Job Discussion Forums

[Hsinchuguy]

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]

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

[Aliskander]

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]

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]

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

VS

[SandyMan]

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.

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]

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.)

[carnac]

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.

[Aliskander]

I don't have a licence any more as i never used it. However, when i did use to go to Ruwi, i never had any problems, i never had to take an Omani (let alone 2!) and i never had any trouble parking. There is a large area in front of the Ruwi office and a large carpark behind it. The ROP were always polite, friendly, helpful and quick.

[veiledsentiments]

I never had a liquor license, but I did hear a few stories. There was the year that they didn't want to accept anyone's photos (even though it was the same one as last year and fit all the parameters..) and made everyone make a second trip, which isn't convenient from SQU. This was the year that an Omani friend would have been useful.

I have to say that my experiences with the ROP were always positive too. But there is also an advantage to being female, as they rarely play any games.

VS

[SandyMan]

I'm not really sure I understand this thing of having two Omanis with you. My colleagues said it took them 10 minutes to get the licence. Our sponsor (CfBT) got all the paperwork together (I think you need 7 or 8 different documents/copies) and then it's just a matter of routine. However, they won't accept cash, only payment using a smart card.

For parking, there is a car park nearby that very few people seem to be using. If you drive out of the Ruwi roundabout, towards the Sheraton hotel, you'll pass the KFC on your right. If you take the next right (a small road) and then take the first right again, you're kind of behind the KFC. Several sections of that parking area are for "Taxis, commercial vehicles and private cars", and it's almost always half empty, even on a Thursday morning (though it might not be after this post).

SandyMan

[veiledsentiments]

I think the two Omani comment was to be humor...

VS

[Hsinchuguy]

Still no books! I was told that it's because the powers that be think there are too many out there already. Ah well, off to the cheap, noisy Indian bars I suppose.