If you are looking to go away this summer and plan on renting a car, there are some things you should know before you travel.
Most countries require visitors to have an International Driving Permit if they want to drive outside of the country which their licence was issued.
While some car rental agencies may accept your local licence at their discretion, others may insist on an IDP and could refuse a rental without one.
Most countries require visitors to have an International Driving Permit if they want to drive outside of the country in which their licence was issued.
What is an International Driving Permit?
In short, it is a translation of your national driving licence and enables you to drive in foreign countries without the need for further tests or application forms.
It is important to note that an IDP is an addition to your national driving licence and not a replacement.
To be on the safe side, you must carry both licences when planning to rent a car abroad.
The permit, which is valid for one year, proves that you hold a valid driver’s licence in your country of residence.
It will also help protect you as a driver in the event of accidental vehicle damage or loss of legal identification, such as a passport, while abroad.
How to get an International Driving Permit in the UAE?
There are several ways in which you can obtain an IDP to carry alongside your UAE licence. It has to be applied for prior to travel. All IDPs are valid for one year, so regular renewal is necessary.
In the UAE you can obtain your IDP through:
- Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), which has offices in all seven emirates, or you can visit the website and have it delivered
- Ministry of Interior mobile application
- Emirates Post offices
- Dnata office, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
You will be required to fill in an application form online or in person and will have to submit:
- A copy of valid Emirates ID
- A copy of passport and residency status
- A copy of valid UAE driving licence
- Two passport photos
How much does it cost and how does the process take?
An IDP is Dh170 plus tax.
Online applications will be completed within three working days of receipt, so allow for five working days for all online applications to be delivered to your requested address.
Over-the-counter applications can be completed within half an hour.
What countries require an IDP?
The website of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE website lists 174 countries that require an IDP, including Spain, Oman, Germany, Britain and India.
Do I need an IDP to drive in the UAE?
The UAE signed two UN conventions that made it a legal requirement for visitors to have a valid IDP in order to rent a car and drive.
Each visitor who plans to drive in the Emirates must make sure they obtain an IDP in their home country or country of residence before they travel.
If you live in the UAE and have an Emirati licence, you do not need to obtain an IDP to drive here.
Drive from UAE to Qatar through Saudi Arabia - in pictures
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
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