Whether you’re starting a new job, or trying to prove to a potential landlord that you’ll be a good tenant, take note of an important document that will come to your rescue: a police clearance certificate.

This official document proves that you have no criminal record, and can be obtained by both residents and former residents of the UAE.

Why do I need a police clearance certificate?

A police clearance certificate, also known as a good conduct certificate, is commonly required for employment, immigration, visa applications, company licensing, renting property, adopting children and marriage. Applicants seeking residency in countries like Canada, Australia or the UK, must provide a police clearance certificate for every country in which, they have resided. Within the UAE, a clearance certificate may be required for certain visa changes, or when applying for long-term residency categories.

The certificate verifies that the holder has not been involved in any unlawful actions during time spent in the UAE.

Where should I apply for it?

In the UAE, two authorities issue the document at different levels:

The Dubai Police issues emirate-level police clearance certificates, which covers the applicant’s history in Dubai.
The Ministry of Interior (MOI) issues federal-level clearance certificates that cover all emirates. The certificate is governed by Ministerial Decision No. (600) of 2024 regarding the regulation of the issuance of criminal clearance certificates.

How to obtain a clearance certificate from Dubai Police

In Dubai, you can apply for a police clearance certificate from the Dubai Police’s app, or their website: dubaipolice.gov.ae. The certificate is issued within five working days, and is valid for three months from the date of issuance.

Required documents:

Personal photograph
Valid passport
Emirates ID
Copy of previous residence visa (for people outside UAE)

Note that if you do not have an Emirates ID, you must visit a service centre during official working hours to have your fingerprints taken.

Service centres are available at the following locations: Al Qusais Police Station, Ports Police Station, Al Rashidiya Police Station, and Jebel Ali Police Station.

Moreover, if you are located outside the UAE and do not have a 10-print fingerprint on record, you must submit a 10-print fingerprint copy certified by the UAE embassy in your current country of residence.

Cost: UAE citizens pay Dh100 for the service, while residents pay Dh200. If you are applying from outside the UAE, you must pay $88 (Dh300). There are additional Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham fees of Dh20, and an additional service fee of Dh100 if you are applying in-person.

How to apply:

Follow these steps to obtain your good conduct certificate from Dubai Police.

First, sign in with your UAE Pass on dubaipolice.gov.ae or through the Dubai Police app. If you are not a current UAE resident, you can continue on a Guest profile.
Next, fill in application details, including whether you are a citizen, resident, visitor, or based outside the UAE, your Emirates ID details (for residents), and email address. You will also need to share the reason why you are applying for a certificate (for instance, marriage or immigration), and which sector requested it (government or private), as well as which language you’d prefer it in (Arabic or English).
Finally, review all your information to make sure it is accurate.
Lastly, pay the fees and submit your application.

How to obtain a clearance certificate from the UAE Ministry of Interior (MOI)

The MOI offers an online service whereby you can get your clearance certificate issued within 24 hours, if you are based in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, or Umm Al Quwain. The certificate is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance.

Note that if the clearance certificate is going to be used outside the UAE, it needs to be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). This can be done through MOI’s website, moi.gov.ae, or via the MOFA website, mofa.gov.ae, or through their respective apps.

Required documents:

Personal photograph
Valid passport (for visitors and GCC nationals)
Emirates ID (for residents and citizens)
Copy of previous residence visa (for people outside UAE)

As with the Dubai Police clearance certificate process, you must complete fingerprinting procedures if you do not have an Emirates ID. This can be done in police stations around the emirates, or at MOI service centres.

Cost:

Service request fees for use within the UAE: Dh50
Service request fees for use outside the UAE: Dh100
Fingerprinting fees for visitors and GCC citizens: Dh50
Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation fees, for certificates to be used outside the UAE: Dh300 (if you are also applying for attestation through MOI’s website/app).

How to apply:

Follow these steps to obtain a clearance certificate from the MOI.

Download the MOI UAE app on your smartphone and log in with your UAE Pass account (if you are a resident). Alternatively, you can log in through the MOI website: moi.gov.ae.
Select ‘Issuance of a Criminal Clearance Certificate’ and tap ‘Start Service’.
Fill in application details, such as full name, mobile number and email address. You will need to select whether the certificate will be used inside or outside the UAE. If you require the certificate for a foreign country, select which country, and the reason for use, via the drop-down menu. If you have specified that you are using the certificate inside the UAE, you must select the emirate and reason for use.
Next, specify whether you want the certificate in Arabic or English.
You can opt for email delivery or courier delivery (which has additional charges that vary based on your location).
Finally, pay the service fees.

Once the process has been completed, you will receive the clearance certificate in one working day, unless you picked courier service, which will extend the delivery to five working days.

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