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Updated January 2024

A UAE Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is a crucial document that individuals may need to obtain for various reasons. Also known as a “Criminal Clearance Certificate” or “Good Conduct Certificate,” a UAE PCC confirms that a person has no prior criminal convictions and is not under investigation for any crimes.

Here’s everything you need to know to obtain your UAE Police Clearance Certificate.

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UAE Police Clearance Certificate

A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), commonly known as a “Certificate of Good Conduct,” serves as proof of a person’s criminal history or lack thereof in the state where they currently reside. Issued by law enforcement agencies across the UAE, the certificate confirms that the individual is not under investigation and does not have any criminal record.

UAE residents and foreigners often require a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) for various reasons, such as applying for immigration or pursuing higher education abroad. It is also frequently needed by several employers in the country, as well as overseas colleges and visa consulates.

Companies consider the Police Clearance Certificate as evidence that a candidate has not been involved in any legal issues in the past. This credential is essential for individuals who are seeking to establish their credibility and gain the trust of prospective employers or other entities.

How to apply for UAE Police Clearance Certificate?

Applying for a UAE Police Clearance Certificate differs depending on whether or not the applicant is within the UAE.

Applying from inside UAE

Residents can apply for a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) in Dubai by visiting the nearest Dubai Police office. You can also use the official Dubai Police website or app for this purpose. Steps are as follows:

visit the official website of the Dubai Police
select the Police Clearance Certificate service
click on “Access Service”
follow the procedure by adding relevant details where required
make the payment
submit the application
receive transaction numbers via SMS and Email to follow-up on a request
receive the certificate and receipt over email to the applicant

Required documents

Below is the list of needed documents to get police clearance in the UAE includes:

a valid Emirates ID card
a recent passport-size photograph with white background
a copy of the applicant’s passport.
a letter stating you do not have any pending criminal convictions
a valid email address

Applying from outside UAE

If you are applying for a UAE Police Clearance Certificate from outside the UAE, you can submit your application online. However, you must first have your fingerprint card certified by the UAE Embassy in your home country. The fingerprint card serves as an official police record that verifies a person’s identity using their decimal fingerprint and other biometric data.

Once the UAE Embassy approves your fingerprint card, you can submit your online application to either the Dubai Police or the Interior Ministry of the UAE.

To apply for an online Police Clearance Certificate from outside the UAE, you will need to provide the following documents:

fingerprint card approved by the UAE Embassy
two recent passport-sized photographs
a copy of your valid passport
a copy of your last valid UAE Visa
the reason for your application

Applying through the MOI website

Furthermore, in Abu Dhabi, you can also apply for the police clearance certificate by visiting the Ministry of Interior’s portal. To get it, you have to follow the steps below:

go to the official website of the UAE’s Ministry of Interior (MOI).
scroll down to the “Important Services” tab.
click on “next”.
locate the “Clear criminal record certificate” option in the middle of the page.
click on “View More” to access the e-service page containing instructions.
for new users, click on “Register” and input your Emirates ID number for identity verification.
after registration, click on “Start Services”.
log in with your username and password.
choose “Abu Dhabi” as the Emirate.
specify the reason for requesting the police certificate.
select the language preference (Arabic or English) for the police certificate.
if you are in the country, select “inside”.
enter the organization where you intend to submit the police certificate.
choose the delivery method for receiving the police clearance certificate.
complete the online payment by entering the necessary details.
finally, click the “Pay” button to complete the process.

You can also get the certificate from MOI’s service centers in person. These centres are located across all emirates and you can find a centre near your home on the official website.

UAE Police Clearance Certificate application status

You can follow up on your Police Clearance Certificate application status by following these steps:

visit the official website of Dubai Police
input your ‘reference number’
input the captcha
click ‘submit’

You will be able to view the status of your UAE Police Clearance Certificate.

UAE Police Clearance Certificate validity

The UAE police clearance certificate validity is three months.

UAE Police Clearance Certificate processing time

The issuance of a police clearance certificate typically requires approximately three to five days, although this may vary depending on the specific police department. The timeframe for obtaining this document may also differ among the various Emirates. After the certificate has been issued, it can then be stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

UAE Police Clearance Certificate fee

The fees for obtaining a UAE Police Clearance Certificate vary based on different categories, as outlined by the Dubai Police. Here is a breakdown of the fees:

UAE Nationals: AED 100
UAE Residents: AED 200
Applications in a foreign country: AED 300 or USD 81,68
Knowledge fee: AED 10
Innovation fee: AED 10
An additional fee of AED 100 if applied through service centres in person

Certificate fee

Arabic Certificate: 50 AED
English Certificate: 150 AED

UAE Police Clearance Certificate rejection

If your UAE Police Clearance Certificate application is rejected, it may be due to various reasons. Two common reasons for rejection are:

Criminal complaints have been filed against you, or there is an active case under a name similar to yours.
You have never had an Emirates ID, and you did not submit the original fingerprint certificate to the CID department.

There are two possible solutions to the issue:

Hire a lawyer to perform a travel ban check on your behalf to determine whether any criminal complaints have been filed against your name.
If there are no criminal complaints against you, the reason for rejection may be that you are in the second case, as mentioned above. In this situation, if you are residing outside the UAE, you need to request a fingerprint card from the country you are residing in and have it attested by the UAE Embassy in that country. A fingerprint card is an official report from the police department that verifies a person’s identity based on their biometrics and fingerprint data. Make sure the fingerprint card contains clear and full fingerprints of all ten fingers.

Once you have the original attested fingerprint card, you need to send it via courier to the UAE, where it will be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and submitted to the CID department.

For more information, you can contact the Dubai Police via e-mail at [email protected] or via call centre at 901.