The UAE’s first postal service was established in Dubai in 1909. Since then, the postal system in the United Arab Emirates has advanced significantly, with Emirates Post, the nation’s official postal service, being named the world’s fastest postal delivery service in 2016.
Emirates Post will still offer postal and express delivery services in 2022, long after handwritten letters and mailed-in papers have been replaced by digital communications.
Here are some of the services that Emirates Post offers:
1. Send a shipment
Emirates Post offers domestic and international document and package delivery services. You can select several service choices based on how quickly you want the shipment delivered. International orders take four days with the service, however premium service allows for same-day delivery of packages within the UAE.
In addition to delivery time, the cost of your shipment will change based on the size and weight of your package. Simply enter the information about the documents or package you wish to ship in the “Get prices” function on the postal service’s website, emiratespost.ae, to receive an estimate for your mail.
Visit an Emirates Post office to mail a package, and be sure to include both your complete address and the recipient’s complete address. Depending on the size of your shipment, the delivery date, and the destination, you would then just need to make the payment.
2. Receive your Emirates ID
If you have international mail being delivered to you or if you need to pick up your Emirates ID, you might also need to stop by a post office. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Ports Security (ICP) mails new and updated Emirates IDs to post offices near each resident’s place of abode. You only need to submit the notification you got from ICP by SMS, which includes the location of the Emirates Post branch and your application number, in order to get the Emirates ID.
3. Set up a PO Box
There are no postal or zip codes in the UAE. Instead, the postal system is structured according to the post office box number, or PO Box number, that is given to people and businesses by Emirates Post.
If you are a working professional, supplying your company’s postal address is the simplest way to receive mail. Companies in the UAE have registered postal addresses, and an employee of the company is frequently responsible for collecting all the mail that is routinely brought to the post box.
However, you can also request a personal post box by submitting an application to Emirates Post.
If you choose to receive a basic service, where the post box is located at an Emirates Post branch, or a home service, where the post box is installed at your home and mail is carried weekly by Emirates Post, the rental fees are assessed on an annual basis and can vary.
Also Read: Would you like to travel to the UAE for work or as a tourist? Here are your visa options
4. Get an international driving license
By going to any Emirates Post location, you can also change your UAE driver’s license into an international driving license (IDL). The following paperwork must be provided in order to apply for an IDL:
– UAE driving license
– Original passport
– Emirates ID
– A color photo
You can also apply for the service online through emiratespost.ae
The IDL is required in case of any traffic incidents that you may be involved in since it is a necessity for having a legal insurance policy. It also proves to traffic authorities in other countries that drivers have a valid driver’s license in their home country.
An additional advantage of obtaining an international driving license is that it can be used as identification documentation if your passport is lost or stolen while you are traveling overseas, according to the UAE’s Ministry of Interior.
5. Get registered document delivery online
You can use Emirates Post’s “registered document delivery” option, which verifies the opening of documents delivered by email or text messages if you need to deliver an official document by email but also need proof of delivery and opening. Emirates Post claims that the service has legal standing and that it is possible to utilize the electronic notification as proof. It can be utilized for services like debt collection, term extensions, or intellectual property protection.
While the email can be sent from a personal email address, you must finish the procedure on the Emirates Post website, emiratespost.ae.
Visit the website and register using your UAE Pass account, or if you already have an Emirates Post online account, send a registered email.
You must first add Dh5, or “one unit,” to your wallet. A registered document sent online would cost you Dh5. After topping off your wallet, choose the “Registered document delivery” option, enter the email’s details, including the text, and send the email using the service by including the email’s content and any necessary attachments. You can send emails through the website after paying for the service, and you’ll get updates from Emirates Post on the email’s reception and opening.
How to find an Emirates Post office near you
Emirates Post operates out of 90 locations in the United Arab Emirates, including 28 post offices each in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain.
By going to emiratespost.ae, you can look up the location of a post office close to where you live. Click on the “Find us near you” service by scrolling down.