UAE Suspends Good Conduct Certificate Requirement

In an about-turn from their notification earlier this year, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFA) has now issued a directive to all Embassies worldwide that from the 1st April they are postponing the requirement for Good Conduct Certificates to be provided when applying for a UAE Residence Visa.

The news has also been confirmed to the Khaleej Times by a number of overseas consulates in the UAE.

When the original directive was announced, the Cabinet Resolution stated that this move was part of the framework to create “a safer and more sustainable society”. Given that the Resolution remains it is likely that this postponement will indeed be temporary. No information has been supplied to date as to how long the Directive will be postponed for.

For anyone looking to attest documents to take up a position in the UAE, the advice for now is to push forward as quickly as possible if you want to avoid the possibility that this additional requirement will come back into force. Also bear in mind that certain industries may still require a Good Conduct Certificate regardless of this change in general policy. You should check with your company as to what you will need to provide to prevent unnecessary delays.