Dubai: Have you recently moved out of the UAE, for work or to pursue your studies? If so, having driving experience in the UAE might be helpful in acquiring a driving licence in your new country of residence.
If your driver’s licence was issued in Dubai, you can even apply for a ‘Driver Experience Certificate’ that would validate your driving experience in the UAE. According to the Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) call centre - 800 9090 - if you are applying for a driving licence in the UK or in some European countries, the authorities may enquire about your history and background as a driver as a pre-requisite for issuing a driver's licence.
RTA allows users to apply for a 'Driver Experience Certificate', which is also referred to as the ‘To Whom It May Concern’ certificate, through the 'RTA Dubai Drive' mobile application, which is available for Apple and Android devices.
How do I get the ‘Driver Experience Certificate’ online?
Before you proceed to apply for the service, you must ensure that you have settled all your fines and dues with RTA. Once you have settled all payments, here are the steps you should follow to issue a ‘Driver Experience Certificate’:
1. Download the ‘RTA Dubai Drive’ from the Google Play or iOS App Store.
2. Open the app and tap on the ‘Dashboard’ category on the bottom of your mobile screen.
3. Once you are in the Dashboard section, swipe to the third page.
4. Then, tap on the third category, ‘Drivers Licensing’.
5. Next, tap on ‘Apply for Driver Experience Certificate’
6. After that, tap on the red button to scan the back of your driver’s licence card.
7. The app will scan the barcode on the driver’s licence and insert the data into the form.
8. After you have scanned the card, your licence number, issue date, birth year and traffic file number will be automatically filled in.
9. After the details are filled in, the app will then present your licence details. If the information is correct, tap the ‘next’ button.
10. Next, enter your contact details, such as mobile number and email address.
11. After that, you will be presented with the fee details. Tap on ‘pay’.
12. You will then have to settle the fees electronically with your credit/debit card on the app.
After you have paid the fees, you will then receive an electronic version of the certificate on your registered email address.
Cost:
Service fee: Dh100
Knowledge fee: Dh20
Total: Dh120
Validity
The certificate is only valid for two months from the date of issuance.
I have the ‘Driver Experience Certificate’ will it be accepted by a foreign country?
According to RTA, the experience certificate must be attested and authenticated by the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) in order for it to be accepted by other countries.
How do I get it attested in the UAE?
You can get your documents attested online through the official website of MOFAIC - www.mofaic.gov.ae or through the MOFAIC smart phone application ‘UAE MOFAIC’, which is available for Apple and Android devices. The cost of the attestation service is Dh150.
For a step-by-step guide on how to get your documents attested through MOFAIC, click here.
