
Country / Territory
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
By: Nikhil Bande
The news is out and loud. Effective 4th Feb 2018, foreign nationals seeking employment in the UAE will need to submit legalised Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs) to process new residence permits.
These certificates must be legalized by the UAE Consular Post located in the country that issued them. Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the UAE must also legalize them. All applicants must produce legalised PCCs from their home country and from any other country where they have lived in the past five years. This also applies to domestic helpers who need visas to work in the UAE.
Read more about this news in Fragomen immigration alerts.
The above regulation does not apply to mission visas or tourist or student or medical visa holders in the UAE. The dependants of the main applicant (spouse and children) also remain exempt from this requirement. Also, a foreign national who was born and lived as a dependant in UAE may also be exempt from such requirements if he has not lived in a third country before applying for the UAE work visa.
Background of the Law
The PCC requirement has been under consideration since 2016. Its implementation is meant to augment security and increase scrutiny of the expat population, which constitutes the vast majority of the UAE’s population. Further, PCC requirements are not new in the region and other countries are expected to follow suit in the coming years.
Challenges Ahead
Multiple Police Clearances: People who have lived in two or more countries in the past five years will have to procure the PCCs from all those countries. The time involved in obtaining multiple PCCs poses a particular challenge when the UAE employer is seeking to fill a job vacancy urgently.
Personal Appearance for PCCs: Many countries insist that applicants for PCCs appear in person to provide fingerprints and iris scans. Therefore, applicants seeking a PCC from a country where they do not currently reside may be required to travel to that country, which can prove to be an expensive and time-consuming process.
Missing Immigration Records: Persons who have lived as an expat in any country may be required to provide past immigration records such as previous passports, residence visa copies, entry/exit stamps, visa cancellation documents and similar documentation in order to obtain a PCC. When applicants have not maintained such documentation, obtaining a PCC from a country where they no longer live can prove to be very challenging.
Unfavourable Records and Alternative Documents: UAE job seekers must also be prepared for further challenges if they do not receive a favourable police clearance from any location where they have lived in the past five years. Moreover, it is currently unclear whether the UAE Government will provide any alternatives in such a case or merely deny it.
Validity of PCCs: A PCC’s validity period may differ depending on the country of issuance. It will be crucial in timing your UAE visa application to ensure that all PCCs are valid at the time of submission to the UAE immigration authorities. So far, the UAE Government has not specified if the PCC must be issued within any specified period before filing the work permit (such as 3 or 6 months).
Legalization at UAE Consular Post: All the PCCs must be legalised by the UAE Consular Post based in the country, which issued the PCC. However, if the issuing country does not have a UAE Consular Post, getting the PCC legalised may require additional steps within the country of issuance before it is sent to the nearest UAE Consular Post.
For further advice on police clearance requirements, please contact me at [email protected].
Country / Territory
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Related contacts

Senior Manager - Consular Practice
Related offices
Explore more at Fragomen

Video
Learn how to apply for German citizenship by descent. Discover eligibility under Article 116 and Section 15, benefits of EU citizenship and the step-by-step application process.

Media mentions
Partner Siobhan Owers discussed how visa reforms are reducing available international staff and creating workforce challenges in the UK care sector.

Video
Senior Corporate Services Manager Zak Hynes explores Dubai’s launch of the “One Freezone Passport."

Video
Senior Associate Isabel Schnitzler discusses how to navigate business travel in Germany.

Awards
Partners Molly Carey and Catherine Macris are finalists for the 2025 New England Legal Awards in the Partner of the Year and Regional Managing Partner of the Year categories.

Media mentions
Matawan Managing Partner Rahul Shah reflects on his path in immigration law and shares his perspective on global mobility.

Awards
The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America™ honors numerous Fragomen attorneys for excellence in immigration law, including Partner Sarah K. Peterson, who received the distinguished “Lawyer of the Year” award.

Video
In this video, Senior Manager Ben Morgan offers a comprehensive overview of Greek citizenship by descent—a key pathway for individuals with Greek ancestry to obtain citizenship.

Blog post
Partner Aim-on Larpisal and Senior Knowledge Management Specialist outline key visa options available to international students seeking to study in Thailand, emphasizing strategic planning for a smooth application process.

Fragomen news
Partner Charles Johanes contributed insights to the Australia section of a global immigration and mobility guide.

Media mentions
Pittsburgh Managing Partner Alex Castrodale and Associate Adam Teets highlight the need for US employers to prepare for unannounced immigration compliance checks.

Blog post
Associates Stephanie Fitton and Halil Kaya and Paralegal Marcus Alexander Lang-Rawlings discuss how UK changes to the Skilled Worker visa in 2025 are reshaping sports sector employment.

Video
Learn how to apply for German citizenship by descent. Discover eligibility under Article 116 and Section 15, benefits of EU citizenship and the step-by-step application process.

Media mentions
Partner Siobhan Owers discussed how visa reforms are reducing available international staff and creating workforce challenges in the UK care sector.

Video
Senior Corporate Services Manager Zak Hynes explores Dubai’s launch of the “One Freezone Passport."

Video
Senior Associate Isabel Schnitzler discusses how to navigate business travel in Germany.

Awards
Partners Molly Carey and Catherine Macris are finalists for the 2025 New England Legal Awards in the Partner of the Year and Regional Managing Partner of the Year categories.

Media mentions
Matawan Managing Partner Rahul Shah reflects on his path in immigration law and shares his perspective on global mobility.

Awards
The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America™ honors numerous Fragomen attorneys for excellence in immigration law, including Partner Sarah K. Peterson, who received the distinguished “Lawyer of the Year” award.

Video
In this video, Senior Manager Ben Morgan offers a comprehensive overview of Greek citizenship by descent—a key pathway for individuals with Greek ancestry to obtain citizenship.

Blog post
Partner Aim-on Larpisal and Senior Knowledge Management Specialist outline key visa options available to international students seeking to study in Thailand, emphasizing strategic planning for a smooth application process.

Fragomen news
Partner Charles Johanes contributed insights to the Australia section of a global immigration and mobility guide.

Media mentions
Pittsburgh Managing Partner Alex Castrodale and Associate Adam Teets highlight the need for US employers to prepare for unannounced immigration compliance checks.

Blog post
Associates Stephanie Fitton and Halil Kaya and Paralegal Marcus Alexander Lang-Rawlings discuss how UK changes to the Skilled Worker visa in 2025 are reshaping sports sector employment.