Fees and steps checked on
Sick leave attestation is the health authority confirming that a sick leave certificate or medical report is genuine, so your employer, government department or school accepts the absence. Sick leave issued in Dubai is attested by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA); sick leave and medical reports from private or government facilities in the other emirates are attested through the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). Apply within one month of the date of issue.
Price: attestation of UAE sick leave is done directly on the health authority's service. For a medical certificate from abroad, or a UAE medical report going abroad, send a copy on WhatsApp and you get the total price, all official fees included, before any work starts. See attestation fees.
Who attests sick leave in the UAE
| Where the sick leave was issued | Who attests it | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai, any clinic or hospital | Dubai Health Authority (DHA) | Within one month of issue |
| Other emirates, private or government facility | MOHAP service | Within one month of issue |
| Outside the UAE | Home country chain, UAE embassy, MOFA | Set by the receiving employer |
The rules for Abu Dhabi facilities can differ, so check with your employer which authority's stamp it expects before you apply.
How the length of the leave changes the process
| Length of sick leave | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5 days or less | Usually attested instantly |
| More than 5 days, up to one month | Fee payable and review by a medical sub-committee |
| More than one month | Review by the Higher Medical Committee |
A longer leave needs stronger medical evidence. Keep the full medical report, test results and prescriptions, not only the one-page certificate.
Sick leave attestation step by step
- Get the right document from the clinic or hospital: the official sick leave certificate, with the doctor's name, licence details, dates and the facility's stamp.
- Ask for the medical report as well, if the leave is longer than 5 days.
- Apply online on the DHA or MOHAP service, depending on where the leave was issued, within one month of issue.
- Upload the documents and your Emirates ID details.
- Pay the fee shown on the service, where one applies.
- Wait for review if the leave is longer than 5 days; the committee may ask for more evidence.
- Download the attested sick leave and send it to your employer or school.
Documents you need
- The sick leave certificate issued by a licensed UAE facility
- The medical report for leaves of more than 5 days
- Emirates ID
- Supporting results or discharge summary for hospital stays
- Your employer's request, if it names a specific authority
Who asks for attested sick leave
- Government employers, which commonly require attested sick leave for any absence on medical grounds
- Private employers that set it in their HR policy, especially for longer absences
- Schools and universities, for missed exams or long absences
- Courts and insurers, when the leave supports a claim
Medical certificates from abroad
If you fell ill while travelling, DHA and MOHAP do not attest a certificate issued by a hospital in another country. That certificate follows the same route as any foreign document: notarisation where required, the home foreign ministry, the UAE embassy, then MOFA attestation. A certificate in a language other than Arabic or English also needs a legal translation. See medical certificate attestation for the full route.
The one-month limit for UAE sick leave does not apply to this route, but your employer will usually have its own deadline. Start the moment you are back.
UAE medical reports for use abroad
A UAE medical report needed by an insurer, employer or court in another country is attested by the health authority, then by MOFA, then, if required, by the destination country's embassy in the UAE. The steps are on UAE documents for use abroad.
Before you apply
Check three things on the certificate: the doctor's name and licence details, the dates of leave, and the facility stamp. Then confirm with your employer which authority's stamp it expects. Applying with the wrong authority or after the deadline is what causes most refusals.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Applying after one month. The most common reason for refusal. Apply as soon as you are back at work.
- A certificate without the facility stamp or doctor details. Go back to the clinic before you apply.
- Leave longer than 5 days with no medical report. The committee needs it.
- A foreign certificate sent to DHA. It needs the foreign attestation chain instead.
If your sick leave or medical certificate has already been refused, our page on why attestation gets rejected covers the usual fixes.
How we help
For UAE sick leave, the application is quick to do yourself on the health authority's service, and we will tell you so. Where we help is with medical certificates issued abroad, translations, and UAE medical reports that must be attested by MOFA and an embassy for use in another country. The health authorities and MOFA issue the attestations; we prepare the file and follow it through.
