Car hire firms warn cross-border trips need permission

TRAVEL PERMIT: UAE residents driving to Oman or Saudi need a letter of 'no objection' from car hire firms, after a spate of car thefts. (Getty Images)

UAE residents who want to drive to Oman and Saudi Arabia in a hire car are being forced to secure written approval from car hire companies first, in the wake of a spate of car thefts, it was reported on Monday.

Car hire agents have urged people not set off on cross-border trips before obtaining a No Objection Certificates (NOC) from them, or risk being stopped and turned back by birder police.  

They say the policy, which has existed for years but not enforced, has been reinstated in response to a surge in car theft among vehicles hired by people from Saudi and Oman, according to UAE daily The National.

Johnson Thomas, a senior agent with Fast Rent a Car in Abu Dhabi, said:“Those who wish to go to Oman must report to us to obtain our permission to take the car.”

“Without permission, then they should not cross the border, because what if there is an accident? If you don’t have permission, you’ll be sent back,” he warned.

However, many customers were unaware of the new policy and had been held for hours at border crossings because they did not have written approval to take the car out of the UAE, another agent added.

“One of my customers used to go to Oman, but then one day she said, ‘I’m stuck at the border and they will not allow me to pass’,” said Javid Gul, the operations manager for Sahab Rent-a-Car in the capital.

“She was waiting two hours there because it takes time to prepare and fax it through.”

An Abu Dhabi customs officer at Al Ain’s border with Mezyad said the rule requiring proof of rental registration, Oman car insurance, and the permission letter had existed for at least five years.

However, there is stil confusion over whether an original NOC lett eris needed or a faxed copy id sufficient.

The officer, who did not wish to be identified, said he would accept a faxed letter for UAE residents, as the policy was to prevent those form outside the UAE stealing cars.  

“Mostly people from Saudi or Oman are taking cars and disappearing and we have to chase them with car tracking systems.”

But car rental firms have reported stricter standards by some border guards who are refusing anything other than an original letter.

Kamaiya Thakaar, manager for services at Thrifty Car Rental in Abu Dhabi said: “Before, we were sending the papers by fax because people would be calling from Dubai or Oman.”

“But in the last two or three months, they sometimes say they don’t accept faxes. They want to see the original NOC.”

Some rental companies such as Budget are now packaging NOC letters with Oman insurance papers.
Others, such as Hertz have urged their customers to give them 24 hour notice of their intent to take the car across the border.

The Omani and Saudi Arabian embassies could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

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READERS' COMMENTS

The rules need to be published
Posted by hombil, Muscat, Oman on Tuesday 12 May 2009 at 09:10 UAE time


Besides original regn card (mulkiya), one needs to carry UAE insurance cover paper, if the mulikiya does not show such a cover.

I agree with Jayant that we face many problems at UAE border, but likewise visitors from UAE say that they face many problems at Oman border. Only solution is for the authorities to publish the rules/updates clearly in electronic and print media.

The rules need to be published
Posted by Jayant, mct, Oman on Monday 11 May 2009 at 16:55 UAE time


I've been a resident in Oman for a a while now and have often driven across to Dubai in the company car. While it has always been company practise to provide an NOC, I was only asked for it once in about 7 trips. My biggest problem ever arose at the Dubai border check point when Dubai authorities suddenly decided that they wanted to see the original car registration card and the photocopy that is always in the car was not good enough despite the fact that I had an NOC from the company. I returned to Muscat and set out once again with the registration card. A few months later they no longer required the document, however they were not allowing hired cars across the border. So do be aware that a host of problems exist with the Dubai border post and they don't seem in the least bit interested in addressing them.

Car hire firms warn cross-border trips need permission
Posted by hombil, Muscat, Oman on Monday 11 May 2009 at 15:46 UAE time


In Oman this rule has been in existence for many years and in fact such a letter, in Arabic, is required also for company executives driving company owned cars. However, the authorities in GCC never ever publish the rules in media or implement uniformly, thus the ignorance and the confusion always prevails. As far as I know, one needs an original NOC letter and depending on a particular officer, he may accept a fax copy.

Car hire firms can advise the customers about this requirement at the time of hiring the car and warn them that they would face delays at the border if they decide to take the car across the border without the NOC. This should be the responsibilty of the salesperson attending to the customer.

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