Depending on where you are from in most cases will deterime how painful or painless this procedure will be (eitherway annoying) Just prepare yourself for a rollercoaster ride of emotions. There will be anger, sadness, depression, more anger, then one day overwhelming joy! Let's be frank-the traffic police in most cases are racist to some level also of course there is some favoritism. To disagree with this one just needs to stand in the parking lot watching Qatari Dad's chatting up the officers before, during, and after the test. Also, the special car or van GC citizens are loaded in while the rest are packed in like sardines. I am very lucky, I'm American, I failed the first time for hitting a pole during pocket parking. The second time, the road test that I was so nervous about was a joke for me. I drove for less than 2 minutes in a parking lot. Finished past. There was an older Arab man first, an Egyptian next, then me. We drove for about 5 minutes total, all past. The rest of the van (Mostly Indians, with one Vietanamese that had taken the exam 5 times) drove around for another 90 minutes with 3 out of 12 passing. One was to be a driver for a Qatari's wife and he was on his 4th try. The Qatari was a very funny guy. He kept complaining that he hired the driver, then found out once he was here that his experience was only with a Tuk Tuk. I kept thinking to myself 'maybe you want to splurge a little more for a better driver, he's going to be driving your wife and kids'. The Qatari was going to send him home if he didn't pass but he pulled it off. I believe he was happier than me.
Rambling on!
For women, there are special days for the test. Sometimes the officer is friendly and will say things in English, others I've heard bark at you in Arabic
For me, my guy said 4 words of English -Right-Uturn-Stop- Nice Once again I feel very lucky. My neighbors have not had it so easy
Like someone stated previously you do have to go to the main traffic office and get some forms filled out in Arabic and stamped. If you don't speak Arabic, lots of guys out front to help for a fee. You need to get an eye exam, you can go to any Optician (cost 20-30 riyal), take the test and get it notarized by her/him.
If you have a licence in your home country , most likely you will have to sign up for 24 classes(1800 riyal) maybe 12(900 riyal) if lucky. In previous post people list phone numbers to schools. Didn't have the best of luck always getting someone to answer or understanding directions, went in person. Took my classses at Qatar Modern (Close to Aspire) good enough. I had to wait 30 days before I got to start. Many people in the past have said you can get this bumped up. I tried with no luck, but everyone's experience seems to be different (although most would agree annoying). I did get my second test date bumped up 2 weeks. You are suppose to wait a month but I got someone from QU to go down and get it sooner. It would have been a week but there was Eid in between. So, knowing some can help a bit.
In the end, it cost me 1800 riyal classes
150 license (school took my papers to the Traffic Department after I passed and I picked up my license in the evening)
(50 x 2)100 test
15-20 eye test
From start to finish with holidays - 4 months to complete.
Good luck- humor will go a long way- DMM
I forgot- no on the automatic- but I have heard this is changing and some schools will begin lessons with a small amount of automatics. This would be great as I found it the most difficult part of the experience- so cross you fingers for that- once again- good luck
Newbie28
Depending on where you are from in most cases will deterime how painful or painless this procedure will be (eitherway annoying) Just prepare yourself for a rollercoaster ride of emotions. There will be anger, sadness, depression, more anger, then one day overwhelming joy! Let's be frank-the traffic police in most cases are racist to some level also of course there is some favoritism. To disagree with this one just needs to stand in the parking lot watching Qatari Dad's chatting up the officers before, during, and after the test. Also, the special car or van GC citizens are loaded in while the rest are packed in like sardines. I am very lucky, I'm American, I failed the first time for hitting a pole during pocket parking. The second time, the road test that I was so nervous about was a joke for me. I drove for less than 2 minutes in a parking lot. Finished past. There was an older Arab man first, an Egyptian next, then me. We drove for about 5 minutes total, all past. The rest of the van (Mostly Indians, with one Vietanamese that had taken the exam 5 times) drove around for another 90 minutes with 3 out of 12 passing. One was to be a driver for a Qatari's wife and he was on his 4th try. The Qatari was a very funny guy. He kept complaining that he hired the driver, then found out once he was here that his experience was only with a Tuk Tuk. I kept thinking to myself 'maybe you want to splurge a little more for a better driver, he's going to be driving your wife and kids'. The Qatari was going to send him home if he didn't pass but he pulled it off. I believe he was happier than me.
Rambling on!
For women, there are special days for the test. Sometimes the officer is friendly and will say things in English, others I've heard bark at you in Arabic
For me, my guy said 4 words of English -Right-Uturn-Stop- Nice Once again I feel very lucky. My neighbors have not had it so easy
Like someone stated previously you do have to go to the main traffic office and get some forms filled out in Arabic and stamped. If you don't speak Arabic, lots of guys out front to help for a fee. You need to get an eye exam, you can go to any Optician (cost 20-30 riyal), take the test and get it notarized by her/him.
If you have a licence in your home country , most likely you will have to sign up for 24 classes(1800 riyal) maybe 12(900 riyal) if lucky. In previous post people list phone numbers to schools. Didn't have the best of luck always getting someone to answer or understanding directions, went in person. Took my classses at Qatar Modern (Close to Aspire) good enough. I had to wait 30 days before I got to start. Many people in the past have said you can get this bumped up. I tried with no luck, but everyone's experience seems to be different (although most would agree annoying). I did get my second test date bumped up 2 weeks. You are suppose to wait a month but I got someone from QU to go down and get it sooner. It would have been a week but there was Eid in between. So, knowing some can help a bit.
In the end, it cost me 1800 riyal classes
150 license (school took my papers to the Traffic Department after I passed and I picked up my license in the evening)
(50 x 2)100 test
15-20 eye test
From start to finish with holidays - 4 months to complete.
Good luck- humor will go a long way- DMM
I forgot- no on the automatic- but I have heard this is changing and some schools will begin lessons with a small amount of automatics. This would be great as I found it the most difficult part of the experience- so cross you fingers for that- once again- good luck