# Anyone swapped their UK Driving License for UAE one



## Eamon (Mar 5, 2009)

Anyone swapped their UK Driving License for UAE one. I read its fairly easy??? Is it


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## Robert Burgers (Aug 19, 2012)

Eamon said:


> Anyone swapped their UK Driving License for UAE one. I read its fairly easy??? Is it


You don't really swap it in the UAE. I swapped my Dutch license for a UK one when I moved to the UK, then when I moved to the UK I swapped my UK one for an Irish one and when I moved to the UAE I got an extra UAE one so now I have two licenses an Irish one and a UAE one. The process is very straight forward, when I got all the paperwork in place it took me half an hour including taking a picture and printing the actual license. This gives the UK and Irish officials a run for their money!


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## basc (May 18, 2011)

When I swapped my Irish one, it took about 10 minutes at the RTA office.


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## Eamon (Mar 5, 2009)

Cool..sounds good. Didn't really want to hand in my UK one (just in case)


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

it is not a swap. As a resident, you need a UAE one.

quite simple. Basically another excuse to extract 400AED out of you!

you need the usual paperwork (passport, Emirates ID, UK license, letter from employer, passport photograph, photocopy of all of the above)
fill in a form at the RTA, and Robert's your Mother's Brother in about ten minutes (depending on queues!)

i did mine about a month ago, and could use my Emirates ID proof of application form, rather than the ID, which had yet to come through. I did here that this has changed to a requirement for the actual ID to be shown. Not sure what the truth is in this. Would like to know as Mrs V has just arrived and needs a license ASAP!


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## workyticket (Jul 30, 2012)

vantage said:


> it is not a swap. As a resident, you need a UAE one.
> 
> quite simple. Basically another excuse to extract 400AED out of you!
> 
> ...


I can confirm that you do now need the actual ID (changed 2 weeks ago). I went on the day it changed with just the proof of application and was turned down flat which meant a further 2 weeks without a car until the ID arrived.

Who knows what it is this week but I'd suggest calling the RTA before you head over there.


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## Londoner-2012 (Jul 31, 2012)

Just did it without the actual ID, just the application form for an ID...took me 30 mints to eye test, queue etc...


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

Londoner-2012 said:


> Just did it without the actual ID, just the application form for an ID...took me 30 mints to eye test, queue etc...


just today? excellent.

Which rta centre?


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## Londoner-2012 (Jul 31, 2012)

Did it last week, rta in barsha...


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

awesome. heading there the moment the residence sticker is in her passport, before they slam the door on it!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

The thing is that things sometimes do not work the same way for one person, when it does for the next. It may very well be a rule that they are not suppose to take the copies but the person felt to be nice to the person or other reasons that seem to change on the wim. Good luck! Hope it works for you.


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## suzimack (Nov 29, 2011)

vantage said:


> awesome. heading there the moment the residence sticker is in her passport, before they slam the door on it!


Vantage did you have to provide an NOC for your wife (I assume you are her sponsor)? My hubby arrives shortly and just wanted to know if I'll need to provide this ( in Arabic presumably)


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

i presume so. Haven't done it yet, but will be asking the PRO here if he'll sort it out for me when he pitches up at some point today!


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## Warold (May 30, 2011)

vantage said:


> it is not a swap. As a resident, you need a UAE one.
> 
> quite simple. Basically another excuse to extract 400AED out of you!
> 
> ...



You forgot about arabic translation of the license...


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

Warold said:


> You forgot about arabic translation of the license...


needed an Arabic no objection letter, but not a translation of the license.
Depends on what country you are from, i think.


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## Londoner-2012 (Jul 31, 2012)

Ya i took the NOC with me but no translation needed...


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

Londoner-2012 said:


> Ya i took the NOC with me but no translation needed...


they obviously don't trust kiwis!
(understandable, really!)


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