Driving to Dubai? Designated border crossings for expats have been announced

Muscat: Expats driving to the UAE will soon have fewer border crossing options.
From January 1, 2018, expats living in Oman should use the Khatm Al Shikla and Mezyad crossings, 58km apart, according to a notice from the UAE officials.
So far there has been no information about the status of popular Hatta crossing point as nobody from the UAE embassy in Oman was available to comment.
The notification from UAE authorities states: “Please note that it has been decided to transfer foreign travellers (UAE and GCC residents), to the port of Khatm Al Shikla and the port of Mezyad. Only GCC citizens who accompany these residents can have their processing done here as well.”
Emirati immigration authorities have also been putting up signs confirming the move across their border checkpoints, to ensure that expats who live and work in the GCC, and wish to enter the Emirates follow the rules from the new year.
The new directive applies not only to expats who stay outside the UAE, but those who live and work in the UAE as well.
A spokesman for the Royal Oman Police said: “There is no change in the Omani ports procedures, but upon completion of the procedures at the Omani port, the passenger will be required to return to Oman when they arrive at the closed port in UAE.
We recommend that foreign travellers comply with the ports allowed by the neighbouring country to avoid problems.”