If you need proof of your vaccinations in Dubai — for travel, a new doctor, a visa medical or your home country’s records — the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) holds most government-administered vaccines in its system, and retirees can usually retrieve them through the DHA app, the DHA website or any DHA primary healthcare centre. The key is knowing where your vaccines were given, because records from private clinics sit with those clinics rather than in one central file.
Where Your Records Actually Live
Vaccines given at DHA facilities — including COVID-19 vaccinations at DHA centres, flu shots at government clinics and childhood or travel vaccines at DHA travel clinics — are recorded against your medical record number (MRN) and Emirates ID. Vaccines from private hospitals and clinics are recorded in those providers’ systems and shared to varying degrees with the wider health record platforms. If you were vaccinated partly by DHA and partly privately, expect to gather records from more than one source and combine them into one file for whoever is asking. If you were vaccinated outside the UAE, DHA cannot retrieve those records; you would need them from the provider abroad, though a DHA doctor can review and transcribe verified foreign records into your local file in some cases.
What to Have Ready
- Emirates ID — the number links your DHA record; bring the physical card for in-person requests
- Your DHA medical record number (MRN), if you know it — it appears on past DHA receipts and in the app
- Passport details, if your records were created before you had an Emirates ID
- Dates and locations of vaccinations, as best you remember them, to help staff search
- Any old vaccination cards or certificates you already hold, to cross-check against the system
Step-by-Step: Getting Your Record
- Download the DHA app or open the DHA website and sign in with UAE PASS or your DHA account.
- Look for your vaccination certificate or immunisation record section — COVID-19 certificates are prominently featured, and other recorded vaccinations appear in your health record.
- Download the PDF certificate and check every detail: name spelling, ID number, vaccine names and dates.
- If something is missing, visit the DHA primary healthcare centre where you were vaccinated, or the nearest one, with your Emirates ID and ask the medical records team to search and print your immunisation history.
- For vaccines given at private clinics, contact each clinic’s medical records department with your ID and request a stamped vaccination summary.
- If you need the record attested for use abroad, ask the issuing facility about the attestation route and check current requirements with the authority that will receive it.
DHA digital certificates are typically free to download through the app as a guide, while printed or attested copies from facilities may carry small administrative charges. Confirm any current fee on the official DHA channels before you go, as service fees are updated from time to time.
Special Notes for Retirees
Retirees often need records spanning many years, and older paper-era vaccinations may not appear in the digital system. If your early vaccines were recorded on a paper card that you still have, bring it: DHA staff can advise whether those entries can be noted in your file, and a doctor can document them as historical records based on your card. If your card is lost and the vaccine was decades ago overseas, be honest with the requesting authority — in many cases a doctor can order an antibody test or simply re-vaccinate where that is medically appropriate. Also note that if your residence status changed after retirement, your Emirates ID may have been replaced; records follow your MRN and file history, so tell staff about any previous ID numbers.
Fixing Errors on Your Record
Mistakes are usually simple: a misspelled name, a wrong date, or a dose recorded under a duplicate file. Report errors at the facility where the vaccine was given, with your ID and any proof such as the appointment SMS or payment receipt. Duplicate files — created when someone registered once with a passport and once with an Emirates ID — can be merged by the medical records department, which often makes ‘missing’ vaccinations reappear. Allow a few working days for corrections to reflect in the app before downloading a fresh certificate.
FAQ
Can I get my COVID-19 vaccination certificate from DHA? Yes. If your doses were given in Dubai, the certificate is available through the DHA app and the ALHOSN system history, downloadable as a PDF with a QR code.
What if my vaccine was given at a private clinic? Contact that clinic’s medical records department directly. Private providers keep their own records and can issue a stamped vaccination summary.
Can a family member collect my records for me? Medical records are personal, so facilities usually require your presence or written authorisation with ID copies. Ask the facility about its exact process before sending someone.
Start with the DHA app, then fill any gaps at the facilities that treated you, and you will have a complete record without much running around. For more health and paperwork guides for Dubai residents, visit DXB Talk and browse our How-To section.
