To most expatriates who come to the UAE, getting a driving license can be a lengthy procedure that takes time. However, to these people, the Golden Chance Driving License might be an opportunity that has never come their way; in other words, fast-track a way to acquire a UAE license if one already had the experience of driving and had a valid driving license at home. This initiative is targeted at those drivers who yearn to bypass lengthy driving lessons associated with the UAE.
What is the Golden Chance Driving License?
It is a one-time opportunity under which eligible persons get to take the final road test without extensive driving lessons. For well-experienced expatriates, it is literally a golden opportunity to avoid the long, tedious, and expensive training process that new residents in the UAE undergo most of the time.
This program is very beneficial for those whose driving licenses issued in their country of origin are not valid or recognized in the UAE. This is a great opportunity for experienced drivers to prove themselves and earn a license for the UAE upon passing the road test.
How Does the Golden Chance Driving License Work?
However, acquiring a Golden Chance Driving License is not complicated, but proper preparation is required.
- Apply for the Program: You must apply for the Golden Chance program at any of the registered driving institutes in the UAE. You have to produce the driving license that you have held from your home country and any proof of experience that you may have in driving.
- Get a Date for the Driving Test: Your documents will be inspected, and you’ll be given a date for the road test schedule. In the Golden Chance program, no preparatory classes of any sort—theory or practical—are required.
- Pass the Test: Clearing the Road Test allows you to receive a UAE driving license. If not so lucky, then you may need to take some extra lessons before retaking the test.
It is a convenient way for expatriate experienced drivers to drive without having to go through the entire learning process once again.
While the Golden Chance Driving License allows one to circumvent lessons, one is still required to be adequately prepared for the final road test. Here are a few tips on success:
Other Options for the Golden Chance License
If he or she does not qualify under the Golden Chance Driving License, then one needs to undergo a number of theoretical and practical lessons before sitting for a test where he or she will be driven around by an instructor and assessed. This is more time-consuming, but one will indeed be better prepared for the UAE’s road conditions and road laws.
Importance of the UAE Driving License
Whichever license you receive, whether the Golden Chance Driving License or through a normal process, the UAE driving license is very much a necessity for any person planning to drive in the UAE. The UAE traffic laws are pretty strict and can severely penalize an individual as well as impose huge fines for driving without proper licensure. Not only does it ease your process of renting a car, but having a UAE license is also mandatory from your employer if there are job positions that require you to drive.
Hence, for those mature drivers who are eager to avoid the long process of getting an actual license, a Golden Chance Driving License would serve as the best opportunity. With proper preparation and an understanding of the rules of the road, drivers would be successful in receiving their UAE driving license, through which drivers can enjoy the freedom to roam in this fast-paced and dynamic country.