Foreigners cannot drive their own car/bike in the UAE
 

The Embassy of the UAE told me that foreigners are not allowed to drive their own vehicles, cars or motorcycles, in the UAE. The only way you can drive is to rent a car. They insisted that this is their law. Is this true?

I can't comment on the 'law' but I really wouldn't worry about it. Just turn up and enter like everyone else. The UAE is a major crossing point for travelers going from Africa into Asia and vice versa.

I've regularly ridden a bike on UK plates and never been stopped.

In 2008, a traveler with UK plates had his bike stolen and had to deal with the police - I don't think they mentioned this 'law'.

The grey area is insurance which you can't get for a foreign vehicle so I suppose makes you technically illegal. But, as I said, foreign vehicles are not pulled over. As in other countries which don't make insurance available, try not to have an accident!

Stephan

non GCC vehicles rare here
 

Not sure about the law here (Dubai, UAE) on foreign vehicles but certainly vehicles from outside the GCC are not that common.

Generally the police in Duabi dont bother drivers unless they are overloaded, they certainly dont stop drivers for dangerous driving, and are much happier to dish out fines.

Like Stephano said just don't have an accident, sometimes easier said than done here!

non GCC vehicles rare here
 

Not sure about the law here (Dubai, UAE) on foreign vehicles but certainly vehicles from outside the GCC are not that common.

Generally the police in Duabi dont bother drivers unless they are overloaded, they certainly dont stop drivers for dangerous driving, and are much happier to dish out fines.

Like Stephano said just don't have an accident, sometimes easier said than done here!

It may depend on your situation.
I owned my own car, and imported my motorcycle to Abu Dhabi, and registered and drove both. I needed a letter from my employer saying that they didn't object to me doing so. Dubai is pretty much the same. There are hoops to jump through to get your licence. 1 rule was that your licence had to be issued in the same country as your passport.
I met people doing a RTW on their motorbikes, who were driving though.
I worked with a fellow who brought his jeep from Bahrain, was told he had 3 months to import and register it, and then 1.5 months later almost wound up in jail when he was hit by a local, because he had failed to import the vehicle when he got his residence/work visa. Lots of BS involved in accidents with locals.
As far as I know rules are slightly different in each emirate, and importing of a vehicle may now have restrictions.
Getting a car is fairly easy. Check out the Abu Dhabi police site, or automobile ministry sites for better information. I left in June 2008.
Good luck

I entered the UAE with my RSA regestered bike and used it in the country for 3 years before leaving again. I got my insurance in Oman, with an UAE extension. I've been pulled over once in Abu Dhabi by a friendly cop just checking, no issues.
johan

Just read an article that noted with the current economic crisis, you should be able to pick up some pretty slick wheels at discount prices from foreigners who are leaving the country after getting laid off. That is if you have a the money to pay for it, or the desire to export. Exporting isn't that bad, asuming your country of destination is good with it. 15 years or older is relatively simple to do to Canada(no restrictions), just ship it to the USA first and drive across the border... PITA doing it by shipping straight to Canada (from Personal experience.)

Few problems
 

I came to Dubai on December 5, 2007, with two KTM 990 Adventure bikes on a ferry from Iran. I had the carnets stamped and no problems whatsoever. I have since been riding the bikes around the UAE and only once, on new years, have I encountered any problems.

At that time I parked one bike at the souk square in Old Town. When I returned a few hour later I got cornered by the head of security who said it was illegally parked and that since I had been told so by a security guy he was pissed off. I tried to tell him that noone had told me I was not to park the bike where I had and in the end managed to convinve him.

He then told me he had called the police as they had recieved a memo that week saying they had to do so if they spotted a vehicle with foreign plates as this could be a potential bombcarrying vehicle used by terrorists...

He was very difficult to deal with the first 10-15 minutes but softened up considerably when the police had still not arrived by then. After almost half an hour a CID officer arrived (criminal investigation Dubai) in a brand new souped up Range Rover, fully clad in a pinstiped suit and purple shirt, hair greased back. He started interrogating me as to where I was from, why I was here, when and where I had imported the bike, why I didn't have any papers for the bike with me etc etc. The head of security then turned really nice and tried to explain to him, tell him that I didn't seem to be a terrorist etc but the CID guy wouldn't let me go.

After another 15 minutes Homeland Security arrived... The up to then not to pleasant CID guy then turned nice and started arguing for my case, even though he had not been able to verify my story. The Homeland guys were now the not so pleasant ones.

Yet another 20 minutes later the CID guy leaves and a minute later the regular police finally arrives and suddenly the Homeland guys become nice (seeing a pattern here?). In the end they tell the cops to write a report and let me go before they take off. The cops stand around for a while, make a xerox copy of my european drivers licence and lets me leave...

I was wondering why I would buy an expensive bike in Sweden, put UNHCR and UNICEF logos on it and then drive it to Dubai to blow it up (and choosing an empty square to blow it up in) when it seems so much more probable I would just steal a local delivery bike that no one looks at twice and then park it next to or inside the Shiekh of Dubais daughters wedding ceremony that was taking place a kilometer away...

Driving a Dubai reg. car in Europe
 

Hello,

This is my first post on this website. I am just looking to get some information. I am a resident of the UAE. I have just been given a year long contract in europe.

My question is , what is required to take a vehicle registered in Dubai to europe? I do not want to import the car to another country, just drive it in Europe with the Dubai rego.

any info would be appreciated,

Cheers

First of all, you will need to get permission from the traffic police in the UAE to take your vehicle out of the country. The piece of paper you need is the 'siaha' (tourism) document. If I were you, I wouldn't mention how long you plan to be away or they might tell you to export it.

Are you going to ride it to Europe or fly it? If you ride it, what route will you take? You might need a carnet de passage to pass through certain countries.

As you reach various countries you will have to get insurance. Try Arisa Assurance in Luxembourg for insurance covering most, but not all, of Europe. Do a search on this board to find full details.

I would imagine that if you plan to stay in one country for a year you should probably register the vehicle there but if you have valid insurance you'll probably get away with it. I can't be more specific than that since you haven't said where you're going.

I ride a UAE bike in Europe every summer (with insurance) and I haven't had any problems.

Stephan

Hi ,

Thanks very much for your reply. I have not decided the best course of action yet eg. driving/shipping.

I will be working out of Belgium/Germany, with the occational trip to the UK.

I personally have no experience in cross border land travel !

If I was to travel via Iran/Turkey/Greece to europe. How does the price compare to shipping ?

Thanks again for the help,

I recently had a quote to send a bike from the UK to the UAE for 550 pounds by ship and 850 by air (from James Cargo). I don't know what prices you'd be quoted from this end.

You could probably spend a bit less than that just riding there from Dubai although the Iran ferry and documentation can be expensive. After that, you only need a visa for Turkey and you can avoid further ferries by traveling through the Balkans. Any other costs are mainly food, accommodation and fuel and obviously the budget is up to you.

However, I don't think you should look at it in monetary terms. Ride and you'll have a ton of memories.

Land borders get easier after leaving Turkey for Greece. If you get a ferry to Italy you won't be checked again until Dover. If you go through the Balkans, you'll make several border crossings but as long as your paperwork is in order (including insurance) it's not too difficult or expensive. Entering the UK on a UAE plate is usually fine because when they check your passport (assuming it's British or EU) they don't notice - or seem to care about - the foreign number plate on the back.

Stephan

Hi Johan,

what insurance you've bought in Oman that offered this?
Because I'm a bit in the same situation right now.

Greets
Manuel

Speak to these guys - Insurance Company in Dubai, UAE | Oman Insurance Company

They should be able to help you insure your bike.

That sure doesn't sound right to me. I know people that have had their personl cars shipped to the UAE from other countries (legally). I can only assume they registered and were driving the vehicles afterward. I'd try contacting a shipper and see what they say. After all, they're the ones that should be most familiar with the laws, taxes & regulations. One of my buddies used A-1 Auto Transport, Inc. so it may be worthwhile to give them a call and ask.