Now get driving licence in Dubai without training under ‘Golden Chance’ scheme

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai is urging expats to get a UAE driving licence without attending the lengthy process of driving classes under the new “Golden Chance” scheme.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said on its social media platforms, “This is your Golden Chance to apply for a new driving license without attending driving classes.”

The RTA said, “This feature is available for individuals with foreign valid licence from countries that are not eligible for an exchange.”

The transport authority clarified that this service is available for people having foreign valid driving licence from countries that not eligible for exchanging their driving license. One may apply for the service while applying for new driving licence through the RTA website or visit the nearest driving institute in Dubai.

The RTA said all eligible expats can apply for the Golden Chance scheme: Driving Licence.

It also said the candidate must pass the RTA driving exams, both the theory and road test, in one shot.

And if the candidate fails the Golden Chance test, he/ she will be directed to join the regular driving classes and go through the theory and driving classes.

The cost of Golden Chance tests depends on the preferred driving school. It is believed to be expected between Dhs1,500 to Dh2,500 for  the entire service including opening of a file, the driving test, and getting the licence issued.

In January 2023, Gulf Today reported that the UAE Ministry of the Interior has identified 25 countries around the world in which citizens can replace their UAE driving license when residing in them, compared to 24 countries that recognize the UAE driving license upon visit.

The list of countries includes Estonia, Albania, Portugal, Hungary, Greece, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Malta, Iceland, Montenegro, the United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland and China, in addition to the Republic of South Korea, are limited to recognizing the UAE driver's license upon visit.

In the same context, the data of the licensed service, provided on the Ministry of Interior's website, identified 43 nationalities around the world whose citizens can drive a vehicle with their national license without restrictions during their visit to the UAE.

The service also identified 44 nationalities whose citizens can replace their national license with an Emirati license in the event of residency, after fulfilling a number of conditions.

Recognition of a foreign driving license means the use of national driving licenses in the UAE for purposes other than residency, while replacement means exchanging the national driving license for a UAE driving license during residency, according to the licensed service page on the ministry's website.

The conditions for recognizing a foreign driving license and driving a vehicle on the country’s roads include:

The license must be valid.

The entry into the country is for a purpose other than residency.

The conditions for replacing a foreign driving license with an Emirati one include:

To be among the countries permitted to exchange a driver's license.

To have a valid residence permit.

The national license of its owner must be permanent and valid.

Passing a medical examination and complying with other requirements to exchange driving licenses.

Fulfilling the legal age in accordance with the laws and regulations of the UAE.