Medical Certificate Attestation UAE — DHA, DOH & MOHAP Guide (2026)

Types of Medical Certificates That Need Attestation

Medical certificate attestation in the UAE covers several document types. Medical degrees and qualifications — MBBS, MD, nursing degrees, pharmacy degrees, and other healthcare qualifications are attested for the employment and residency procedures that accompany healthcare work in the UAE; licensing itself proceeds on primary source verification. Postgraduate medical certificates — specialty certificates, fellowship diplomas, and board certifications are attested for the employment and residency procedures that accompany specialist practice; the specialist licence itself is decided on primary source verification. Medical fitness certificates — some employers and visa authorities require attested fitness reports from your home country. Sick leave certificates — foreign-issued sick leave certificates may need attestation for UAE Labour Law compliance, particularly for extended medical leave claims. Good standing certificates — healthcare professionals provide certificates of good standing from their home country medical council or board.

Healthcare Licensing (DHA/DOH/MOHAP) and Where Attestation Fits In

Healthcare professionals seeking to practice in the UAE have their qualifications verified by the relevant health authority through primary source verification carried out directly with the issuing institution; attestation is separately required for the accompanying employment and residency procedures, not for the licence itself. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulates healthcare licensing in Dubai. The Department of Health (DOH) covers Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) covers the remaining emirates. Licensing itself is decided on primary source verification obtained by the regulator or a commissioned third party; DHA may also conditionally require a Ministry equivalency certificate for certain qualifications. Attested qualifications are separately required for the employment and residency procedures that accompany a move to the UAE. The attestation chain is: medical council verification in your home country (e.g., NMC in India, GMC in UK, state medical board in USA), then MEA or equivalent authentication, then UAE Embassy attestation, and finally MOFA attestation. Additionally, most health authorities require primary source verification (PSV) through DataFlow, which verifies your credentials directly with the issuing institution. This is separate from attestation but equally important.

The Attestation Process Step by Step

Medical certificate attestation follows the standard verification chain with some profession-specific requirements.

1. 1Medical council registration or verification — Your medical qualification must be verified by the medical council in your home country (NMC India, GMC UK, etc.)
2. 2Home country authentication — MEA, FCDO, State Department, or equivalent authenticates the document
3. 3UAE Embassy attestation — The UAE Embassy in your country attests the authenticated document
4. 4MOFA attestation in UAE — Final attestation at the standard or higher express official fee
5. 5DataFlow verification — Separate PSV process required by DHA/DOH/MOHAP for healthcare licensing

Documents Required for Medical Professionals

Healthcare professionals should prepare a comprehensive document set. These documents are attested for the employment and residency procedures that accompany healthcare work in the UAE, while licensing itself proceeds on primary source verification obtained by the regulator or its commissioned provider.

• -Medical degree certificate — original
• -Postgraduate or specialty certificates
• -Medical council registration certificate — from your home country
• -Good standing certificate — issued within 6 months
• -Experience certificates — from all previous employers
• -Professional reference letters — typically 3 required for DHA
• -Passport copy and UAE visa/Emirates ID
• -Passport-size photographs
• -Certified Arabic translation of all non-English documents

Sick Leave Certificate Attestation

Under UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), employees are entitled to 90 days of sick leave per year — 15 days at full pay, 30 days at half pay, and 45 days unpaid. Sick leave must be supported by medical certificates. If the medical certificate was issued outside the UAE, it may require attestation for the employer to accept it. This is particularly relevant for employees who fall ill while on annual leave abroad. The attestation ensures the medical certificate is genuine and legally valid in the UAE. Employers can reject unattested foreign medical certificates, potentially treating the absence as unauthorized leave. For extended medical leave, getting your foreign medical certificate attested promptly protects your employment rights.