A Dubai police check, officially the good conduct certificate, is applied for online on the Dubai Police app or website. You track the request with the reference number given at payment, many certificates are issued the same day, and the certificate is reported as valid for three months from issue.
What is a police check in Dubai?
"Police check", "police clearance certificate", "PCC" and "good conduct certificate" all mean the same document: a letter from Dubai Police stating if you have a criminal record on file in Dubai. It is asked for by immigration offices abroad, by some employers and licensing bodies, and in some UAE visa files. If you lived in another emirate, ask the receiving office whether a Ministry of Interior certificate is acceptable instead, as both are issued and used in practice.
How do you apply for a Dubai police clearance certificate online?
- Open the Dubai Police app or website and pick the police clearance certificate service.
- Choose your category: resident in the UAE, or applicant outside the UAE.
- Sign in with UAE PASS, or enter your Emirates ID number and email address and confirm the one-time password sent to your mobile.
- Fill in the purpose, the requesting entity and the language. Write the name of the embassy, employer or authority exactly as they want it to appear.
- Pay online. Keep the reference number: it is how you track the request later.
- Download the certificate when you receive the email. It is issued electronically.
Applicants outside the UAE who have no fingerprint record with Dubai Police are asked for a fingerprint document certified by a UAE embassy. That step is the one that adds the most time, so start it first if it applies to you.
How much does it cost?
| Applicant | Usual time |
|---|---|
| Resident inside the UAE | Often the same day |
| Applicant outside the UAE | Same day to several days |
| Applying at a police service centre in person | Varies |
Every official fee is included in the total price you get before any work starts.
The official fee is not refundable, so check the purpose and addressee before you pay. Our own police clearance certificate service page covers help with the request and the attestation that follows.
How do you check the status of a Dubai police clearance certificate?
There are two ways, both free:
- Application status with the reference number. On the Dubai Police website or app, open the application status option and enter the reference number from your payment. This works even if you applied without logging in.
- Your account. If you signed in with UAE PASS or a Dubai Police account, the request shows in your list of requests, with the download once it is approved.
When the certificate is ready, a copy goes to the email address you gave. If the request is still pending after several working days, the reason can be a missing fingerprint record, details that need a manual check, or a request for more information. Reply to any message from Dubai Police quickly, because the request waits until you do.
How many days does it take?
Many residents receive the certificate on the day they pay. Expect longer if:
- you apply from outside the UAE and need the fingerprint step
- your name or passport details do not match what Dubai Police holds
- there is a past case or fine on file that needs a manual review
If you need the certificate for a visa or job abroad, it then needs MOFA attestation. For a UAE-issued personal document, MOFA by courier inside the UAE usually takes 1 to 3 business days. Add the embassy of the destination country if it asks for its own stamp. Plan about a week in total, more if the embassy is slow.
How long is a Dubai police clearance certificate valid?
The certificate is reported as valid for three months from the date of issue. In practice, the rule that matters is the one set by the office receiving it:
- Some immigration offices accept a certificate up to a set age, counted from the issue date to the date you file.
- Some employers and licensing bodies ask for a fresh certificate for each new application.
- A certificate that has expired cannot be renewed. You apply for a new one and pay again.
Attestation does not reset the clock. MOFA's stamp has no expiry date of its own, but the receiving office still looks at the issue date of the certificate underneath it. Our guide on whether attestation expires explains which documents count as "recent only".
Using the certificate outside the UAE
The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so a Dubai police certificate cannot be apostilled. For use abroad the usual chain is:
- Dubai Police issues the certificate.
- MOFA attests it.
- The destination country's embassy in the UAE legalises it, if that country asks.
- A legal translation is added if the receiving office wants it in its own language.
Full details for papers leaving the UAE are on UAE documents for use abroad. The receiving office can confirm the MOFA stamp on MOFA attestation verification.
Common mistakes with a Dubai police check
- Applying too early. If your visa interview is in four months, a certificate issued today may be too old by then.
- Wrong addressee. "To whom it may concern" is refused by some immigration offices. Use the exact name they give you.
- Name order different from the passport. Enter your name as it appears in your passport.
- Forgetting attestation. An unattested certificate is often returned by offices abroad.
How we help
We are a private attestation service in Dubai, not Dubai Police and not MOFA. We can guide you through the request, then handle MOFA attestation, the embassy step and translation, and send the result to you in the UAE or abroad. MOFA attestation of a UAE personal document starts from AED 250 plus VAT, all official fees included, usually 2 to 3 working days. See attestation fees. Send a photo of the certificate and the destination country on WhatsApp for the exact price and steps.
