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Good Conduct Certificate for a Visa in Dubai

A good conduct certificate covers the place you lived, not the place you are applying from. That distinction decides who issues it and how long it takes.

Apply for Good Conduct Call +971 52 933 0454
Right Authority Where you actually lived
Purpose Stated It affects the format
Deira Office Talk to a person, not a portal

How do you get a good conduct certificate in Dubai?

It is issued by Dubai Police for the period you lived in Dubai, applied for through their channels with your Emirates ID and passport. The certificate confirms whether there is a criminal record against you locally. Employers, licensing bodies and some visa categories request it.

Good Conduct Certificate for a Visa in Dubai at a glance
Issued byDubai Police
CoversYour time resident in Dubai
Does not coverOther emirates or other countries
Needed forSome jobs, licences and visa categories
Also calledPolice clearance certificate
PurposeStated on application; affects format

Last updated 3 August 2026 · Reviewed by Mohammed Shareef A, Senior PRO Consultant, 12+ years in Dubai government liaison. Fees and timelines are set by the issuing authority and change without notice — confirm current figures before you budget.

Why does the issuing authority matter?

Because a certificate only speaks for the jurisdiction that issued it. Dubai Police can confirm your record in Dubai; they cannot speak for Abu Dhabi, or for the country you lived in before moving here.

An employer asking for clearance covering five years of your life may need certificates from more than one place, and that is worth establishing before you start.

  • Each authority covers its own jurisdiction
  • Other emirates issue their own
  • Time abroad needs a certificate from there
  • Multi-country histories need multiple certificates
Dark passport resting on a slim folder of paperwork on a clean desk

Why does the stated purpose matter?

Because the certificate can be issued in different formats depending on what it is for, and a certificate issued for one purpose is sometimes not accepted for another.

Ask the requester what exactly they need before applying, rather than obtaining a generic one and hoping.

  • Formats differ by stated purpose
  • One purpose may not satisfy another
  • Ask the requester what they need
  • Applying twice costs time you may not have
Documents prepared for submission beside a courier envelope

Will it need attestation?

If it is going abroad, generally yes: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation and then the destination country mission. If it is for a UAE employer or authority, usually not.

Certificates going overseas also tend to have a shelf life imposed by the receiving authority, so timing matters.

  • Going abroad: MOFA then the destination mission
  • Staying in the UAE: usually no attestation
  • Receiving authorities often impose a validity window
  • Apply close to when it is actually needed

What if there is something on your record?

Then it is worth understanding what the certificate will show before it goes to an employer. Old, minor or resolved matters are not always what people fear, and knowing the position beforehand is better than being surprised in front of a prospective employer.

We do not give legal advice on this, but we will tell you honestly when a lawyer is the right next call.

  • Know the position before an employer does
  • Minor or resolved matters vary in effect
  • A surprise in front of an employer helps nobody
  • Take legal advice where the position is serious

How we handle a good conduct application

  1. We establish coverageWhich jurisdictions the requester needs covered.
  2. Purpose confirmedBecause it affects the format issued.
  3. Application filedThrough the Dubai Police channel.
  4. Certificate issuedCollected and checked.
  5. Attestation, if going abroadMOFA and the destination mission.
  6. HandoverWith any validity window explained.

Which certificate do you need?

By where you lived
You lived inCertificate from
DubaiDubai Police
Another emirateThat emirate police authority
BothEach, separately
Abroad, before moving hereThat country authority
Several countriesEach of them
The mistake we see most: Getting a Dubai certificate when the employer wanted clearance covering the five years before you arrived. Dubai Police cannot certify a period you spent in another country, and the certificate you paid for does not answer the question that was asked.
MSM tip: Ask the requester in writing which period and which countries they need covered. It is one email, and it prevents the most common wasted application in this whole category.

What documents do you need?

What we need

Passport copy
Emirates ID
Residence visa page
The purpose the certificate is required for
The period the requester wants covered
The destination country, if it is going abroad

The detail that most often causes a wasted application is the period required. Establish that before applying, because it determines whether Dubai Police is even the right authority.

Good Conduct Certificate

The parent service.

From Outside the UAE

When the certificate has to come from abroad.

MOFA Attestation for a Visa

Attesting it for use overseas.

Sources

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Frequently Asked Questions

Who issues a good conduct certificate in Dubai?
Dubai Police, for the period you lived in Dubai. They cannot certify time spent in another emirate or another country.
Is it the same as a police clearance certificate?
Yes, the two names describe the same document.
Does it need attestation?
If it is going abroad, generally yes, through UAE MOFA and then the destination mission. For a UAE employer, usually not.
How long is it valid?
The receiving authority usually imposes its own validity window, often a few months. Apply close to when it is actually needed.
I lived in Abu Dhabi too. What then?
You will need a certificate from that emirate as well. Each authority covers only its own jurisdiction.
What if I have something on my record?
Find out what the certificate will show before an employer does. Where the position is serious, take legal advice rather than guessing.

Employer asking for police clearance?

Tell us the period and countries they need covered. We will confirm the right route.

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Apply for a Good Conduct Certificate

The period and jurisdictions required decide which authority issues it.

Hotline: +971 52 933 0454

Email: info@msmdoc.com

Office: Deira, Dubai — serving all seven emirates.