Job Discussion Forums

Hsinchuguy · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 109 Location: Toronto

My colleagues and I have finally obtained the "permission" letter from our employer to get an alcohol buying permit, the next step is to go to the police station to get it finalized.
The problem is that we're not sure where it is other than somewhere in Ruwi.
Anyone know where it is exactly, and what the hours are? Do we need photos?

cheers

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

Hi,

You need to fill out a Liquor Licence Permit, someone from your admin should be able to translate the right side to left in Arabic. Along with any letter from employers, it should be available from you college admin department.

You take it to the CID Department at your nearest ROP, with 2 photographs on a blue background. Cost is like, 33 -36 OR/- for a 2 year permit.

A note of caution. Here is Salalah, I took an Indian colleague to their office where she was told that the limit was not 10% of her monthly salary , but a 50 OR/- limit regadless of monthly salary!!

Has anyone else experienced this recently???

Duffy Rolling Eyes

Aliskander · Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 50

The licensing office is located at the ROP in Ruwi - about 3/4 of the way down the high street on the left hand side. There is a large parking area on the right hand side opposite. As you face the police station, you go to the office on the right hand side of the building.

carnac · Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject:

Do yourself a big favor. Get an Omani male friend to escort/drive you to the Ruwi place. You will, I guarantee, get lost on your own. Smile and shake hands a lot and act really stupid. I am serious here. Let the Omani do all the talking. Bring 3 blue-background passport photos of yourself and money. Hand it over and shut up. And remember to smile. Out in 5 minutes. If they ask you how big you want the license to be (which I was) ask "How much can I get?" Get the max; you never know. They say it's dependent on how much you are paid. Nonsense. It's how blue your eyes are. It's all wasta. You are NOT a "teacher"; you are a "professor".The only rules are that there are no rules. But, with an Omani friend, it will slip through slickly. Then buy dinner for your friend and you are set to go.
Does any of this seem like I have done this? Hope so. Good luck. Listen to me. Do it this way and you'll remember it was easy.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Good advice for getting anything done in Oman. And do remember to smile. Laughing

VS

SandyMan · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 56 Location: Nizwa

They've run out of liquor licence books at the liquor licence office in Ruwi (they've been out since mid-December). Apparently, this has not happened for at least 15 years (so a colleague tells me). I've been at the office in Ruwi several times during the past few weeks and the office is still closed with a sign on the door telling you to come back next week. Extremely annoying. Sad

BTW, the liquor licence office is only a few hundred yards from the big KFC near the Ruwi roundabout (on the same side of the road, to your right if you face KFC with the Ruwi roundabout behind you).

SandyMan

carnac · Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:53 am Post subject:

Good directions, Sandyman, but now you need two Omanis. One to walk you through the process, and one to sit in the car as a driver because there's nowhere to park. Cheaper to get an Indian driver, though. Drive yourself? You want to drive in Ruwi?? Hey, I'm used to NYC, Miami, Chicago, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, LA, Rome, Dubai, whatever. Ruwi I stay away. Better to just put a shotgun to my head and fuggeddabouddit.
(yeah, ok, I exaggerate slightly, but there is a kernel of truth here somewhere.) Rolling Eyes

carnac · Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:16 am Post subject:

Oh yes,and, how much you wanna bet they have the booklets behind the closed doors, and you can get one if the proper person asks the question?
Don't mean to be boring with this subject, but it's all wasta. With an Omani, they say no at least three times. Then you get what you want. But an Omani has to do it for you. You CAN get your book. They are there. It's a little power play, and they play it on expats but not Omanis who see through the BS if they are your friend. Play the game.