Receiving your driver's licence is a milestone of independence for most people.
In many countries, you can learn to drive without the help of a professional instructor. In the US, for example, your best friend, uncle, brother, or grandfather can offer you driving lessons.
But in the UAE only a certified instructor can teach you, and the entire process may seem a bit complicated if you are new to the country.
For some residents, it is a simple case of transferring your home country licence to one valid in the Emirates and continuing as normal. But others have to pass a driving test.
Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to walk you through the entire process – whether it is applying for a licence for the first time or simply converting your home licence to a UAE one.
How old do you need to be to apply for a driving licence?
This depends on the type of vehicle you are planning to drive.
You must be at least 18 before taking your car test. But you can start learning at 17 years and six months.
To ride a motorcycle, or operate a vehicle equipped for people with special needs, the age restriction is slightly lower at 17.
You must be 20 years old if you are hoping to obtain a licence for heavy vehicles or tractors, while a licence for buses requires applicants to be at least 21.
Do I need to take driving lessons if I am qualified to drive in another country?
You might not need to have driving lessons, or even take another test, if you have a licence issued by some countries.
It depends on where your licence was issued.
Driving licence holders from 32 approved countries are automatically eligible for a UAE licence. These include the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China.
However, if your licence was issued by a country that is not on the approved list then you must start from scratch in the UAE.
That includes drivers from countries such as the Philippines, India and Pakistan.
What is a golden chance driving licence?
If you have a driving licence that is not eligible for automatic conversion, you are given one “golden chance” to take the written test and the practical test, before taking any classes.
If you pass, you are given your UAE driving licence. If you fail, you must attend classes and take the tests again.
In order to apply for a golden chance driving licence, you need to have the Arabic translation of your home country driving licence along with the required documents such as passport copy, Emirates ID, visa copy, no objection letter from your sponsor, two passport-sized photos and an eye test report.
How do I open a file to start taking classes?
If you are a first-time applicant, you will have to take an eye test at either Yateem or Al Jaber opticians, which costs Dh100. A copy of your Emirates ID and the eye test report should then be uploaded on the Tamm app, which is the official portal for Abu Dhabi Government services.
After this, you can open a driving file on Tamm, or alternatively, through the Abu Dhabi Police app.
Applicants need to pay Dh200 ($54), a customer service executive at Tamm told The National.
If you are a new driver or aged under 21, the driving licence will be valid for two years. After renewal, it is valid for five years for residents, and for 10 years for UAE and GCC nationals.
You should also have the UAE Pass app on your phone so you can access Tamm. Once all this is done, wait for approval, after which you will be asked to go to Emirates Driving Company.
On March 1, it was announced that the Integrated Transport Centre was taking over the management of licensing services.
“The centre has assured that all vehicle and driver licensing services will continue to be available and accessible through current licensing centres and digital channels until the process of transferring the licensing authorities to the Integrated Transport Centre is fully complete,” Abu Dhabi Media Office said.
How many lessons do I need and how much does it cost?
New drivers and those from countries who cannot transfer their home country licence to an Abu Dhabi one have to take theory and practical classes, followed by a driving test.
After you open the file, the next step is to register with a driving school and these are the documents you will need:
- Copy of passport
- Original Emirates ID plus a copy
- Two photographs
- The file number opened on the Tamm app
- Letter of no objection from your sponsor
- If an applicant is 18 years old, they will need their documents and those of their guardian and a no-objection letter from them
Theory classes
Emirates Driving Company requires all beginners to attend two theory classes followed by an exam.
The theory lessons can be learnt online via the Emirates Driving Company e-learning portal, but the exam must be taken at the centre in Mussafah.
Lessons, including the one-time exam fee, cost Dh871.50.
Practical classes
The beginner level is for new drivers and people who do not hold a driving licence from any other country. Learners are given 16 lessons.
- Regular: Course duration – 16 days; one hour a day, for a fee of Dh2,840.25
- Intensive: Eight days, two hours a day, Dh3,050.25
- VIP Silver: Five days, three hours a day, Dh3,890.25
The intermediate level is for people who hold a driving licence from their home country, with one to five years of experience. Learners are given 15 lessons.
- Regular: Course duration – 13 days; one hour a day, for a fee of Dh2,145
- Intensive: Seven days, two hours a day, Dh2,345
- VIP Silver: Five days, three hours a day, Dh3,145
The upper intermediate level is for people who hold a driving licence from their home country, with at least five years' experience. Learners are given 12 lessons.
- Regular: Course duration – 10 days; one hour a day, for a fee of Dh1,755
- Intensive: Five days, two hours a day, Dh1,955
- VIP Silver: Four days; three hours a day, Dh2,755
What if you fail the test?
If you fail the test, you will have to take more lessons. According to an executive at Emirates Driving Company, if a learner fails the theory test, they will have to take two extra lessons that will cost Dh315 and then resit the test.
If the learner fails the practical test, they will have to take an extra one-hour lesson at the school, which will cost Dh205. After this, they will be allocated a private instructor who will train them for another six hours. Each class can cost anything from Dh80 to Dh120, depending on the instructor.
How much do you need to pay to get the licence?
According to the Ministry of Interior, this is what you need to pay to get a licence issued:
- A driving licence with one-year validity costs Dh100 and is given to people under the age of 21
- Over-21s pay Dh300 for a licence that is valid for five years
How do I convert my home driving licence to a UAE one?
Drivers should first check if their licence is from an accredited country and is still valid before submitting a request to convert it.
The first step is to take an eye test at an optician accredited by Abu Dhabi Police. You will need a valid original foreign licence, a legal Arabic translation of the foreign licence – if it is not already in Arabic – a copy of your passport and Emirates ID, and two personal photos with a white background.
Applicants must be Abu Dhabi residents. Applications can be made online through Tamm or the Abu Dhabi Police website or app.
You can also visit one of Tamm's customer service centres or the Traffic Licencing Department at Abu Dhabi Police to apply in person.
The cost of converting a driving licence is Dh600 ($163). For inquiries, call Awnak on 8003333.
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.
The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.
No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
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Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
