A new job overseas, a partner visa, adoption paperwork or a residency application for another country will often come with the same request: prove you have a clean record from the places you have lived. For expats who have lived in Dubai, that means a Police Clearance Certificate β also called a Certificate of Good Conduct. Dubai Police makes the process largely digital, but the details matter, especially if you have already left. Here is how residents and former residents typically request it.
What the Certificate Is and Who Asks for It
The certificate confirms, based on UAE records, whether the person named has a criminal record here for the period covered. Foreign governments, employers in regulated sectors such as education and healthcare, and immigration authorities ask for it as one part of a wider file that may also include certificates from your home country and any other country where you lived for a significant period.
The receiving authority decides what it will accept: how recent the certificate must be, whether it needs to be in English or Arabic, and whether it must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by that country’s embassy. Check those requirements first, before you apply, so you order the right version once rather than paying twice and losing weeks.
Applying While You Are Still in Dubai
Current residents usually apply through the Dubai Police website or app, or through the DubaiNow app, using UAE PASS or their Emirates ID details. You will typically need:
- A copy of your passport and UAE residence visa, plus your Emirates ID if you still hold one.
- A recent passport-style photograph meeting the portal’s specifications.
- The purpose of the request and the country or authority the certificate is for, entered exactly as requested.
- Payment of the official fee by card β fees are typically around a hundred dirhams or more depending on the channel and options, so confirm the current amount in the app before paying.
Processing is often quick β typically a few working days, and sometimes faster for straightforward cases β and the certificate is issued electronically with a reference you can share or print. If the system flags a match, an unpaid fine or an open case, the certificate may be delayed or refused until the matter is cleared, which is another reason not to leave the request until the week your overseas visa appointment is booked.
Applying After You Have Left the UAE
Former residents can usually still apply from abroad, but expect extra steps. Because you may no longer have an active Emirates ID or UAE PASS, Dubai Police typically requires a fingerprint card taken at a police station or authorised office in the country where you now live, attested by the UAE embassy there and, in some cases, by that country’s foreign ministry first. You then submit the attested fingerprint card with your old passport and visa copies and any previous Emirates ID details through the route described on the Dubai Police website for applicants outside the UAE.
This postal and attestation chain is the slow part β allow several weeks, use tracked delivery, and keep copies of everything. If a trusted person in Dubai is helping you, make sure any authorisation you give them is formal and limited to this task, and never hand over original passports to informal agents.
Attestation and Using the Certificate Abroad
An electronic certificate alone may not be the final document your new country wants. Many authorities require attestation: first by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then legalisation by their own embassy or consulate, or an apostille-equivalent process depending on the destination. Ask the receiving authority in writing which chain it requires, whether a digitally issued certificate is accepted for attestation, and how long the certificate stays valid for their application β often only a few months.
Also check the name spelling carefully. It should match your current passport exactly, including middle names. A mismatch between the certificate, your old UAE records and your new application is a common and avoidable cause of rejection.
Start with the end in mind: confirm what the foreign authority needs, apply through Dubai Police or DubaiNow while your UAE documents are still active, and build in time for attestation. Done in that order, this is a straightforward part of an international move β done at the last minute, it can hold up everything else.