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 must be attested for DHA, DOH, or MOHAP licensing. Postgraduate medical certificates — specialty certificates, fellowship diplomas, and board certifications require attestation for specialist licensing. 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 must provide attested certificates of good standing from their home country medical council or board.

Attestation for Healthcare Licensing (DHA/DOH/MOHAP)

Healthcare professionals seeking to practice in the UAE must have their qualifications attested and verified by the relevant health authority. 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. Each authority requires fully MOFA-attested medical qualifications as part of the licensing application. 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 AED 40 (standard) or AED 150 (express)
5. 5DataFlow verification — Separate PSV process required by DHA/DOH/MOHAP for healthcare licensing

Documents Required for Medical Professionals

Healthcare professionals applying for UAE licensing should prepare a comprehensive document set.

• -Medical degree certificate — MOFA attested original
• -Postgraduate or specialty certificates — MOFA attested
• -Medical council registration certificate — from your home country
• -Good standing certificate — issued within 6 months, attested
• -Experience certificates — from all previous employers, attested
• -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.