UAE Work Visa Police Certificate From Pakistan: Get It Attested in 3 Steps
Pakistanis need a police certificate for a UAE work visa. Attest it at MOFA free, then at the UAE embassy for about AED 370. Steps, fees, time and mistakes.
A Pakistani going to the UAE on a work visa needs a police character certificate, attested first by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and then by the UAE embassy. MOFA charges no fee, only revenue stamps. The UAE side costs about AED 370 a document through the embassy's agent and takes about 5 working days.
Recruiters started asking for this paper again this summer. Press reports say the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) told applicants the rule applies from 20 July 2026. The rule itself is not new. BEOE's own website carries a notice saying the UAE made the certificate mandatory for work visas from 4 February 2018.
We read that BEOE notice, MOFA's attestation rules and its apostille country list, and the attestation page of an agent BEOE names for the UAE embassy. We could not find the 20 July 2026 notice on BEOE's site, so that date stays "reported" on this page.
Who needs the police certificate for a UAE work visa
The certificate is for the worker applying for a UAE employment visa. BEOE's notice says it does not apply to dependants, to tourist, visit or student visas, or to someone already living in the UAE who is only switching jobs there. It must come from where you lived for the last five years.
| Your situation | Certificate needed? |
|---|---|
| New UAE employment visa, applying from Pakistan | Yes |
| Family member going with the worker | No, per BEOE's notice |
| Tourist, visit or student visa | No |
| Already a UAE resident, changing jobs inside the UAE | No |
| Lived outside Pakistan for the last five years | From that country instead |
Your employer or UAE work visa sponsor still applies for the permit. The certificate is one of the papers they ask you to send.
What is confirmed and what is only reported
The 2018 rule and the attestation chain are on official pages. The 20 July 2026 start date is in press reports that cite BEOE, but we could not read it on BEOE's site. Treat the paper as required either way, because recruiters and Protector offices are asking for it.
Here is the trail as we found it on 3 October 2026:
- Confirmed: BEOE's notice, dated 21 February 2018, says the UAE made a character certificate mandatory for work visas from 4 February 2018.
- Reported: In late 2024, Pakistani officials reportedly told Protector offices and airport staff to check the certificate for every UAE work visa traveller.
- Reported: In 2026, press reports said BEOE announced the requirement for all UAE employment visas from 20 July 2026. BEOE's news list was behind a bot check when we tried to read it, so we could not confirm the notice.
Reports differ on whether 2026 brought a new rule or stricter checking of the old one. For you, the result is the same.
How to get the certificate attested, step by step
The chain has three stops: police, MOFA, then the UAE embassy. Do them in that order. The UAE embassy's agent asks for a MOFA-attested original, and MOFA only attests a police certificate signed by the District Police Officer.
- Get a police character certificate from your district police. In Punjab, Police Khidmat Markaz centres list it as a service. The police character certificate routes differ by province.
- Check it is issued or signed by the District Police Officer (DPO). MOFA's rules say so. In former tribal areas, the Political Agent signs instead.
- Take the original, a photocopy and your original CNIC to MOFA in Islamabad or a camp office in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar or Quetta. Paste the revenue stamps required.
- Take the MOFA-attested original to the UAE embassy's designated agent with copies of your passport and CNIC.
- Collect it after attestation and send a scan to your employer or recruiter.
MOFA lets a blood relative submit papers for you if they can prove the relation. A courier is another option: MOFA names Gerry's, Leopards and TCS as authorised for attestation.
Fees and time for each stage
MOFA charges nothing for attestation beyond revenue stamps. The UAE embassy stage costs about AED 370 a document through Sasha International, an agent BEOE names, which says it takes about 5 working days. The police stage depends on your province.
| Stage | Fee | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police character certificate | Set by each province | Varies by district | Provincial police |
| MOFA attestation | No fee, revenue stamps only | About two hours for general documents | MOFA's attestation page |
| UAE embassy and UAE MOFA attestation | About AED 370 a document | About 5 working days | Sasha International's own page |
The AED fee is charged on a card, so the agent asks for a debit or credit card with international transactions turned on. Check that with your bank before you go. We could not read a fee on the UAE embassy's own pages, so treat AED 370 as the agent's figure, not the embassy's.
Budget at least a week from police office to embassy stamp. Leave more if your district police are slow.
Why apostille does not work for the UAE
The UAE is not on MOFA's apostille country list, so a single apostille stamp is not enough. You need the older chain: MOFA attestation, then the UAE embassy. Do not pay Rs 3,000 for an apostille on this certificate.
We checked MOFA's apostille country list on 3 October 2026. Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia are on it. The United Arab Emirates is not. The difference between the two routes is set out under apostille or attestation, and it matters here because the apostille fee is wasted money for a UAE file.
Applying from inside the UAE
If you are already in the UAE and need a Pakistani police certificate, BEOE's notice gives a different route. Get the certificate attested by the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi or the consulate in Dubai, then by the UAE foreign ministry.
A resident switching jobs inside the UAE does not need the certificate at all, per the same notice.
Mistakes that send the file back
Most delays come from the wrong signature, the wrong order or a fake agent. A certificate not signed by the DPO, or taken to the UAE side before MOFA, gets returned. Paying a stranger who promises a "ready" attested certificate is how people lose money.
- Wrong signature. MOFA wants the DPO's signature and stamp, not just a police station's.
- Wrong order. The UAE agent's own page asks for a MOFA-attested original.
- Old links. The Gerry's link in BEOE's 2018 notice no longer opens. Find the agent through its current official website.
- Fake agents. Sasha International's page says it has not authorised any person or office to collect documents for it. Hand papers only at the agent's own counter or an authorised courier.
You still need emigrant protection from BEOE before you fly. The police certificate does not replace it.
Common questions
Is a police certificate required for a UAE work visa from Pakistan?
Yes. BEOE's notice says the UAE has required a character certificate for work visas since 4 February 2018. Press reports say BEOE restated it from 20 July 2026.
Do family members need a police certificate too?
No. BEOE's notice says the certificate applies only to the worker, not to dependants.
How much does MOFA charge to attest a police certificate?
Nothing. MOFA says it charges no fee for any attestation. You only paste the required revenue stamps.
How much does UAE embassy attestation cost?
About AED 370 a document, covering the UAE embassy and UAE MOFA, according to Sasha International's own page. We could not read the fee on an embassy page.
Can I use an apostille instead of UAE embassy attestation?
No. The UAE is not on MOFA's apostille country list, so the embassy route applies.
Do I need the certificate for a UAE visit visa?
No. BEOE's notice says it does not apply to tourist, visit or student visas.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 3 October 2026. The 4 February 2018 requirement, the exemptions for dependants, residents switching jobs and tourist, visit and student visas, the five-year residence rule, and the three-step route (police, MOFA, UAE embassy through designated agents) are read on BEOE's notice "Mandatory Character Certificate for expatriates applying work visa for UAE", dated 21 February 2018 on beoe.gov.pk. MOFA's no-fee rule, revenue stamps, original CNIC and photocopy, the DPO signature rule for police certificates, camp offices, hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays, the two-hour processing of general documents and the authorised couriers are read on MOFA's attestation page. The apostille country list is read on MOFA's apostille portal. The AED 370 fee, five working days, card requirement and the warning about unauthorised collectors are read on Sasha International's UAE embassy attestation page. The 20 July 2026 start date is reported in the press and we could not confirm it on BEOE's site. We did not apply for a certificate ourselves.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
