Two days in queues and still no card

Abu Dhabi // Siddique Rehman fears his goal of getting a UAE driver's licence has been knocked off track by the new policy that requires people to have an ID card for transactions at the Vehicle and Licensing Department. Two months ago, Mr Rehman, 23, from Pakistan, scheduled his driving test for 8am today, not realising the document requirements would change just three days before his test.

Yesterday, he had queued up around 6am and was desperately trying to get his forms processed for a national identity card. He said he hopes providing proof that he has applied for the card will be enough. Mr Rehman, who has been in Abu Dhabi for five months, lined up along with hundreds of others all day Monday and again yesterday, waiting to get his forms processed. "This is impossible," said Mr Rehman, a supervisor at a transport company in Musaffah, who said he needs his license for his work. "I came [Monday] also at 4am, and he said to go home at 2pm.

"I went first to police today and asked, 'For my test tomorrow, I need this ID card?' He tells me, "This is a must'." Mr Rehman has not completely abandoned hope, however. He has token number 260 for today's queues at the Emirates Identity Authority facility in Mushrif, and said he will show up about 4am in the hope that he can get some proof he has applied for the ID card. "Without this card, he will not give test," Mr Rehman said. "I will not come on time, he will not give me test. I am very sad."

@Email:mchung@thenational.ae