Kerala set up mechanism to issue ‘Good Conduct Certificate’ for UAE work visa

The southern state of Kerala has become the first Indian state to put in place a mechanism to issue ‘good conduct certificate’ mandated by the UAE for issuing a work visa to job aspirants.

Job seekers from the state can get a ‘police clearance certificate’ from district police chiefs and submit it in the UAE for a work visa, a senior UAE official told.

“We received official letters from the Kerala government and Kerala Police headquarters in this regard,” Jamal Hussain Al Za’abi, Consul General at the UAE Consulate General in Thiruvananthapuram, said.

He said the letters said the ‘police clearance certificate’ [for the purpose of ‘good conduct certificate’ in the UAE would be issued by district police chiefs in an expeditious procedure.

Al Za’abi said four other south Indian state governments are also expected to follow the same procedure. “This is my understanding … from my informal interactions with the officials of the other states. However, we have to wait for official announcements from them,” he said.

The Consulate General in Thiruvananthapuram covers five south Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the UAE’s top diplomat in India confirmed that the police clearance certificate would meet the requirement for a UAE work visa.

“Prospective job seekers from countries such as India, where there is no existing procedure to obtain a federal good conduct certificate, can get the nearest equivalent document,” Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE Ambassador to India, told in New Delhi.

“For UAE job seekers from India, you can obtain the police clearance certificate — it would be similar to a good conduct certificate required to get a job in the UAE,” he said in New Delhi.

The office of the Director General of Police (DGP) of Kerala confirmed that a directive in this regard was issued to all district police chiefs in the state on February 1. The system is in place and people can start submitting their applications now, he said.

“The job seekers can submit their applications at the office of the district police chief Superintendent of Police (SP) in rural districts and City Police Commissioner in the cities, along with Rs1,000 [Dh57] fee,” the official said. The same office will issue the certificates after due inquiries about the applicant.

He said applicants with a clean record could get the certificate within a few days. “This won’t be a problem for a person who is not involved in a criminal case. If the database of the district police chief does not show any criminal case against the applicant, the certificate will be issued without any delay. However, if there is any criminal record, the matter will be referred to the special branch of the intelligence wing of the state police and respective police stations, which have to give the clearance in this regard. This may take a few days more,” the official explained.

The UAE rule on good conduct certificate came into force on February 4.

How to apply

•   Visit the office of the district police chief Superintendent of Police in rural districts and City Police Commissioner in the cities

•   Submit the application in the given format along with the required documents such as passport copy.

•   Pay Rs1,000 [Dh57] fee

•   The same office will issue the certificate within a few days

Good Conduct Certificates for UAE work visas from today 4th Feb 2018

The new requirement of having to produce a 'certificate of good conduct' to obtain work visas in the UAE comes into effect from Sunday 4^th February.

Earlier this year, a committee in charge of implementing the Cabinet resolution had announced that the certificate should be issued by the country of origin of the person or the country where he/she has been residing in for the past five years. It should then be ratified by the state's mission, as well as the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The certificate will only be applicable to the worker concerned and not his/her dependents. Those coming to the country on the visit, tourist or student visas needn't get the certificate either.

On Saturday, when Khaleej Times contacted the Dubai Police call centre to find out how to obtain the certificate, we were told that if an expatriate comes to the UAE as a new employee, "he/she will have to get a good conduct certificate from his/her home country before the visa can be issued".

However, the official clarified that the certificate is not mandatory if an existing resident is switching jobs within the country. "But it's up to the employer if they still want a certificate of good conduct issued by the local police from the employee."

When the decision was announced, the committee, which includes representatives from multiple government agencies, said the action comes within the framework of the efforts of the UAE government to create "a safer and more sustainable society".

"Making the UAE one of the safest countries in the world is the government's main aim," the committee noted in a statement.

Major-General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, assistant commander-in-chief of the Dubai Police for criminal investigation affairs, had earlier said that the certificate is aimed at preventing and reducing crime in the UAE. The new procedure will also help those involved in financial cases to clear their names and come back or continue to work in the country.

"The new requirement will definitively prevent criminals from entering the country ... The state has the right to protect society and its members," he said.

What's a good conduct certificate?

It is a certificate issued by the country of origin of an expat who is coming to the UAE on a work visa. If he/she had been residing in any other country than his/her home country, the expat needs to produce the certificate from that country.

How can it be obtained?

It is usually issued by the police or ministry of external affairs in a resident's home country. It then needs to be ratified by the state's mission, as well as the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Is the certificate required for switching jobs within the UAE?

It is not mandatory for residents switching jobs within the country. However, it is up to the employer if they want a new recruit to produce the document.

What is the aim of the document?

To ensure a safer and more sustainable society, according to the committee in charge of implementing the Cabinet resolution. The Dubai Police said the requirement will help reduce crime.

Do residents' dependants have to get the certificate?

The certificate will only be applicable to the worker concerned and not his/her dependents

Is anyone else exempted from obtaining it?

Those coming to the UAE on the visit, tourist or student visas.

Applying for a good conduct certificate in UAE

    Documents required:

   Valid Emirates ID

   Active e-mail address

    Service fee

   Certificate - UAE National - Dh100

   Certificate - Resident - Dh200

   Certificate - From outside the country - Dh300

   Knowledge fee - Dh10

   Innovation fee - Dh10

How to apply Good Conduct Certificate for UAE Job Visa

Expatriates applying for a job in the UAE must first obtain a certificate of good conduct in order to be issued a work permit, a UAE government body has announced. The new rule will take effect on February 4, 2018.

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.

Long-term residents in the UAE who are looking for a new visa can apply to Dubai Police or Abu Dhabi Police for a certificate. Now to make the process simpler, Dubai Police posted a link on their official Twitter account through which the certificate can be applied online.

In addition, the applications can be made using the Dubai Police app which can be accessed on all smartphones and is available in English and Arabic. Here, an individual has to enter his/her name along with the identity card number to initiate the process. The fee to obtain the certificate for UAE resident expats is Dh220.

The 'certificate of good conduct' should be issued by the country of origin of the person or the country where he has been living for the past five years. It should then be ratified by the state's mission, as well as the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The certificate will only be applicable to the worker concerned and not his/her dependents. Those coming to the country on a visit or tourist visas do not require the certificate either.

Documentations required

Valid Emirates ID

Active e-mail address

Service Fee

Certificate - UAE National - Dh100

Certificate - Resident - Dh200

Certificate - From outside the country - Dh300

Knowledge fee - Dh10

Innovation fee - Dh10

Where to apply

(Channel Name - Timing - Period to finish the request)

1. Dubai Police Website - Internet - (24h/7days) - 5 minutes

2. Dubai Police Smart Apps (24h/7days) - 5 minutes

3. Call center 901 (Only Inquiries) - (24h/7days) - 5 minutes

4. Offices 7.30 am to 2.30 pm (Sunday to Thursday) - 15 minutes

Good Conduct Certificate rule for new Job Visas in the UAE

Job seekers applying for new work visas in the UAE will be subjected to security background checks, official sources. According to a source, the UAE Government will start background checks of foreign workers from February 4^th. It means candidates applying for their first job in the UAE will have to produce certificates of good conduct.

“The security screening of job candidates means that they will have to produce good conduct certificates from their home countries, or the country, or countries, of their residence for work, or study, for the past five years,” an official source told. The screening is applicable only to new work visas. The source said the move was adopted after many Labour cases showed some foreign workers had involved in criminal offences or wanted for their home countries.

“The security vetting is a means of judging a job candidate’s past mistakes, character, and fitness, and to identify potential hiring risks for safety and security reasons and to ensure the safety and security of the employees as well as their public and private employers,” the source said. The criminal history checks will be applicable to all job candidates including domestic workers.

The source clarified if the applicant for a work permit has lived and worked in more than one country in the past five years, a certificate of good conduct from each country must be produced. “For residents born and lived in the UAE until they apply for a job, they will not be required to present a good conduct certificate,” the source said.

However, the source said, those born and lived in the UAE for a while but left for home or another country before applying for a job, must produce a good conduct certificate from their home country or the country of their residence for work, or study, for the past five years.

The good conduct certificates must be certified by the UAE’s missions abroad or attested at customer happiness centres of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The security screening is only mandatory for job candidates but not their dependents or family members.The certificate is not required for tourists, students and people who come to the UAE on medical or mission visas, issued for the purpose of temporary work in the country for three months and can be renewed for a similar period.

A committee made up of representatives of the ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs and Human Resources and Emiratisation said in a statement the new procedure was part of the UAE Government’s efforts to create a more secure community. It said this condition was “part of the process of updating and developing government policies, to achieve the highest level of security for those residing in the country, in a secure, peaceful and happy community”.

Conducting background security checks on foreign workers was approved in principle by the Cabinet in October 2016.

Stricter security checks on foreign workers were invited on the wake of many controversial crimes committed by foreigners including the case of a Jordanian man who was found guilty of kidnapping, raping and murdering an eight-year-old boy in 2016.

Hamad Al Rahoumi, a member of the Federal National Council, who pressed for security vetting being conducted on foreign workers, said there are more than 4.5 million expatriate workers living and working in the UAE, which requires background checks for any past criminal activity.

“The UAE wants to make sure every worker is free of a criminal record — regardless of wherever they come from,” Al Rahoumi said. “If a job candidate has committed a crime in his/her home country and the person has a criminal record, there is no way for us to know unless there is security vetting,” Al Rahoumi said.

Al Rahoumi said he did not feel safe without knowing the background of each worker. He wanted to make sure every chauffeur that drives his family’s car is free of a criminal record. “It comes down to authorities conducting security checks before issuing work permits,” he said.

The good conduct certificate will be produced on applying for a job visa, issued by residency departments to foreigners who wish to work for a company in the UAE upon the approval of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

The visa allows the holders to enter the UAE once and is valid for two months from the date of issue. When the employee has entered the country on the basis of the job visa, the sponsoring company will arrange to complete the formalities of medical and stamping his residence within 60 days.

The heads of the Indian, Bangladeshi and Indonesian mission welcomed the development but said they need to get a clear idea of its modalities.

Navdeep Singh Suri, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, said: “‘We have taken note of the media reports on the requirement of a good conduct certificate. We would need to get a clear idea of the modalities involved for the workers before we can offer a substantive comment.”

Mohammad Imran, Bangladeshi Ambassador to the UAE, said: “We welcome this move as we hope that this will address any concerns the UAE authorities may have about Bangladeshi job seekers. However, we also hope that the procedure will be a simple one.”

Husin Bagis, the Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE, said: “The embassy understands the aim and spirit of the new regulation. We hope that its implementation will not hamper or burden qualified job seekers to meet the demands of the UAE’s labour market.”