliefs; keeping an open mind on such matters helps us to understand the reasons behind those beliefs.



Execution for leaving a religion is not utterly daft? 

Wikipedia is a good starting point for people who want to learn a little information. And I assure you that Sharia Law states that apostasy is a crime that can be punished by execution for those deemed to be of sound mind.

Apostasy itself just means the abandonment of one's beliefs. It is not specific to Islam.


-


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

The Christian/Catholic religion doesn't have a violent past? 

Yes, I know apostasy is a crime under Islamic/Sharia Law but isn't soley restricted to the Islmamic faith. I've studied the religion for 7 years but sometimes the info you're given isn't the truth so until I've done my own research, I tend to take what I'm told with a pinch of salt until the proof is presented to me.

I never advocated execution in my previous post; I read the story of 10 Riddlington Place by Ludovic Kennedy when 13 and since then, I've been a strong opposer to capital punishment. However, despite my loathing of taking a persons life because of their beliefs, I am not in a position to change centuries worth of belief of a religion. Execution has been used in other religions, not just Islam, and all in the name of God.....utterly daft isn't a term I would use. The point I'm making is that the Islamic culture is different to my Western, Christian background but that does not mean I should not have some "understanding" of another belief, despite me not agreeing with everything in the Qur'an.

Anyway, enough of this subject, thread drifting is an offence punishable by execution, I believe!! LOL


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

I said nothing about Christianity. Nor Judaism. 

I also pointed out what apostasy means in general.

Let's just say I am unapologetic atheist. Best I keep my views (& considerable knowledge) of world religions to myself.


I will maintain however, that murdering someone for not agreeing with your religious views is daft. I'd use much strnger terms than that actually.


-


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> I said nothing about Christianity. Nor Judaism.
> 
> I also pointed out what apostasy means in general.
> 
> ...


No, I mentioned Christianity as an example that it's not only Islam that has used captial punishment in the name of God, we should remember that when pointing the finger solely at Islam (not intended for you, Elphaba)

Thank you for pointing out what apostasy means, I did know. 

We all have views and opinions on religions; my knowledge has lets just say, come in very useful due to the nature of my work. 

I would also use much stronger words but I don't quite fancy having my ass kicked into touch on here for using them!  As I previously stated, I'm an opposer of captial punishment. I abhore those who inflict suffering on others for the sole crime of having different beliefs.

PS I prefer to be agnostic.....just in case!!


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Pasanada said:


> PS I prefer to be agnostic.....just in case!!



Coward! 


Have you been reading about the London buses to have atheist slogans? I am most amused by them. 


-


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> Coward!
> 
> 
> Have you been reading about the London buses to have atheist slogans? I am most amused by them.
> ...


Tee hee!! No, not a coward, I don't want to be turned away from the Gates because I got it wrong! 

Not read about the London Buses.....sounds...erm....interesting!!! No doubt it'll piss off the PC Brigade as they're terrified of pissing off the minorites who in turn piss themselves laughing at the stupidity of it all! LOL (Excuse my French!)

BTW, I'm reading a fascinating book at the mo....House of Bush, House of Saud....if it's available in the UAE, buy it.

Apologies for the drift away from alcohol.....I know I've committed a cardinal sin and will repent...... tee hee


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Pasanada said:


> Tee hee!! No, not a coward, I don't want to be turned away from the Gates because I got it wrong!
> 
> Not read about the London Buses.....sounds...erm....interesting!!! No doubt it'll piss off the PC Brigade as they're terrified of pissing off the minorites who in turn piss themselves laughing at the stupidity of it all! LOL (Excuse my French!)
> 
> ...



Here's the link about the buses.

BBC NEWS | UK | England | London | 'No God' slogans for city's buses

No that book isn't sold here, but I may have a copy.  

-


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Shhhhhhhh, ignorance IS bliss! 

thanks for the link, I look forward to the public response in January!


----------



## mazdaRX8 (Jul 13, 2008)

umm what if i am sponsored through the sharjah FZ? means i wont ever be able to buy alcohol in dubai! yikes! I doubt the sharjah airport freezone will give me a letter to consume alcohol =P

P.S. its awesome how a alcohol thread turned into a semi-religious thread


----------



## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

mazdaRX8 said:


> umm what if i am sponsored through the sharjah FZ? means i wont ever be able to buy alcohol in dubai! yikes! I doubt the sharjah airport freezone will give me a letter to consume alcohol =P
> 
> P.S. its awesome how a alcohol thread turned into a semi-religious thread


I blame the Moderator......


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

mazdaRX8 said:


> umm what if i am sponsored through the sharjah FZ? means i wont ever be able to buy alcohol in dubai! yikes! I doubt the sharjah airport freezone will give me a letter to consume alcohol =P
> 
> P.S. its awesome how a alcohol thread turned into a semi-religious thread




Sharjah is a dry emirates, so you will not get a booze licence, especially for another emirate.

I'd say the thread became the opposite of religious actually...

-


----------



## crimson_idol (Nov 2, 2008)

DesertStranded said:


> You could try to pull off being christian but if you and your father have obviously islamic names it might raise an eyebrow.


I have a technical question. What if the new US president came to live in Dubai? Would they call him "Barack Hussein Barack Hussein Obama" and reject his application for liquor license because he has the Islamic name of "Hussein" in his own and his father's name?


----------



## smita (Feb 3, 2009)

i have a question -- I'm a married female -- US Citizen, but my husband is still residing in the US. Is it possible for me to get a liquor license?


----------



## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

providing you have residency and an noc from your company then yes it is.


----------



## levlinm (Jun 20, 2009)

try following this thread http://www.expatforum.com/expats/dubai-expat-forum-expats-living-dubai/24467-tricky-question.html it may help you out


----------



## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

Andy, you've moved??? We will miss you .


----------



## stewart (Jun 21, 2009)

just say your christian.
need copy passport and res visa
labour contract
tennancy contract and letter from employer if accom in their name
no objection letter from employer
and the form to fill out (available from alcohol outlet such as MMI)
160 diram


----------

