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.

VAT in the UAE: First tax returns must be submitted before February 28th

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has told businesses, whose first tax period ended on January 31, to file their VAT returns before February 28.Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director-general, FTA, reminded registered businesses to submit their tax returns on a monthly or quarterly basis, as determined by the FTA based on their annual revenue.

Earlier, the FTA had made some adjustments to the first tax periods for VAT in order to afford more flexibility to businesses following requests from a large number of businesses subject to VAT.

These exceptional adjustments included extending tax periods from one to three months for some businesses at the beginning of implementation in 2018, with tax periods returning to a monthly basis later on.

According to FTA, the first quarterly tax period - which was meant to expire by the end of January or February 2018 - was extended by merging it with the following period, making the first tax period four months for some businesses and five for others. These mainly included small and medium enterprises.

Meanwhile, businesses whose first tax period was three months ending in March 2018 were not included in these adjustments.

According to Federal Decree-Law No. (8) of 2017 on the VAT, the standard tax period applicable to a taxable person shall be a period of three months ending on the date that the authority determines.

Al Bustani noted that taxable persons must submit tax returns, pay their due taxes within the specified timeframes, and keep records as required in tax legislation in order to avoid penalties.

Tax returns must include

> The value of standard-rated supplies made in the tax period and the output tax charged

> The value of zero-rated supplies made in the tax period

> The value of exempt supplies made in the tax period

> The value of any reverse-charged supplies received in the tax period

> The value of expenses incurred in the tax period (if the business in question is looking to recover input tax and the amount of recoverable tax)

> The total amount of tax due and recoverable input tax for the tax period

> The payable tax (or repayable) for the tax period+

New security checks for UAE expats come into effect from 4th Feb 2018

Strict new security checks that will require every working resident to produce a document proving they have not committed a criminal offence will come into force on Sunday.

All residents seeking a new work visa from Sunday will need to secure a Good Conduct and Behavior Certificate.

The move was outlined in a Cabinet resolution reported by state news agency Wam last month.

According to the committee managing the process, the checks are part of the Government’s efforts to help to safeguard the country's national security.

In most cases, the document can be obtained from a police force or government authority in the expat's home country, or from the country they have lived within the past five years.

That document would then be attested by the UAE embassy in that country or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE.

Marriage certificates and education qualifications are currently certified in the same way.

How to verify UAE Federal Tax authority’s TRN number

After implementing Vat in UAE nearly 260,000 firms registered with Federal Tax authority for VAT registration and firms started using TRN number to collect tax from the customers. Customers can verify the TRN number of the firm through Federal tax authority’s website. Validating the TRN on the Tax invoices received would simplify and ensure correct filing of VAT returns and settlement of payable tax within the time stipulated by FTA UAE.

Procedure to Verify TRN number:

• Visit Federal tax website link www.tax.gov.ae
• Look for tab Getting Help.
• While you hold pointer/mouse cursor on Getting Help Tab you would see TRN Verification link https://eservices.tax.gov.ae/en-us/trn-verify-verify and click
• Enter TRN number of you supplier/service provider as provided on tax invoice.
• Enter security code
• Click validate
• If TRN number provided by supplier/ service provider is correct it would provide the corresponding name in English and Arabic with the respective tax registration number in issued in UAE by the FTA (Federal Tax Authority).

 The Federal Tax Authority, FTA, has confirmed that businesses are not required to present a tax certificate in order to conduct their commercial activities and can simply use their Tax Registration Number, TRN. You can verify the TRN number issued by Federal Tax authority belongs to the concerned firm or not follow the steps