Documents you need to work in the UAE
Most job seekers need three things sorted before a UAE employer can finish the visa: an attested degree, a police clearance where your nationality or visa status requires one, and any licence your profession needs. Which of these apply to you depends on your job level, your nationality and where you are applying from. This page shows the order and where each step lives.
Degree attestation · Equivalency · Police clearance · Dubai, UAE
The order that saves rework
Your degree only counts if your salary and job level count too
The UAE’s official guidance on skilled work sets four conditions together: the job is in the first five skill levels, the certificate is above secondary level, the certificate is attested by the competent authorities, and the monthly salary (excluding commission) is at least AED 4,000. An attested degree that sits against a lower salary may not make the role “skilled” for the permit.
Ask your employer for the exact job title and skill level on the offer before you pay for attestation. It tells you which certificate the permit needs.
The order that saves rework: attest, then equivalency, then licence
- Attest the degree and transcripts. A foreign degree is authenticated in the country that issued it (its foreign ministry), then by the UAE embassy or consulate there, then by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). An apostille alone is not enough, because the UAE is not a Hague Apostille Convention member. The MOFA government fee is AED 150 per stamp for personal and educational documents. See degree attestation in the UAE and MOFA attestation.
- Equivalency, only if your employer, licence body or school asks for it. Equivalency confirms your qualification meets UAE standards. It does not replace attestation, and it needs a fully attested degree first. Foreign university degrees are handled by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) under Ministerial Resolution 34/2025. See certificate equivalency.
- Profession-specific registration. Engineers register with the Society of Engineers, which expects a recognised degree first. Doctors, nurses and similar roles sit exams with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Dubai Health Authority or the Department of Health Abu Dhabi. See Society of Engineers registration.
Starting step 2 before step 1 is finished is the most common reason a file stalls: the authority needs the attested copy, not the original certificate.
Police clearance is not for everyone: it is rolled out by nationality, in phases
A police clearance certificate (also called a good conduct certificate) is now required for employment visa applications from certain nationalities. It is not a universal rule.
- Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed its own case: phase one took effect on 30 March 2026 and phase two on 20 July 2026, with certificates authenticated by Ghana’s foreign ministry and the UAE embassy in Accra. Ghanaians already in the UAE on a visit visa were given 45 days to comply.
- Advisers report that the list differs between mainland and free zones, and that no single consolidated public list has been published. Check with your employer or the UAE embassy in your country before you order a certificate.
If your nationality is covered, read why the UAE asks for a police clearance certificate first.
Where you apply decides which certificate you need
- Applying from outside the UAE, or on a visit visa: the certificate comes from your home country (or the country you lived in), then goes through the foreign ministry, the UAE embassy and MOFA.
- Inside the UAE with a cancelled residence visa: the certificate is issued in the UAE, by Dubai Police or the Ministry of Interior.
- Dubai Police certificate: valid for three months, and the service lists five working days for processing. Fees and steps are in our police clearance certificate cost guide.
The UAE certificate can now be attested in one digital step: MOFA and the Ministry of Interior jointly launched a service that gives Ministry of Interior, MOFA and destination-embassy attestation for a UAE clear criminal record certificate in one request. MOFA says it cut the time from six days to about three minutes. That applies only to certificates issued by the UAE Ministry of Interior, not to foreign ones.
What the employer needs before the visa moves
The UAE government’s “preparing to work” guidance lists the points that must be in place:
- A passport valid for at least six months.
- A sponsored entry permit, valid for two months from issue. The residence visa must then be completed within one month of entry.
- Medical tests for HIV, hepatitis B, leprosy, syphilis and tuberculosis. Pregnancy testing applies to domestic workers only.
- No work on a visit or tourist visa. Both employees and employers can be fined.
Before the offer letter, employers also typically ask for passport and photo copies, your CV, and proof of your degree. Keep scans of your attested documents ready, because HR usually applies online.
If you are already in the UAE, two other guides may help once you are hired: UAE probation period rules and how to check absconding status.
Employers can now verify foreign degrees digitally
Since May 2025, MoHRE and MoHESR run a digital link that lets private-sector employers verify foreign-issued degrees electronically as part of work permit issuance. It first covers skill levels 1 to 4. That makes a clean, correctly attested degree matter more, not less, because the check runs automatically.
How long each step usually takes
| Step | Typical time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Degree attestation, full chain | 2 to 6 weeks | Depends on the country. Eastern Europe can take up to 6 weeks |
| MOFA stage alone | 1 to 3 business days | UAE stamp only |
| Equivalency | Usually a few weeks, depending on the university’s response | Needs the attested degree first. Ask us for a current timeline |
| Dubai Police clearance | Five working days | Valid three months |
| Entry permit | Valid two months | From issue date |
Government fees are separate from our service fee. Timelines vary, and we confirm yours once we see your documents.
Country guides
Your home country sets the first steps in the chain: India, Philippines, UK, US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Egypt, or see all 120+ countries.
Send your degree, country and job title and we will confirm the route.
Frequently asked questions
For skilled roles, yes: the certificate has to be attested for the work to count as skilled. A foreign degree goes through the issuing country’s foreign ministry, the UAE embassy there, then MOFA.
No. The UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not accepted. The embassy and MOFA steps are still needed.
No. It is required for employment visas from certain nationalities, rolled out in phases, and the list differs between mainland and free zones. Confirm with your employer before you order one.
It depends on your status. With a cancelled residence visa, advisers say a UAE-issued certificate is needed. On a visit visa, a home-country certificate that has been legalised is usually asked for.
Three months from the issue date.
Only where your employer, licensing body or school asks for it. It always needs the attested degree first.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), under Ministerial Resolution 34/2025. School certificates sit with the Ministry of Education.
Not on a visit or tourist visa. The UAE government says working on one is prohibited and both worker and employer can be fined.
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Tell us your degree, country and job title and we will confirm which documents your case needs.
Seal & Signature Business Services · Dubai, UAE · +971 55 937 1335 · info@documentsattestation.com. Government fees apply separately. Tabby installment payments available.
