Guidelines for Pakistanis to get good character certificate for UAE work visa

The UAE government recently made good character certificates mandatory for getting a work visa in the country.

As per a decision of the Council of Ministers No. (1/8) of 2017, which has been adopted recently by the Dubai Police Coordination Committee, the applicant should provide the certificate from the home country or from the country of residence where the person has been residing during the last five years. This should be certified by the UAE missions abroad or attestation centres of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of International Cooperation.

On Sunday, the Embassy of Pakistan in UAE issued steps on how Pakistanis can get the good character certificate.

Step 1: Obtain police clearance certificate from local/designated police station/office

Step 2: Attest police clearance certificate from ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan or from its camp offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar or Quetta.

Step 3: If the individual is in Pakistan and wants to proceed to the UAE on employment or work visa:

Attest the certificate from embassy/consulate of UAE in Pakistan through its designated service providers, i.e.,

a.) Gerry's http://visadropbox.com/uae

b.) Sasha International http://sasha.pk

Step 3: If the individual is in UAE on tourist/visit visa and wants to obtain an employment visa

a.) Attest the police clearance certificate from Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi, or Pakistan consulate general in Dubai

b.) Get the certificate attested from the UAE ministry of foreign affairs

Expats won't need police document to change jobs in the UAE

Expats already working in the UAE will not yet require a criminal background check to change jobs and secure a new employment visa, immigration officials have said.

As of February 4, the government will require those moving to the UAE to work to produce a new document: a 'good conduct and behaviour certificate' or police clearance letter.

The term varies between countries but it must be proof that you have never committed a criminal offence.

The move marks one of the most significant changes to the UAE's visa system and has resulted in a flood of queries to the authorities and expats' home embassies.

Immigration officials confirmed that the system is principally aimed at ensuring all new residents have no criminal history and that expats already on a visa will not have to seek a background check if they move on to another company.

But they could not rule expats needing the document in the near future, immigration officials and industry figures said.