In February this year, the UAE’s visa system underwent a major change with regard to the requirements for foreign nationals seeking to work and reside in the country. To this effect, incoming expat workers now need to prove that they do not have a criminal record in their native country (country of origin) or in the country they resided in for the last 5 years. The way to do this is through securing a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) or Good Conduct and Behavior Certificate. Every applicant for a UAE work visa must supply such a certificate in attested mode before he/she is considered eligible.
The driving goal behind the PCC requirement is to safeguard national security by keeping out undesirable elements and ensuring a safer community. The new visa rule specifically requires every person trying to obtain a work visa in the country, to get a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) and have it attested for UAE based on the country he/she resided in for the last 5 years. The process should be channeled through the UAE Embassy. At the moment, only tourists and sponsored family members are exempted from this requirement.
What is a Police Clearance Certificate or Good Conduct?
A Police Clearance Certificate is essentially a copy of a person’s individual criminal record information. This also serves as a declaration that they have never been convicted or fined for criminal behavior. The aforesaid requirement applies to locals as well as expats, which means UAE nationals too have to get this certificate. Each country has different formats and names for police clearance certificates; they are also known by the names of good conduct certificates, judicial record extracts, and others.
The one thing in common is that the issuing party is either a police authority or a government department in that country. The destination country’s Citizenship and Immigration department uses these to filter out individuals posing security risks, and for preventing them from entering their borders. The requirement for attested PCC is a feature in the visa systems of many countries, such as Belgium, Canada, and Australia.
How Does Attestation Work for Good Conduct Certificate?
PCC attestation entails authorized departments/authorities/person/persons witnessing the proper certificate with their official signature and seal. This legally confirms that the same certificate was issued by the department mentioned, while the seal and signature prove its authenticity.
If you need a PCC attested, we at World Reliance Attestation can spare you the lion’s share of the hassles involved. Call us, and we would get this done for you in minimal time.
