To get a police clearance certificate in the UAE, apply to the police authority that covers your emirate: Dubai Police if you live in Dubai, or the Ministry of Interior (website and MOI UAE app) for the other emirates. You’ll need your Emirates ID, you choose English or Arabic, and the fee and timing are shown on the official service page when you apply.
Send a photo on WhatsApp and we’ll confirm the requirements and quote in writing before we start.
Send a photo on WhatsAppMaybe an immigration office, a university or a new employer has asked for a “good conduct certificate” and you’re not sure where to even start. It’s one of those documents that sounds heavy but is usually straightforward, as long as you know which office to use and what happens to the paper afterwards. That second part is where people lose time.
What is a police clearance certificate in the UAE?
It’s an official letter confirming your record with the UAE police. The UAE government portal calls it proof of good conduct, and you’ll also hear it called a Good Conduct Certificate or “clear criminal record” certificate. All three names point to the same kind of document. It’s available to people who live in the UAE and also to people who have left.
People usually need one for:
- immigration or a residence application in another country,
- a job abroad or a licence in a regulated profession,
- study or a student visa,
- adoption, long-term visas or citizenship paperwork elsewhere.
The organisation asking for it sets the rules: how recent it must be, which language, and whether it needs attestation. Ask them before you apply, not after.
Dubai Police or the Ministry of Interior: which one do you use?
It depends on where you live (or last lived) in the UAE.
| If you live in | Apply through |
|---|---|
| Dubai | The Dubai Police website or Dubai Police app. Smart Police stations and drive-through centres also offer the service. |
| Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain | The Ministry of Interior website or the MOI UAE app, or one of its service centres. |
Don’t apply to both. A Dubai certificate comes from Dubai Police and an MOI certificate comes from the Ministry, and the requesting body usually only needs one. If you moved between emirates recently, mention it when you ask the requesting body what they will accept.
What do you need before you apply?
Official pages and third-party guides don’t agree on the exact list, which is a good reason to check the service page on the day you apply. What most applicants prepare:
- A valid Emirates ID (Dubai Police’s online form also works for people with an expired one, but confirm this when you apply).
- Your passport details, and a copy handy in case you’re asked.
- A recent passport-size photo with a plain white background if the service asks for one.
- The purpose of the certificate and the name of the organisation requesting it. You’ll be asked for both.
- An email address and the mobile number linked to your Emirates ID, since a one-time password goes there.
Keep your answers consistent. The purpose you type should match what the other party actually asked for, because some offices read the certificate closely.
Step by step: how to apply online
The screens change from time to time, so treat this as the shape of the process rather than a click-by-click script.
- Open the right service. Dubai Police site or app for Dubai. The MOI UAE app (log in with UAE Pass) or website for everywhere else.
- Choose the applicant category. Resident, or former resident if you’ve already left.
- Fill in the form. Emirates ID or passport details, purpose, requesting entity.
- Pick the language. English or Arabic. If the receiving country wants something else, that’s a translation job later, not a different certificate.
- Confirm with the one-time password and pay online.
- Choose how to receive it. Digital issuance, courier or collection, depending on what the service offers you.
Fees differ by language, nationality and where you live now. The official service card lists the current fee and the processing time, so look there on the day instead of trusting a number from an old article.
What if you’ve already left the UAE?
You can still apply. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs says its embassies aren’t set up to issue the certificate and that it can only be obtained by applying through Dubai Police or the Ministry of Interior. So an embassy abroad won’t do it for you.
Former residents may be asked for extra verification, such as a fingerprint card from the country where they now live, attested by the UAE embassy there. Whether you need that depends on your case, so read the instructions on the official page before you pay for anything. Many people in this position ask a trusted person in the UAE to help with collection and follow-up, which brings its own paperwork. Our guide to power of attorney validity in the UAE explains how that authority works and when it stops.
Does the certificate need attestation or translation?
This is the question that catches people out. The certificate you download is an official UAE document, but the country or employer asking for it may want it legalised before they accept it. In many cases that means attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and sometimes a further step with the embassy of the receiving country. Whether yours needs it is up to them. Ask for the instruction in writing.
If the receiving authority works in a language other than English or Arabic, you’ll also need a translation. Some authorities want a certified one, so ask what “certified” means for them. We cover the process in police clearance certificate translation, and the logic is the same one we describe for birth certificate translation: translate after you have the final, correct document, not before.
Order matters here. Translate before attesting and the attestation may not cover the translation. Attest the wrong version and you start again. If the attestation stamp is something you haven’t seen before, our post on how to verify a MOFA attestation shows what to look for.
Common mistakes that cost people time
- Applying before asking what the receiving office wants. Language, validity period and attestation are all their decision.
- Getting it too early. Many offices only accept a certificate issued recently. The validity period is theirs to set, so check the date rule first.
- Using a name that doesn’t match the passport. Spelling differences between the Emirates ID and passport cause rejections later.
- Translating a screenshot. Translate the issued certificate itself, not a photo of a phone screen.
- Trusting an old fee or timing. Both change. The service page is the only reliable place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a police clearance certificate the same as a good conduct certificate?
Yes, in everyday use they mean the same thing. The UAE government portal describes a police clearance certificate as proof of good conduct, and “clear criminal record certificate” is another name you’ll see. If a form asks for one of these, the UAE police certificate covers it unless the requester says otherwise.
Can I apply from outside the UAE?
Yes, through the Dubai Police or Ministry of Interior websites, not through an embassy. The embassy of the UAE can’t issue it. You may be asked for more verification, such as a fingerprint card, so read the official instructions for former residents first.
Can I get it in Arabic or English?
Both are available, and you choose when you apply. Pick the language the receiving authority asked for. If they need another language, you’ll need a translation of the issued certificate, which is a separate step from the application itself.
Do I need to attest my police clearance certificate?
Only if the country or employer asking for it requires it. Many do ask for attestation before they accept a UAE document, but this varies. Ask them what they need and in what order, and get it in writing so you don’t repeat steps.
How long does it take?
It depends on the authority and the delivery method you choose. The official service card shows the current processing time, and we’d rather point you there than quote an outdated number. If you have a deadline, apply early and leave room for attestation and translation after it.
Is a police clearance certificate the same as a good conduct certificate?
Yes, in everyday use they mean the same thing. The UAE government portal describes a police clearance certificate as proof of good conduct, and “clear criminal record certificate” is another name you’ll see. If a form asks for one of these, the UAE police certificate covers it unless the requester says otherwise.
Can I apply from outside the UAE?
Yes, through the Dubai Police or Ministry of Interior websites, not through an embassy. The embassy of the UAE can’t issue it. You may be asked for more verification, such as a fingerprint card, so read the official instructions for former residents first.
Can I get it in Arabic or English?
Both are available, and you choose when you apply. Pick the language the receiving authority asked for. If they need another language, you’ll need a translation of the issued certificate, which is a separate step from the application itself.
Do I need to attest my police clearance certificate?
Only if the country or employer asking for it requires it. Many do ask for attestation before they accept a UAE document, but this varies. Ask them what they need and in what order, and get it in writing so you don’t repeat steps.
How long does it take?
It depends on the authority and the delivery method you choose. The official service card shows the current processing time, and we’d rather point you there than quote an outdated number. If you have a deadline, apply early and leave room for attestation and translation after it.
Where Wordcraft Comes In
We aren’t the police and we don’t issue the certificate. You apply for that yourself on the official channel. What we handle is everything that comes after: attestation of the certificate for use abroad, translation into the language the receiving authority wants, and delivery back to you. Start with our attestation services or translation services pages, or see how the MOFA attestation step works.
Send us a photo of the certificate and the instruction you were given, and we’ll tell you which steps apply. We offer pickup and delivery, and you get a written quote in 10 to 30 minutes. Government fees are payable at cost; we confirm the exact fee and our service charge in writing before any work begins. WhatsApp us on +971 56 681 3996 or call toll-free 800 9673.
Sources checked: Ministry of Interior (MOI) e-services and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs note on obtaining the certificate.
