BREXIT referendum
British expats are eligible to vote in the EU referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union on 23 June 2016.
To register as an overseas elector you must have been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years. You will also need your National Insurance number, date of birth and your passport. If you were too young when you left the UK to register, then you can register as an overseas voter if your parents (or guardians) were registered in the UK in the last 15 years.
Register online to vote at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote you can choose to vote via one of three methods. Either by post; by proxy (you designate someone you trust to vote on your behalf in the UK); or in person at a polling station in your constituency.
Alcohol
Non-Muslim residents can get a liquor licence to drink alcohol at home. These licenses are valid only in the Emirate that issued the licence. Residents must get a permit to be able to drink in licensed venues and their personal residence. If you are sponsored by your spouse, you will need to apply for a supplementary card which will be linked to your spouse’s licence in respect of the total amount of alcohol that can be purchased on a monthly basis. All Abu Dhabi alcohol licenses must now be applied for online through the Special Licence Office website. All Dubai alcohol licenses must now be applied for on-line or at a local MMIor African & Eastern store. For other Emirates, contact the local authorities for more information. These licenses are valid only in the Emirate that issued the licence. It is a punishable offence to drink, or to be under the influence of alcohol, in public. Passengers in transit through the UAE under the influence of alcohol may also be arrested.
Overseas Birth registration for UK citizens
Once you have registered a birth in the UAE you can register an overseas birth with the UK authorities
UK registration is not mandatory but it means:
• the birth will be recorded with the General Register Offices or at the National Records Office of Scotland
• you can order a consular birth registration certificate
You can still apply for a UK passport for your child even if you don’t register the birth in the UK.
For more details please Here
Offensive behaviour in the UAE
Swearing and making rude gestures (including online) are considered obscene acts and offenders can be jailed or deported. Take particular care when dealing with the police and other officials.
Dash cams
The legality is still under debate in the UAE. If you take any video footage then be careful about what you post to social media sites.
UAE getting tough on litter bugs.
Watch out: UAE inspectors in all Emirates threaten strict penalties for those caught littering.
CCTV in Dubai taxis
The Roads and Transport Authority has installed CCTV cameras in taxis as part of a pilot project to monitor the performance of drivers and for general security, Each taxi has been equipped with three tiny cameras, one installed near the centre mirror of the vehicle, covering only the driver, while the other two are set up at the front and rear of the taxi, externally.
The smart gadgets on taxis include Global Positioning System, LCD touch screens on select taxis, Nol and credit card payment system being installed in phases as well as airport check-in facilities on airport taxis.
Taking selfies in the car.
This is treated the same violation as using a hand-held mobile phone while driving; so the penalty for both is the same.You will be fined Dh200 and will earn four black points on your driving licence if you are caught taking a selfie while driving in Dubai. This, of course, is a rather a small price to pay for the offence because, in the worst case scenario, you could get hurt and injure others as your focus diverts from the road ahead to the tiny screen in your hand.
Please remember photography of certain government buildings and military installations is not allowed. Don’t photograph people without their permission. Men have been arrested for photographing women on beaches. Hobbies like bird watching and plane spotting may be misunderstood – particularly near military sites, government buildings and airports.
Self service fuel pumps in Abu Dhabi
From March 2016 self service petrol stations will be introduced in Abu Dhabi To fill up, customers activate a display at the pump, select the desired language and follow the instructions on screen. Adnoc staff will be on hand to help out.. To fill up, customers can activate a display on the screen, select the desired language and follow the instructions. ADNOC staff are on hand to help if needed. Click Here for more details.
Dubai parking charges restructured
Paid parking time will be 14 hours per day, starting at 8am until 10pm on weekdays
Dubai’s public parking spaces have been divided into two areas – the first includes spaces covered by the revised tariff, with the estimated number of these slots at about 30,000, or 23 per cent of the total parking slots in Dubai.
For those that are impacted, the new tariff for street side parking will be:
• Dh2 per 30 minutes
• Dh4 per hour
• Dh8 per two hours
• Dh12 per three hours
• Dh16 per four hours
For those that are impacted, the revised tariff for parking lots will be:
• Dh3 per hour
• Dh6 per two hours
• Dh8 per three hours
• Dh12 per four hours
• Dh15 per five hours
• Dh20 per 24 hours
The second category includes parking slots that fall under the old tariff, and these slots form the largest percentage of the total available public parking in Dubai, estimated at 77 per cent of the total.
The tariff for street-side parking for these slots remains the same:
• Dh2 per hour
• Dh5 per two hours
• Dh8 per three hours
• Dh11 per four hours
The tariff of parking lots in the unaffected areas remains:
• Dh2 per hour
• Dh4 per two hours
• Dh 5 per three hours
• Dh7 per four hours
• Dh10 per 24 hours.
In addition, the tariff in multi-storey parking buildings will become Dh5 per hour, in order to increase the turnover of the use of a single position in these multi-storey parking buildings.
The resolution also outlines changes in the tariff for seasonal parking cards. New seasonal permit rates for parking spaces on the side of the street are:
• Dh1,400 per quarter
• Dh2,500 per half-year
• Dh4,500 per year.
For parking lots, the new tariff for seasonal parking cards will be:
• Dh700 dirhams per quarter
• Dh1,300 dirhams per half-year
• Dh2,400 per year
The tariff for seasonal parking permits of multi-storey parking buildings will be:
• Dh2,000 per quarter
• Dh4,000 per half-year
• Dh8,000 per year
Tariff for student parking permits will be Dh300 per quarter.
